The editors at Eater LA dine out several times a week, if not per day, which means we’re always encountering standout dishes that deserve time in the limelight. Here’s the very best of everything the team has eaten this week.
Dating Tahini shake from Meymuni Cafe in West Los Angeles
Newish Persian cafe Meymuni (“party” in Farsi) has already become an anchor for West Los Angeles’s Iranian diasporic community, where it serves stacked barbari sandwiches and lavash wraps, blends fun smoothies and coffee drinks, and hosts cross-generational events. It happens to be close to my new home in Rancho Park, so last week I visited with a colleague for lunch. The Dating Tahini shake, which mixes almond milk, tahini, banana, dates, date molasses, and 15 grams of whey protein to glorious effect, did not last on our table for even five minutes. This is one of the best date shakes you can find outside of Palm Springs and the greater Coachella Valley, and a must-get if you crave date shakes year-round as I do. Have it with some of the pastries from Naim, a local baker spotlighted at the counter, or homemade lavashak, a lip-puckering rolled Persian fruit leather. 2485 S. Sepulveda Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90064. — Nicole Fellah, Eater editorial manager
Garlic bread from Donna’s in Echo Park
“Garlic bread” feels like an understatement for the half loaf of crusty sourdough from Out of Thin Air crowned with a mountain of Parmesan at Donna’s in Echo Park. The top of the loaf gets entirely obscured by a shower of finely grated cheese, which then roots into the scored crust; garlic-laden butter melts between each layer, soaking each slice. Follow the garlic bread up with a tonnato-inspired Caesar coated in even more Parmesan, creamy fusilli alla vodka, and pinwheels of lasagna rollatini wrapped around Bolognese. Reservations can be tough to come by, but once you’re in the room, you’re family. 1538 Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90026. — Rebecca Roland, deputy editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest
Steak frites from Budonoki in Virgil Village
Any time I have a friend visiting Los Angeles from out of town, I take them to Budonoki. It’s the type of restaurant that encompasses how inventive — and undeniably cool — the city’s dining scene can be. Budnoki had steak frites as a special on the night we visited, glazed with a tangy Bordelaise sauce and topped with chives so expertly chopped they would be praised on the Kitchen Confidential subreddit. The beef itself arrived remarkably tender and my ideal shade of red in the center; paired with hot and crispy fries, it’s a combination that’s hard to beat. 654 N. Virgil Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90004. — Kat Thompson, audience editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest
Smoked barbecue bacon smash burger from Third Window Brewing in Santa Barbara
For a destination just two hours away from Los Angeles, Santa Barbara restaurants consistently impress. The city has a built-in advantage of being adjacent to the state’s best farms and seafood suppliers. Though my weekend was filled with memorable meals, one of the best came out of nowhere while killing time. Third Window Brewing not only has a fantastic patio to try beer, cider, and wine, but also raises its own wagyu cattle from FP Ranch in Los Olivos. That’s the base of its gloriously smoky barbecue bacon smash burger, which has a light kick of heat and beautiful lacy edges. Try the chipotle aioli for the twice-cooked Belgian fries, a glass of Apiary cider, and hang out for a Central Coast pitstop you won’t want to leave. 406 E. Haley Street, Suite 3, Santa Barbara, CA, 93101. — Mona Holmes, editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest