2 weeks Ago
Lahmajune from Zhengyalov Hatz in Glendale. | Matthew Kang Follow Eater editors as they share their favorite dishes they ate in LA 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.
Hakata-style tonkotsu ramen from Hakata Izakaya Hero in Westwood Matthew Kang Hakata-style tonkotsu ramen from Hakata Izakaya Hero in Westwood. In over half a dozen trips to Japan going back to 2009, I’ve always enjoyed great ramen. Though I haven’t been back since 2018, we’re lucky enough in Los Angeles to have fantastic ramen shops from Torrance to Sherman Oaks.
Last week, when visiting Izakaya Hero, one of the best izakayas in LA, I made it a point to order ramen, one of the restaurant’s signature dishes. This is a supremely simple and spot-on Hakata-style tonkotsu ramen: The milky pork broth had a terrific balance of umami and richness, with satisfyingly chewy wheat noodle strands typical of the style. The seared pork belly is pretty modest, as is the size of this bowl overall, but you’re not at Izakaya Hero just for ramen.
The soup, tinted with white pepper and sliced scallions, works as a kind of finisher to the restaurant’s playful izakaya fare like rolled and stuffed pork belly skewers or crispy chicken karaage. Still, I’ll probably be thinking the most about the tonkotsu ramen. 1929 Westwood Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90025.
— Matthew Kang, lead editor, Eater Southern California/SouthwestLahmajune from Zhengyalov Hatz in Glendale Matthew Kang Lahmajune from Zhengyalov Hatz in Glendale. I love the herb-filled namesake dish of this homey Armenian restaurant in Glendale. Built with a mountain of chopped green and aromatic herbs, it’s probably the most delicious vegan dish in Los Angeles.
Recently, the restaurant has expanded with two types of shawarma (pork and chicken) and freshly made lahmajune to order. While the shawarma I found to be a bit on the tough and chewy side (perhaps it was an off-day), the lahmajune was terrific. The baker preparing the dough is almost surgical, pulling the sheets to paper thinness and then dressing them with a meaty, tomato-y sauce flecked with spices.
The crispy edges of the lahmajune and the super-fresh, out-of-the-oven experience elevated the version at Zhengyalov Hatz. Growing up in Glendale, I remember when students would bring stacks of these “Armenian pizzas” to elementary school, and I’ve loved them ever since. I even briefly had a column for Eater reporting on various lahmajune preparations.
Well, consider this a mini return to the Lahmajune Report. 318 E. Broadway, Glendale, CA 91205.
— Matthew Kang, lead editor, Eater Southern California/SouthwestChicken Parmesan from the Heights Deli & Bottle Shop in Lincoln Heights Rebecca Roland Chicken Parmesan from the Heights Deli & Bottle Shop in Lincoln Heights. Chicken Parmesan on a plate over a bed of pasta is always great, but there’s something about it in sandwich form that I just can’t get enough of. While I tend to head to Ggiata for a Spicy P when I’m craving something in the realm of chicken Parmesan, I found myself in Lincoln Heights recently and stopped into the Heights Deli and Bottle Shop for a bite.
The menu here is stacked with all the classics, including a hulking pastrami sandwich and a meatball sub, alongside pizza, salad, and wings. The sandwich, served on a toasted sub roll, comes with chicken cutlets that have the right meat-to-bread ratio. The sauce is thick with enough acidity to stand up to the richness of melted mozzarella cheese.
The crust of the bread isn’t too hard, instead offering a thin crispy layer that gives way to a plush interior. It's a sandwich that hits just right in every way, including the price of $13.70.
2927 N. Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90031. — Rebecca Roland, editor, Eater Southern California/SouthwestChocolate chip cookie from Cafe Knotted in the Westfield Century City Matthew Kang Chocolate chip cookie at Cafe Knotted in the Westfield Century City.
Cafe Knotted, a cult-favorite Korean dessert cafe with locations dotting Seoul and in the beachside city of Busan, has arrived in Los Angeles at the Westfield Century City — and, with it, so have the lines. On its opening weekend, lured either by nostalgia, puffy sugar-dusted cream doughnuts, or the brand’s own Instagram message citing weekend giveaways and specials, a long queue snaked past its second-floor kiosk, wrapped around two walls, and spilled into the corridor that leads from the Container Store to the mall’s main dining terrace. The doughnuts — in flavors like banana, strawberry cream, tiramisu, and lemon curd — are the main event, naturally, but don’t sleep on the gluten-free chocolate chip cookie, which has a buttery caramelized exterior and soft, chewy texture.
It’s maybe the best chocolate chip cookie in Los Angeles right now (sorry to Levain, which just opened its second Los Angeles location in Venice). 10250 Santa Monica Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90067. — Nicole Adlman, cities manager.
