Every Friday our editors compile a trusty list of recommendations to answer the most pressing of questions: “Where should I eat?“ Here now are four places to check out this weekend in Los Angeles. And if you need some ideas on where to drink, here’s our list of the hottest places to get cocktails in town.
For low-key Korean barbecue: Hanu
Find Hanu, a low-key Korean barbecue spot serving outstanding meat and banchan at an affordable price, on the first floor of a medical building in Koreatown. Follow the smell of grilled meats into the parking lot where the entrance to the building is, and just around the corner into the restaurant itself. A line of robots welcomes guests alongside the check-in booth. They whizz about the space guiding diners to their table and delivering trays of meat and banchan. Some meat robots may get stuck along the way, but that’s just part of the fun. As opposed to busier spots in the city, Hanu is low-key on a Saturday night and easy to grab a seat. 2999 W. 6th Street #104, Los Angeles, CA 90020. — Rebecca Roland, associate editor
For a new take on an LA legend: Spago
Chef Wolfgang Puck’s Spago in Beverly Hills just turned 40 years old, which is practically a lifetime in restaurant years. After four wildly successful decades, the restaurant could easily rest on its laurels, especially with a loyal crowd (and the occasional celebrities) shuffling in nightly for signatures like smoked salmon pizza and crisp-fried wiener schnitzel. But Spago insists on keeping things fresh as evidenced by veteran barman Adam Fournier joining the restaurant’s ranks and helming its newly refurbished bar. The cushy velvet seats can be reserved in advance and provide the perfect perch to experience the legendary restaurant. Start with a cocktail or two — a bevy of boozy options and non-alcoholic ones are on hand — before diving into a full menu of heartier savory options from chef Ari Rosenson, sweets from pastry chef Della Gossett, or better yet, both. There are many ways an evening can unfold at Spago. 176 N. Canon Drive, Beverly Hills, CA 90210. — Cathy Chaplin, senior editor
For one of SGV’s most elegant dim sum spots: Chef Tony
Chef Tony’s first two locations occupied more mid-range spaces. The one in Arcadia took over the original Din Tai Fung in a strip mall, while the second now-closed location occupied a busy Old Pasadena corner. But Tony He’s newest location on the ground floor of the brand new Courtyard by Marriott in Monterey Park could be the chef’s fanciest dining room in the city, with high ceilings, modern palace appointments, and sleek banquet tables. Order a parade of dim sum, including squid ink egg yolk bao, har gow, shu mai, and cute coconut rabbit desserts before trying some shareable Cantonese seafood specialties like salt and pepper prawns or whole stir-fried lobster because a little extravagance always makes a dim sum meal a bit more memorable. — Matthew Kang, lead editor
For porridge to comfort all that ails: the Congee
The Congee can be challenging to locate but be patient while finding the entrance and a table, because some of winter’s best seasonal goodies are here including shrimp wonton noodle soup, beef noodle soup, and of course, congee. There’s an entire menu dedicated to the latter with jujube porridge, lean meat and preserved egg, and a dish that is sure to stick to every bone in the body: the braised beef brisket porridge casserole. All of these items work well at any time of the year, but especially now when the temperature hasn’t budged past 65 degrees in over a month. — Mona Holmes, reporter