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.

Mike’s spicy beef noodle soup at Mala Class in Highland Park

Mona Holmes

When Kevin Liang and chef Michael Yang decided to open a Sichuan restaurant in Highland Park, they settled on Mala Class for the name. This was a curious choice for a historically Spanish-speaking neighborhood as mala translates to “bad,” but Liang and Yang’s má là is all about Sichuan spice. At Mala Class, they add bold flavors to dishes like deep-fried wings encrusted in a potent dry chile rub and heat-laden mapo tofu. When tasting Yang’s spicy beef noodle soup, prepare to enjoy a bowl of soulful and aromatic broth, lengthy noodles, and Chinese broccoli with slices of tender beef; the tiny pools of fat in the broth are welcome flavor boosters. If dining at Mala Class with four or five people, order the entire menu, share every dish, and plot a return visit to this cozy neighborhood spot. 5816 York Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA, 90042. — Mona Holmes, reporter

Dual uni nigiri with crispy nori at Udatsu in Hollywood

Matthew Kang

One of the most compelling contrasts in sushi comes from the difference between Hokkaido and Santa Barbara uni, a ploy that many chefs in Los Angeles have displayed in their omakase. This slightly novel tweak from Udatsu in Hollywood isn’t just a study of two types of sea urchin roe, it’s a satisfying subversion of nigiri construction. Typically uni preparations will have the sweet, saline flesh sailing on top of a rounded piece of seaweed. Instead, chef Hisashi Udatsu places a crisp square of nori between a ball of seasoned rice. The entire mouthful is a real flavor bomb, one that’s sure to bring a smile to one’s face. 6630 Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA, 90028. — Matthew Kang, lead editor

Veal brain ravioli at Poltergeist in Echo Park

Button Mash was absolutely slammed on my final visit to the beloved neighborhood spot days before its closure, packed to the rafters with rowdy Dodgers fans and “the Poltergeist FOMO crowd,” as owner Jordan Weiss jokingly called folks like me making a pilgrimage for chef Diego Argoti’s acclaimed chaotic cooking. Not knowing when or where the chef would pop up next, I ordered all my favorites, including the now-iconic Thai Caesar salad and the yellow curry bucatino. Argoti promised to dial up the wild factor during Poltergeist’s final weeks of service and delivered on all accounts with the evening’s special: A veal brain ravioli that he says was inspired, in part, by Olive Garden’s Alfredo sauce. The tender pasta parcels were slathered in a green-tinged bechamel thickened with Parmesan rinds and served alongside seared chicken hearts topped with pickled rehydrated kiwis and a punchy white peach and tomato salad. It was strange, it was delicious, and it was everything I had hoped for in my final bite at Poltergeist. 1391 Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90026. — Cathy Chaplin, senior editor

Spam cheese jalapeño puff at Metafora Coffee in Koreatown

Metafora Coffee recently hosted its first pop-up at Koreatown’s Open Market and tapped baker Goodie Noona to provide pastries. Even before I went, I had my eyes on the Spam cheese jalapeño puff and made sure to go early enough to get my hands on one. The handheld pie had a fragile puff exterior that crackled with the lightest pressure and emitted a strong scent of rich butter. The interior, with its hunks of salty Spam and spicy jalapeños swimming in creamy cheese, kept me coming back for more. Once it was gone, I looked up at the counter and thought about grabbing another, but it was already too late. 3339 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90010. — Rebecca Roland, associate editor