Every Friday, our editors compile a trusty list of recommendations to answer the most pressing of questions: “Where should I eat?“ Here 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 a nostalgic escape outside of L.A.: Rainforest Cafe in Ontario, California
The 1990s-era Rainforest Cafe remains the childhood restaurant I can’t let go of: I viscerally remember our location planted in the Palisades mall in West Nyack, New York. I had birthday lunches and best friend dinners here; a hiss of steam clouds billowing from beneath a slowly blinking animatronic elephant became a formative memory. I felt a pang of nostalgic recognition in recent weeks as the restaurant, whose last remaining California location lives at an outlet shopping center in Ontario, California, popped up in media discourse. Would the thunderstorm jolt me in the same way it did when I was a kid? There seemed only one way to find out. I took my husband and toddler last weekend and found the food to be better than I expected (we had classic Lava Nachos and a new vaguely Caribbean-coded grilled salmon and shrimp dish steeped in mango sauce); service remained attentive and easygoing. It’s a little hectic to get in (it is a destination people drive to from all over California, to be fair), but once seated, you’re welcome to stay as long as you like under a flicking cheetah tail or lightning-eyed gorilla. 4810 Mills Circle, Ontario, CA 91764. — Nicole Fellah, Eater editorial manager
For Taiwanese Thai food in a bustling mall: Very Thai in Century City
After much anticipation (and a handful of delays), Taiwan-based Thai restaurant, Very Thai, has opened at Westfield Century City. The restaurant occupies a corner slot on the upper deck with an expansive dining room, bar, and glass-enclosed kitchen where you can watch papaya salad come together in robotic shakers. Very Thai seems bent on affirming its place in Los Angeles, a city with a nearly unparalleled Thai dining scene. Massaman curry arrives still steaming with hunks of tender beef bedded in a nutty stew; sweet-sticky tamarind glaze clings to pieces of crispy fried fish. Green curry pad Thai is a non-traditional standout with tender rice noodles swimming in a slightly spicy, fragrant curry. If you’re looking for heat, just be sure to ask for dishes at their highest spice level; at my table, even after maxing out the heat, it was closer to a mild or medium found at other Thai restaurants. 10250 Santa Monica Boulevard, Suite 2800, Los Angeles, CA 90067. — Rebecca Roland, deputy editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest
For a dazzling beachside spot that always delivers: Si! Mon in Venice
When Eater editors obsess over a restaurant, we dive deep to tell readers what to eat and what makes it so unforgettable. It’s always better when a hot spot like Si! Mon continues to excel years after opening. Chef José Olmedo Carles Rojas continues to lure Westside locals and those of us who venture to the deep end of Venice for his signature fried chicken or Panamanian rice stew, also known as Dungeness crab guacho. Always order the uni shooter, a wonderfully messy shot glass full of uni, littleneck clam, and achiote-laced ponzu. Surrounded by mature plants, diners will experience speakers blaring lo-fi beats, romantic lighting, and attractive staff who always put the table at ease when dropping off a reposado tequila milk punch that soothes the soul. 60 N. Venice Boulevard, Venice, CA, 90291. — Mona Holmes, editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest
For Cantonese brunch: Tam’s Noodle House in San Gabriel
I love dining at Hong Kong–style diner Tam’s Noodle House because the variety remains unmatched. Yes, you can go full traditional and get congee peppered with jammy century eggs or slippery rice rolls blanketing plump shrimp. But there are also surprise ingredients that hail from Western influences — like ramen noodles topped with slabs of luncheon meat and French toast stuffed with peanut butter or kaya jam. The sweet and savory options are endless and not out of place next to each other on a brunch spread; wavering between buttery bites of pineapple bun and crispy fried chile salt squid is my ideal way to eat. 120 N. San Gabriel Boulevard, Suite J, San Gabriel, CA 91775. — Kat Thompson, audience editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest
