4 days ago
3 Restaurants to Try This Weekend in Los Angeles: August 15
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 Beijing duck feast that heals the soul: Ji Rong Peking Duck in Rosemead
Since we haven't met yet, hi, I'm Kat Thompson, and I'm joining the Eater Southern California/Southwest team as an audience editor, a role I'm excited to tackle to highlight all the incredible restaurants in our vast region. Still, change can be hard, and when life feels in flux I often gravitate toward something familiar to ground me. The perfect grounding meal, in most cases, is Ji Rong's roast Beijing duck, a dish that has yet to disappoint me across dozens of visits. The duck is consistently great with lacquered crispy skin, accompanied by paper-thin crepes painted with sweet and savory hoisin sauce, fresh sliced cucumbers, and ribbons of green onion. Overall, the experience feels extravagant and comforting at once. Although duck is the restaurant's namesake, there are so many other hits on the menu too. Battered pumpkin sprinkled with salted egg yolk, tongue-tingling spicy cold chicken, and the sticky Shanghai-style spareribs are among my favorites. 8450 E. Valley Boulevard, Rosemead, CA, 91770. — Kat Thompson, audience editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest
For dinner in Burbank that is not the Ikea food court: Tun Lahmajo
Lahmajune at Tun Lahmajo in Burbank, California. Rebecca Roland
Ever since reading Los Angeles Times critic Bill Addison's review of Burbank's Armenian restaurant Tun Lahmajo, I've looked for an excuse to find myself in the neighborhood that wasn't a trip to Ikea, since that always ends with Swedish meatballs. Recent plans (that didn't quite work out) finally brought me to Burbank and I jumped at the chance to make a detour. Even mid-week, Tun Lahmajo was bustling; in the dining room, a group combined a handful of tables into something that could accommodate at least 12, while there wasn't a single open seat on the patio. At the front of the restaurant, a fire licked the edges of a towering stone oven as plates of loosely wrapped dolmas emerged from the back kitchen. But I remained focused on the lahmajune (also spelled lahmajoon) topped with spiced ground meat, tomato sauce, and melted cheese. The lahmajune here is thinner and softer than at other shops like the Lahmajune Factory, more akin to the texture of a roti or flaky tortilla. The rest of the food arrived within minutes: shawarma cradled in a flatbread with sliced tomatoes, a still-steaming bowl of lentil soup, and meat and rice dolmas with a yogurt sauce. The service was casual and warm, an extension of the feeling that Tun Lahmajo is the staff's own expansive kitchen, where they welcome friends in. 2202 N. Glenoaks Boulevard, Burbank, CA, 91504. — Rebecca Roland, deputy editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest
For a breakfast of champions, at any time of day: New York's Chopped Cheese
Chopped cheese sandwich at New York's Chopped Cheese in Los Angeles. Jakob N. Layman
Weekend mornings are my time to shine. After I wake up and walk the dog, exploring Los Angeles during the early hours is pure joy, especially before the afternoon madness. But to traverse this vast city of ours and take in the sights and sounds, one needs sustenance — cue New York's Chopped Cheese. The Hollywood outlet is open until 2 a.m. (3 a.m. on weekends), while the Mid-City location operates from 10 a.m. to midnight. The restaurant comes from a group of former New Yorkers (including one from Linden Hollywood) who wanted to bring New York City's favorite corner bodega sandwich imports to Los Angeles: a chopped cheese and bacon, egg, and cheese. I admit to side-eyeing the prospect of another New York City import, but New York's Chopped Cheese got me with that classic and incredible chopped cheese. The grilled beef patties are evenly chopped and brightened, when, of course, sauteed onions, seasoning, and cheese come into the mix. It's one of those 'I'll be full until dinnertime' kind of meals. There's no mistaking how delicious this is, so please enjoy while it's hot off the griddle. 5109 Venice Boulevard, Mid-City, CA, 90019 or 1471 Tamarind Avenue, Hollywood, CA, 90028. — Mona Holmes, editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest
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