TOP 10 DTLA RESTAURANT DISHES FOR 2015

2015 was a great year for DTLA restaurants.  Although we said good-bye to a few (Maria’s Italian Kitchen, Alma, Soleto Trattotia and Yorkshire Grill), we welcomed many more.  Over the past 12 months, DTLAexplorer has dined all over Downtown Los Angeles, and now it is time to reveal our Top 10 DTLA dishes.  This isn’t a list of our favorite DTLA restaurants. This is a list of our favorite dishes served at restaurants in DTLA.  Let us tell you, compiling the list was fun, but narrowing the list down to 10 and then putting them in order was difficult.  Are you ready?  Let the countdown begin…

Our Number 10 favorite food served in DTLA is the Salt & Peppered Yam Shrimp from Au Luc restaurant.

Okay, here we go.  Our Number 10 favorite food served in DTLA is the Salt & Peppered Yam Shrimp from Au Lac, a plant-based vegan restaurant in a strip mall behind Walt Disney Concert Hall.  I don’t know how they do it, but they turn yams into shrimp, and they are delicious.

Our Number 9 favorite food served in DTLA is the Slut from EggSlut inside the Grand Central Market.

Our Number 9 favorite food served in DTLA is the Slut from EggSlut inside the Grand Central Market.  The menu describes the Slut as a coddled egg on top of a smooth potato puree, poached in a glass jar and served with a demi baguette.  It looks all boring and bland, but it was so far from that.  When you mix the coddled egg and the potato puree together, it creates magic for your mouth.

Our Number 8 favorite food served in DTLA is the Niman’s Roast Beef sandwich from Eat.Drink.Americano in the Arts District.

Our Number 8 favorite food served in DTLA is the Niman’s Roast Beef sandwich from Eat.Drink.Americano.  It’s roast beef topped with caramelized onions, provolone cheese and atomic horseradish on the same amazing bread.  Calling the horseradish sauce “atomic” is an understatement.  My mouth was on fire and that stuff cleared out my sinuses.  It was so damn hot, but so damn good.  I could not stop eating it.

Our Number 7 favorite food served in DTLA is anything handed to us by Chef Naruke at Q Sushi.

Our Number 7 favorite food served in DTLA is anything Chef Hiroyuki Naruke serves you at Q Sushi.  Dinner at this Omakase-style restaurant starts at $165 a person and that doesn’t include drinks, tax or the tip, but save up because every bite is worth it.  It’s a 18 course parade of sashimi and sushi that you never want to end.

Our Number 6 favorite food served in DTLA is called the Provoleta from the Argentine restaurant called Barcito.

Our Number 6 favorite food served in DTLA is the called Provoleta from the Argentine restaurant called Barcito.  The Provoleta is seared goat cheese with charred lemon served with crunchy bread.  It may sound a little simple, but it’s simply delicious.

Our Number 5 favorite food served in DTLA is the Ludo Bird fried chicken sandwich from Ludo Bird inside Staples Center.

Our Number 5 favorite food served in DTLA is the Ludo Bird fried chicken sandwich from Ludo Bird inside Staples Center.  It’s a fried chicken breast served on a potato roll with some special sauce, coleslaw and pickles.  $12.50 for a chicken sandwich is a bit steep, but come on, you’re in Staples Center where you probably already spent 12-bucks on a beer.  It’s so worth it.

Our Number 4 favorite food served in DTLA is the Farro Salad from DTLA Cheese inside the Grand Central Market.

Our Number 4 favorite food served in DTLA is the Farro Salad from DTLA Cheese inside the Grand Central Market.  Before I tried this, I don’t think I have ever tried farro.  Now I order it whenever I see it on a menu.  DTLA Cheese’s farro salad is made with ricotta cheese, green beans, zucchini, pesto, peas and kale.   They make it to order in two sizes $5 or $9.  It tastes way too good to be this healthy.

Our Number 3 favorite food served in DTLA is an appetizer called the Peperu from Factory Kitchen.

Okay… let’s get to the Top 3.  Our Number 3 favorite food served in DTLA is an appetizer called the Peperu from Factory Kitchen.  These are stuffed sweet & spicy red peppers stuffed with a soft cheese and topped with arugula oil.  They look like they were going to be fire hot, but they were not.  The little bit of heat from the peppers is offset by the creamy cheese.  I love this dish so much I now make it at home.  My version is not as good as Factory Kitchen.  Order the Peperu… you won’t be disappointed.

Our Number 2 favorite food serves in DTLA is the Roasted Bone Marrow from Bestia.

Our Number 2 favorite food served in DTLA is the Roasted Bone Marrow from the antipasti menu at Bestia.  Before you wrinkle up your nose and say “eeewwww,” keep reading.  I had never tried bone marrow before ordering this dish.  I didn’t know what to expect.  It’s really just a delicious oil that you scrap over spinach gnocchetti that is topped with crispy breadcrumbs and aged balsamic.  Perfect!

Our Number 1 favorite food served in DTLA is the Shaky Shaky Beef from Little Sister restaurant.

Here it is… our Number 1 favorite food served in DTLA… the Shaky Shaky Beef from Little Sister.  When you go to Little Sister, you must order the Shaky Shaky Beef.  It’s one of the most expensive dishes on the menu, but it is worth it.  The beef was so tender and flavorful, and the rice was perfect.  I really can’t say enough about how much we enjoyed this dish.  It was so good… I am salivating right now just thinking out it.

Please let us know what we missed in 2015 so we can add it to the top of our list.  I can’t wait to start eating my way around DTLA for 2016.  Follow our DTLAexplorer on social media: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram or e-mail us at MyDayInDTLA@gmail.com.  Happy 2016!

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