Michelin adds 12 LA-area restaurants to Bib Gourmand list
LOS ANGELES - Looking for some restaurants to try in the Los Angeles area?
The Michelin Guide added a dozen local restaurants to its California listings, classifying them as "new" so foodies can enjoy them before the annual announcement of Bib Gourmands and Stars.
"Food lovers can get a taste of cuisines from around the world at a very reasonable price," said Gwendal Poullennec, International Director of the MICHELIN Guides. "The inspector teams were very enthusiastic about this new group of Bib Gourmands — a smorgasbord of international flavors amplified by creative touches and quality California ingredients."
Bib Gourmand restaurants offer a full menu of a starter, main course and dessert, making it possible to order two courses and a glass of wine or dessert for $49 USD or less (tax and gratuity not included).
Here's the list from Michelin, along with inspector notes describing what foodies can expect at each:
All Day Baby - Los Angeles
American
All Day Baby
On a sun-soaked corner of Sunset Boulevard, find one of the city’s most compelling reasons to wake up early. Anybody can throw together a breakfast sandwich, but few compare to the one at All Day Baby. A tower of softly scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage and American cheese arrives under a cloak of strawberry jam stacked between a fluffy cathead biscuit.
Caboco - Los Angeles
Brazilian
Chefs Rodrigo Oliveira and Victor Vasconcellos bring both modern and authentic Brazilian fare to their adopted home of Los Angeles. This airy, industrial-chic space welcomes guests with a well-rounded menu of deeply flavorful and enjoyable dishes. Entrees are designed for sharing, and you can easily make a meal out of a variety of small plates.
Chulita - Venice
Mexican
Chulita Venice / Photo courtesy Wonho Frank Lee
Tacos are served all day at this spot where Oaxacan-style, California-influenced fare rules. Slake your thirst with a tequila or mezcal, then tuck in to a starter, such as the quesadilla de calabaza, made from dark masa, filled with Oaxacan queso and garnished with pipián de calabaza. It's even better when filled with tender barbacoa.
Flavors from Afar - Los Angeles
International
Flavors from Afar / Photo courtesy Jesse Hsu
A kitchen on a mission, Flavors from Afar works with refugees, asylum seekers and immigrants to highlight recipes from their native countries. Eritrean, Lebanese, Navajo, Guatemalan, Haitian — the rotation is constant, and the culinary reach of the effort is vast. This is authentic homestyle cooking in the best of ways, a spotlight on undiscovered talent and a striking reminder of the many flavors the world has to offer. A portion of proceeds benefit the Tiyya Foundation, which supports immigrants and displaced Indigenous communities.
Ipoh Kopitiam - Alhambra
Malaysian
Ipoh Kopitiam
Chef Kenji Tang has something of a hit on his hands, and day or night, the line to get in can be as dense as the takeout tickets that pile up on the front counter. Tang fills a void with a fairly succinct menu of well-known Malaysian favorites that stand out in a region known more for its Chinese restaurants.
Lalibela - Los Angeles
Ethiopian
Chef/owner Tenagne Belachew and her daughters are congenial fixtures in a simply adorned setting that feels like a humble abode. They are content to let the food do the talking and offer a dazzling selection of vibrant Ethiopian classics with vegetables and meat alike arriving on oversized silver platters lined with injera.
Moo’s Craft Barbecue - Los Angeles
Barbecue
Moo's Craft Barbecue
High school sweethearts Andrew and Michelle Muñoz are living a dream come true. What started out as a backyard hobby smoking meats on weekends has transformed into a full-fledged restaurant in Lincoln Heights. Smoky, salt-and-pepper-crusted brisket and snappy, spicy sausages packed with cheddar and jalapeños pay homage to the barbecue traditions of Austin, Texas.
peasants FEAST - Solvang
American
It may seem impossible to be even more charming than its Solvang surroundings, but peasants FEAST doubles down, and delivers. This daytime-only café from Michael and Sarah Cherney spotlights the seasons on its sandwich-driven menu. There's nothing ho-hum about what's between the bread here. Instead, the cooking is all heart and the selections show off a unique creativity (cue the pastrami smoked salmon sandwich).
Pijja Palace - Los Angeles
Fusion
"Indian Sports Bar" is not a phrase you hear often, if at all, so it’s no surprise that this quirky hotspot at the base of a Comfort Inn defies labels. Large flatscreen TVs showing the day’s game hang on every wall, and people do indeed come here to cheer on their team. The food is equally original, riffing on classic bar dishes but elevating them with astute seasoning and careful preparation.
Pizzeria Bianco - Los Angeles
Pizza
Pizzeria Bianco / Photo courtesy Ashley Randall
Those who think Los Angeles can't compete with New York when it comes to pizza obviously haven't been to Pizzeria Bianco. There is a reason long lines snake through ROW DTLA and queue up at the takeout window with diners hankering for a taste of Chef Chris Bianco’s pizza.
Ramen & Tsukemen TAO - Buena Park
Japanese/Ramen
Ramen & Tsukemen TAO
This unassuming spot in an easy-to-miss location in an open-air mall belies the wondrous steaming bowls found within. The small dining room with space for 20 is strictly no-frills but it's of no concern, since you're here for the soul-stirring comfort food made with passion and dedication. The concise menu features a few appetizers, though ramen clearly steals the show.
Saffy’s - Los Angeles
Middle Eastern
Saffys / Photo courtesy Joseph Weaver
Crackling flames, heat radiating from the coals, the constant kneading and stretching of dough — the visceral nature of Ori Menashe and Genevieve Gergis’ latest restaurant is impossible to ignore. Lamb and pork kebabs cooked on long metal skewers are the main event, but appetizers easily hold their own. There might not be a better, creamier hummus around; this one boosted with smoked paprika, toasty pine nuts and an herby green zhoug.
The full list of Bib Gourmands will be released by Michelin on Dec. 5.