Los Angeles Restaurant Scene Is on the Move and Mixing It Up - mexican restaurant palm canyon where dish used to be

LOS ANGELES —It is a 25-
Just a few minutes drive from Hollywood to Salazar, Salazar is a sonolan grill in the location of an abandoned car repair shop in Frogtown, a eclectic community surrounded by wires and factories, known for the history of its frog invasion, not the scene of a restaurant.
However, Salazar was bustling that night.
A group of young people gathered at a lowlit, gravel-
Full of courtyards, many people drink a house drink called La Paloma
A drink from mizkar and grapefruit juice, plus a punch from anko, Chile --
As they waited for a table, it was scattered under the canopy of the palm trees and the Tomac tree of Africa, which warmed up the night sky.
Salazar, who opened on last June, has no phone.
Pour the wine into the juice cup and water into the tin camper Cup.
Firewood is piled outside the kitchen and food is prepared on open fire: mesquite-
Grilled pork chops, steak and Brancino.
Here are carne asada tortillas and a bowl of potatoes made with green chorizo, a reminder that Salazar is one of the more accomplished Mexican chefs in the city, Esdras o.
The perennial (and tiresome)
Debate over whether there is a better food scene in New York or Los Angeles.
Nowadays, few cities show so much restaurant Churn and change like this one.
Los Angeles once again shows the fundamental character of its identity: a relentless reshaping.
In a way, it's an impulse, spurred by the city's abundance of space, products and races, but also by people who are willing to drive 45 minutes to find the latest restaurant.
The chefs are looking for cheap places
Well, relatively cheap-rents in up-and-
The upcoming communities, far from communities such as Santa Monica, Venice, Beverly Hills and West Hollywood, offer mature, thriving and satisfying restaurants.
This means heading east to places like the town of frogan, Silver Lake and Highland Park.
Or go to downtown Los Angeles and South Korea, where you can see that you recently opened a sandwich shop offering such a non-
Korean cuisine with aged rice porridge, chicken skin and buttermilk.
Immigration has long been a defining dynamic in Los Angeles and is entering a new phase:and third-
A generation of immigrant children are now chefs who can not only comfortably cook what they eat when they grow up, but also make mashed potatoes
They may have encountered food not far from the drive. (
So, Sir, the pork belly and the beans
Ochoa of Salazar, or clamsand-
Rado tortillas served by Ray Garcia at restaurant BS.
Taqueria in downtown Los Angeles. )
"California food used to be packed in French or Italian," says Jessica Costello, the daughter of Eastern European immigrants and owner of breakfast Sqirl --and-
The lunch restaurant in East Hollywood always seems to line up outside the door.
"Now it is wrapped in Vietnam, the Middle East, Armenia, Thailand, Mexico.
"It may not be surprising that the city has never really felt comfortable with white people --
The tablecloth gracefully hangs the banner of leisure and carefree.
Michelin has not given a star rating here, thank God: Los Angeles will never be a Michelin city.
One night, when a couple appeared in Gwen in jeans and jerseys, no one seemed to be flustered, Gwen was a creative person in any other city, upscale restaurants
The price menu at the edge of Hollywood, opened by chef Curtis Stone in last June.
The energy at Los Angeles restaurants is very consistent with what is happening in other areas of the city, from museums to music to architecture.
"There are very few rules in Los Angeles. A.
It always has potential: it's a tradition in Los Angeles. A.
Catering, "said Patric Kuh, a longtime restaurant critic at Los Angeles magazine. “Somehow in L. A.
It is unlikely to become real and great.
I think it's part of attracting people.
There is no feeling, "What do other people think about what I am doing? ’”But out-of-
Look at outsiders.
Only New Yorkers have announced plans to open a restaurant here in the past year, and the parade is daunting: 11 Daniel Hemm of Madison Park, his eyes focused on the city center;
Ken Friedman and Bloomfield of "Spotted Pig" in April, their new restaurant is being built a few blocks from Gwen on Sunset Boulevard;
Cosme boss Enrique Olvera hopes to open a restaurant here by the end of 2018.
Sarah Kramer and Sarah haymanson came here three years ago after cooking in Glasserie, Brooklyn.
They first opened a falafel restaurant in the vibrant food court, which appeared in the old Big Central Market in downtown Los Angeles, and then unveiled Kismet, a restaurant, take over a pizzeria in a quiet location on Los Felice's Hollywood Boulevard.
They found here what other chefs found after crossing the country: a sunny place where strawberries are 10 months a year and where ladies are
Kramer can grow vegetables and herbs for her restaurant in her backyard.
"It's good not to be forced to change the menu because you don't have certain products," she said . ".
"On the other hand, the seasonality in New York is also good. ”“Tomatoes! ” Ms.
Hymanson says another local product that is often found at the farmer's market.
"In New York in winter, you only eat root vegetables and dry goods.
You 'd better be creative.
"Their culinary inspiration comes from the farmers market and the daily bounty in the Middle East: Henof-the-
Mushrooms made of chickpeas and pea shoots are soaked in almond broth seasoned with green chile.
Kismet celebrates an informal meeting in its Eastside glory.
While the crowd was waiting for seats in blonde hair the other night, a farmhouse beer and a bowl of spiced cashew nuts and kaffir lime leaves lined up in the bar
The wooden tables were neatly stacked with plates and napkins.
At Kismet, set your own table and pour your own coffee.
"We are trying to apply for something higher --
Enhance the style of the restaurant to a more casual experience . "
Kramer said that while picking from a basket of car riders, he put it in a cucumber salad made of persimmons and roses --
A yogurt.
"I think the same is true of technology and cooking.
We constantly apply real, high
The level of leisure experience technology. ”Ms.
Haymanson accepted the idea.
"We hope it's interesting," she said . "
"We want it to mess up.
We don't want people to feel too nervous.
Everything is intentional, even if it looks casual.
It makes sense to be casual and approachable in this small town.
"It's not that it's easy to open a restaurant in Los Angeles.
Despite the image of California as it pleases, it has strict rules
From the time the server can work between breaks to Breaks
Street parking
This can be punished at this lowprofit-Margin business.
Los Angeles, like some other cities, moved to 2015 to raise the minimum wage, $ month an hour, from $ Month to 2020.
New restaurants appear every week, but good restaurants are also closed: Pok LA
Andy Rick's Thai restaurant, which opened in 2015, closed down due to a bad business.
The large number of new restaurants may prevent chefs from trying to find a foothold among fickle customers.
"This is an inevitable cycle," Brad Johnson said. "The restaurant owner tried to go to some places to find low rents. the crowd came and the building became more expensive. you have to move on . " The owner of Post & Beam at Baldwin Hill, who came here 26 years ago from New York to run a restaurant.
"I watched the cycle many times.
But social media has accelerated this pace, and so has people's attention.
"I don't remember the 10 places I 've been to in the past because I still want to go to 10 places," he added . ". “L. A.
To a large extent, what is it-next town.
I 've been told before that you're in a restaurant business. it's really hard.
It's not that hard, I would say.
But I feel it now.
"Still, the same power that has pushed restaurant development here for a long time is as strong as ever, which explains why the city is so far from the well
Record Date of food truck and strip
The shopping mall restaurant defines the food scene.
Except this year-
Round production, with rich customers who support higher-
The restaurant like Spago in Beverly Hills is over and has always been great.
However, they are often willing to drive to San Gabriel Valley to try restaurants such as Shanghai No.
Los Angeles Times food critic Jonathan Gold called it "the most ambitious Chinese restaurant in Los Angeles in a decade --maybe ever.
"Every city has its own difficulties . "Koslow said.
"I think the idea that if you can succeed here, you can succeed anywhere is right in New York.
The kitchen there is very tight most of the time. The walk-
Ins is downstairs.
You are always in a small space. every inch is important.
"Here we have space," she adds, sitting in a storefront next to Sqirl, which she uses to prepare food.
"As this space grows, we are able to evolve a menu and explore what food is in a way that is harder to do on the East Coast. Our walk-
In quite big.
This means we can incorporate more from the farmers market.
"In a possibility forever
A growing city like this is occupied by places like Gwen.
Its two stories in Hollywood used to be located in two inconspicuous restaurants next door to psychiatry: a death industry museum run by groups funded by the Scientology church. Mr.
Gwen's chef, stone, is also a chef at Beverly Hills, and that's impossible --to-get-
In the restaurant, the monthly menu is made around a single ingredient, such as endive or pear. That Mr.
Stone's location in Hollywood shows how the focus of the restaurant has shifted.
Gwen has a butcher's counter in front of the house, along with a wide variety of meatloaf and high bread
There are a wide variety of steaks, with grilled salmon, grapefruit and mustard on the menu.
In the Korean city, in a neighborhood that was once mainly limited to Korean restaurants, you will be surprised to find the dining options here.
Books with bookshelves above the bar-
You won't find it often in the restaurant here.
One of the most recent nights, the customer dipped the stone chili with a blend of wine sauce, a soothing backdrop.
This restaurant respects the elders for all the changes that are taking place.
Weston is a mixture of local gin and Violet wine and arrives with a sidecar with an ice town refill, which is for the epic don'thave-more-than-
Had a martini at Musso & Frank Grill, a big lady in Hollywood who still has people inside. (
Still, there is a picture of Morrissey on the wall here because, as our waiter explained, "The chef loves Morrissey. ”)
In lachmont, a quiet suburban neighborhood, the home of Paramount Pictures, a lively restaurant called Kali opened on Melrose Avenue in last January with a bare kitchen, there is also a warm and charming restaurant.
The bold spirit of this place is reflected in the black barley seasoned rice, cooked with tea made of garlic, and turned black after six weeks of fermentation, then add the baked parmesan cheese from the California dish of feiscalini.
"It makes the dish kick as soon as it kicks," said chef and boss Kevin MIHAN . ".
Next to a drink called "Xintai fried river powder", it seems to be gentle: lime on green Chilean vodka, Aqua Perfecta and coconut ice, placed under a pile of bean sprouts, stick out a carrot on it. Mr.
Critics Kuh said that places like Kali captured his fascination with restaurants since he first started reviewing them 16 years ago. (
Before that, he was the chef of the restaurant. )
"When I look back at the early Spago, I think you can have someone who works in Maxim, barbecue with almond wood, and a restaurant above the tower record store on Sunset Avenue, re-imagine what California would represent culturally --
"It was Spago in 1982," he said . "
Again, Los Angeles in 2017 is the kitchen for Salazar cooking tacos, behind the plate --
Frogtown, a glass window on an open mesquite fire, sent customers away with a team of Ubers and Lyfts that barely appeared in the community on the map early in Spago.
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