One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
GQ Gives More Love to L.A. With Restaurant of The Year Awards
A bäco--flatbread sandwich--from Bäco Mercat (Photo by djjewelz via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr)
Just a short time after GQ's named L.A. "the new frontier of beer," the magazine's long time writer John Mariani listed several Angeleno establishments as part of their best new restaurants feature. Vic Casanova’s Gusto managed to snag a spot on Mariani's list, as did Baco Mercat, which has been getting quite the acclaim this year from the likes of Bon Appetit. And considering all the Nordic love for Noma as of late, the fact that BierBeisl made the cut is no real shocker.
But Russ Parsons over at the LA Times feels like the winner of GQ's chef of the year award, Washington, D.C.’s Roberto Donna, is a bit of a surprise:
"
Undoubtedly a great cook, Donna has been beset by financial and legal difficulties, which were amply documented by the Washington Post just last year... [the award] doesn't square with Post critic Tom Sietsema’s two-star (out of four) review. On the other hand, maybe this most recent incarnation at Al Dente (originally called La Forchetta) is what will prove Donna’s redemption. He is working for Hakan Illhan, described by the Post as a “fast-food king” who runs a string of restaurants including the Pizza Autentica chain and three Einstein Brothers pretzel shops."
Regardless of wether the winner is truly deserving of the title or not, we're stoked to see L.A. getting more love,regardless of the Haterade that other rival cities like SF and SD are drinking. Seems like our food scene is really on a roll.
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
