Congress has cut federal funding for public media — a $3.4 million loss for LAist. We count on readers like you to protect our nonprofit newsroom. Become a monthly member and sustain local journalism.
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 Picks the 10 Best New Restaurants in America & 2 Are in L.A.
Photo of Beef heart, rocoto sauce at Picca by foodforfel via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr
()
Los Angeles, we get the bragging rights for this one, because the number one Best New Restaurant in America according to GQ is our very own ink., Michael Voltaggio's daring new "modern eatery." And, just to put a little more swagger in our Angeleno strut, our fair city gets a second nod with Picca, Ricardo Zarate's Japanese-influenced Peruvian resto. Raise the roof!
GQ's Alan Richman and the other publication editors take a year and a lot of tastes and a lot of notes to come up with this annual list.
Of the "wildly popular" Picca (in the number 6 slot), Richman marvels at the sheer volume of small plates (sometimes a thousand a night) that emerge from the small kitchen to serve perhaps just a hundred diners. Peruvian cuisine, hailed by many as the next big thing, is done superbly here, with kudos to Zarate, for the ceviche, of course, and so much more: "He modernizes such Peruvian classics as anticuchos (brochettes) and causas (potato cakes). The most perfectly executed anticucho featured small, sweet scallops, and my favorite causa was topped with spicy yellowtail," writes Richman.
And then there's ink. Voltaggio has the Top Chef cred, the tats, and the "gadgets," yes, and he's making what he calls "Modern L.A. Cuisine" though that classification is fairly oblique, even for Voltaggio. ink. is experimental and playful, with dishes that often represent the chef's imaginative "take" on something familiar, like chicken and waffles, in Richman's example. (We know: We've nibbled on Voltaggio's take on chicken nuggets and other creations coming out of Test Kitchen and his last post at the Langham's Dining Room.) It seems it's the risky "laboratory"-style approach Richman lauds Voltaggio for, with results that aren't always successful, and are sometimes surprisingly "soft and soothing."
Support for LAist comes from
Here's the complete list:
The “Ten Best New Restaurants in America” selected by GQ for 2012
1. Ink (Los Angeles, CA)
Modernism Never Tasted So Good
2. Brushstroke (New York, NY)
Our Finest Japanese Import
3. Next (Chicago, IL)
No Holds Barred, Nothing Left Behind
4. Mission Chinese Food (San Francisco, CA)
The Pop-up That Endured
5. The Catbird Seat (Nashville, TN)
The Best Duet in Nashville
Support for LAist comes from
6. Picca (Los Angeles, CA)
Peruvian Is Here to Stay
7. The Woodsman Tavern (Portland, OR)
We’ll Be at the Bar
8. Mica (Philadelphia, PA)
French Technique Moves to the Burbs
9. Ruxbin (Chicago, IL)
Small, Scrappy, and Satisfying as Hell
10. Barley Swine (Austin, TX)
The Restaurant That Grew Up in a Trailer
As Editor-in-Chief of our newsroom, I’m extremely proud of the work our top-notch journalists are doing here at LAist. We’re doing more hard-hitting watchdog journalism than ever before — powerful reporting on the economy, elections, climate and the homelessness crisis that is making a difference in your lives. At the same time, it’s never been more difficult to maintain a paywall-free, independent news source that informs, inspires, and engages everyone.
Simply put, we cannot do this essential work without your help. Federal funding for public media has been clawed back by Congress and that means LAist has lost $3.4 million in federal funding over the next two years. So we’re asking for your help. LAist has been there for you and we’re asking you to be here for us.
We rely on donations from readers like you to stay independent, which keeps our nonprofit newsroom strong and accountable to you.
No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, press freedom is at the core of keeping our nation free and fair. And as the landscape of free press changes, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust, but the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news from our community.
Please take action today to support your trusted source for local news with a donation that makes sense for your budget.
Thank you for your generous support and believing in independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
After rising for years, the number of residential installations in the city of Los Angeles began to drop in 2023. The city isn’t subject to recent changes in state incentives, but other factors may be contributing to the decline. -
The L.A. City Council approved the venue change Wednesday, which organizers say will save $12 million in infrastructure costs.
-
Taxes on the sale of some newer apartment buildings would be lowered under a plan by Sacramento lawmakers to partially rein in city Measure ULA.
-
The union representing the restaurant's workers announced Tuesday that The Pantry will welcome back patrons after suddenly shutting down six months ago.
-
If approved, the more than 62-acre project would include 50 housing lots and a marina less than a mile from Jackie and Shadow's famous nest overlooking the lake.
-
The U.S. Supreme Court lifted limits on immigration sweeps in Southern California, overturning a lower court ruling that prohibited agents from stopping people based on their appearance.
Best of LAist