With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support 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.
He's Got 99 Restaurants (But The Valley's No Fun)
Pulitzer-Prize-winning and family-feuding restaurant critic Jonathan Gold published his updated list of L.A.'s 99 Essential Restaurants in the LA Weekly today, an annual tradition that arrives this year sans fun interactive Google map. L.A. classics like Langer's and Phillipe's are still holding down their spots (and may they forever more), while modern masterpieces like Melisse and Providence continue to reign over the dining scene.
New to the list are Akasha, Animal, Anisette, BLD, Comme Ca, 8 oz. Burger Bar, LA Mill, The Nickel, Osteria Mozza, Palate, and Wolfgang's Steakhouse. It's also good to see LAist faves like Jitlada and the Culver City Father's Office hitting JGold's sweet spot.
The Valley proper gets very little love: we San Fernandans can turn to only Asanebo, Max, and Alcazar for an Essential experience, apparently. (Ok, the NoHo branch of Krua Thai gets a shout-out too.)The San Gabriel Valley, however, is awash in cheap but excellent eats, according to Mr. Gold: not a surprise, given his penchant for the varied Asian cuisines of the east side of the city.
Sponsored message
As far as overarching trends go, Gold deems this the year of " the hypermasculine restaurant, where chefs take the same kind of fierce pride in their arcane meats and cheeses they probably used to take in their record collections. Their whites are always stained with blood, and they exult in the hard labor and difficult conditions of even the modern restaurant kitchen."
At LAist, we focus on what matters to our community: clear, fair, and transparent reporting that helps you make decisions with confidence and keeps powerful institutions accountable.
Your support for independent local news is critical. With federal funding for public media gone, LAist faces a $1.7 million yearly shortfall. Speaking frankly, how much reader support we receive now will determine the strength of this reliable source of local information now and for years to come.
This work is only possible with community support. Every investigation, service guide, and story is made possible by people like you who believe that local news is a public good and that everyone deserves access to trustworthy local information.
That’s why we’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Thank you for understanding how essential it is to have an informed community and standing up for free press.
Your support for independent local news is critical. With federal funding for public media gone, LAist faces a $1.7 million yearly shortfall. Speaking frankly, how much reader support we receive now will determine the strength of this reliable source of local information now and for years to come.
This work is only possible with community support. Every investigation, service guide, and story is made possible by people like you who believe that local news is a public good and that everyone deserves access to trustworthy local information.
That’s why we’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Thank you for understanding how essential it is to have an informed community and standing up for free press.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
