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A James Beard nominee just opened a diner. And it's the coolest place to be
The lunch spread at Le Hut: a smoked chicken sandwich, patty melt and Caesar salad
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Ron De Angelis
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Courtesy Le Hut
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[This is part of a three-part series on L.A.'s diner scene, (partly) inspired by the soon-to-open Tesla diner in Hollywood. Check out our story on Swingers on Fairfax, and the upcoming Max & Helen's in Larchmont].
When you're nominated for a James Beard Best Chef in California award, as Daniel Castillo was for his Heritage Barbeque restaurant in San Juan Capistrano, your future is pretty wide open.
Maybe open a high-end restaurant and show off your culinary expertise?
Instead, he's opened Le Hut Dinette in Santa Ana, his homage to diner culture, partnering with his head chef, Ryan Garlitos (Taco Maria, Irena).
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The Quonset hut-style building.
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Ron De Angelis
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Courtesy Le Hut
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The restaurant is housed in a Quonset hut, the World War II era semicircle-shaped structure made with corrugated steel. It brims with a certain retro charm.
Inside, old and new come together. Castillo pours glasses of natural wine from behind the counter while serving serving tuna salad sandos on vintage-inspired dinnerware. The retro hi-fi system spins old country classics, while his wife, Brenda, greets people warmly at the entrance.
Brenda and Daniel Castillo owners of Heritage Barbecue in San Juan Capistrano and now Le Hut in Santa Ana.
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Brad De Angelis
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Courtesy Le Hut
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For Castillo, opening Le Hut was very personal. Growing up in Whittier, he spent much of his youth obsessing over old-school Americana, like shopping at vintage stores and hanging out at the local diner, Rocky Cola Cafe. He also wanted to evolve as a restaurateur while keeping the approach fun and straightforward.
"I've always felt more connected to things from the past. That was it. It was just allowing me to do something fun and not overcomplicate things," Castillo said.
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The laid-back atmosphere of Le Hut is a draw for its loyal customer base, who have been supporting the Castillos since their pop-up days selling smoked briskets by the pound out of their backyard in Garden Grove.
" We are a true mom-and-pop restaurant in a land of corporate restaurants where the owners aren't there," Castillo said. "[Our customers] have followed this story and seen our success. And people want something like that. It's something that you almost don't see anymore."
Brunch includes smoked brisket and eggs, and breakfast tacos.
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Ron De Angelis
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Courtesy Le Hut
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A good place to start is the chili fries, made with Wiser Farms potatoes fried in beef tallow. They're stunningly crisp, sprinkled with a signature seasoning, and topped with mounds of ground brisket chili.
It's also an exquisite accompaniment to their patty melt made with caramelized onions, a ground brisket patty, melted American cheese, pickles, and slathered with special sauce, between two pieces of milk bread made from 6100 Bread next door.
The hint of soft textures, the sweetness of the milk bread, and the ultra savory flavors from the burger patty, onions and melted cheese intermingle perfectly, like the rhythms of a classic Johnny Cash recording.
Le Hut exudes its own unique charm.
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Ron De Angelis
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Courtesy Le Hut
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Behind the counter at Le Hut.
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Ron De Angelis
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Courtesy Le Hut
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Even Le Hut's version of Caesar salad is leveled up. It's made with a combination of little gem lettuce and chicories bathed in a creamy Caesar dressing mixed with crispy shallots and crumbles of anchovy. There's an option to add avocado and smoked chicken for a couple more bucks, which I encourage you to do, especially since it's the smoked chicken from Heritage, which exudes the signature flavors Castillo has built his name on.
Other quality takes on diner food include an 8-ounce smoked brisket with two eggs and a pork and peas dish made with slow-cooked pork belly and Rancho Gordo split peas.
Sure, it doesn't come cheap — the patty melt costs $22 while the pork and peas cost $38 — but it's been crafted thoughtfully and carefully. Le Hut exudes creativity, reflecting Castillo's philosophy of innovating within a traditional framework.
"There are no rules," he said.
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