Where to Eat: L.A.’s Best Restaurants to Kick Off 2015

Last year saw a slew of restaurant openings that further cemented the fact that Los Angeles is becoming a culinary force to be reckoned with. Whether you follow the careers of celebrity chefs, prefer Italian to French, seafood over red meat, or are strictly vegetarian, 2014 was a good year for Angeleno diners. Although New Year’s resolutions are now in full effect – these restaurants should not be missed.

While there is no need to list or categorize the restaurants that made the cut, there are a couple of standouts that have been truly and deservedly celebrated. Cultural almost to the point of educational, above par service, décor to fill the senses, and, of course, food that delivers with every single bite: these are the places to go in 2015.

A perfect start for this year’s best openings is Maude. A clear victor in many food experts’, critics’, and patrons’ minds: Curtis Stone’s first restaurant (ever!) on Beverly Drive in Beverly Hills is really something special. From the concept (one seasonal ingredient per month with a prix fixe tasting menu and wine pairings), to the décor (inviting, homey, and with personal touches throughout), to the size (very, VERY small), and finally the service (impeccable), the restaurant delivers a culinary tour de force that will have any diner leaving satisfied if not significantly in debt.

During the past few months, the menu has centered on ingredients such as berries, corn, tomatoes and winter squash while the upcoming few months of 2015 will explore pomegranate, parsnip and fennel. With dedication to a singular ingredient and delivering such different flavors, Maude will certainly continue to be a go-to for the New Year.

Arguably, just as talked about as Maude, Petit Trois made quite a mark on the L.A. restaurant scene in 2014. Yes, Trois Mec has been one L.A. Foodies top dining destinations, but Petit Trois is it’s smaller, more down-to-earth neighbor, and is equally delicious. More importantly for some people is that it lacks the rather exclusive reservation system in place at Trois Mec, and is a fraction of the price.

Absolutely Parisian down to the bread, this is where you go to escape. You’ll feel much more like you’re lost in the Left Bank, rather than a strip mall on Highland Avenue. The menu is as petit as the space with every item as delicious as the next. The escargots, a true omelette, steak frites, and croque monsieur (after 10 p.m.) should not be missed.

An area going through a rapid change to become one of the hippest parts of L.A. also saw one of the most exciting hotel/restaurant openings of the past year. The Line Hotel with both Pot and Commissary was the icing on the cake for Koreatown’s recent morphing into THE place to go.

While both restaurants within the hotel are a must – Commissary is the winner not only for its food, but also because of the setting. Bustling beneath what is best described as a greenhouse (with hanging plants aplenty); this place focuses on something very in right now – vegetables. While they may not be everyone’s first pick, to create a memorable dining experience from eggplant and carrots shows chef/owner Roy Choi’s true level of craftsmanship.

For those who are more carnivorous: don’t fret, they have meat too (burgers, fish, and a steak!) When presented with the menu, however, point (yes, point as there are pictures and very little else to go on) at something a bit out of your comfort zone and let Chef Roy take the wheel.

As with many of the restaurants on this list, Alimento is a study in the cuisine it serves; in this case it’s Italian. Part of the experience had at this restaurant is its uncanny ability to remove the diner from a very LA setting and transport them to Italia. While some restaurants do this via décor, or a mixture of food and décor, Alimento does this by serving some truly amazing dishes that certainly provide “alimento” (nourishment in Italian.)

The relatively small menu (perfectly suited for the equally small dining room) consists of dishes from different regions of Italy including tortellini in brodo, oxtail, pork shank, and squid ink pasta. Zach Pollack, of Sotto, does a great job at the helm by incorporating the very traditional with things as light-hearted as pigs in a blanket.

Down the road, another eatery that caused a stir in Silver Lake in 2014 was Night + Market Song. Thai food is pretty easy to find in Los Angeles, but rarely with the attitude of this hippest of restaurants. Slightly kitschy, very colorful, and serving some of the meanest gaeng pa nok saap (spicy curry with lots of ginger, pepper, as well as eggplant and chicken), makes this restaurant an absolute sensory delight.

The mixture of very traditional Thai dishes and flavors with some playing to the Western palate makes Kris Yenbamroong’s second location a very popular spot. Particularly as there are no reservations. Good news for those wanting an alcoholic drink with their meal: they now serve beer and wine!

In keeping with this year’s trend of popular chefs/owners around town opening new restaurants, Walter and Margarita Manzke opened Republique on La Brea in the space formerly occupied by Campanile.

An impressive space without any need to redecorate, the food is the focus here. Every bite is as good as or even better than the last. Classified as a bistro, this place cooks amazing meats (definitely try the rotisserie chicken), salads and DELICIOUS spaghetti. The charcuterie and cheese boards are perfect to start, or to help soak up copious amounts of alcohol. Lastly, if you can add fries to any meal, definitely go for it.

Faith & Flower, one of DTLA’s most talked about openings of the year, has been met with considerable praise. The immediate impression given by the stunning interior is that this place is here to provide a good time, great food, and excellent service. More importantly, however, it doesn’t just look good – it delivers.

Menu items that have been on the tip of everyone’s tongues for the past year: the Milk Punch, and the oxtail agnolotti. The Milk Punch is unlike anything you’ve ever had before: taken from an 1862 cocktail guide this drink is a powerful combination of rum, Bourbon, Batavia Arrack, absinthe, tea, and milk clarification.  As this drink takes three days to prepare – drink it gingerly, and appreciate its true craftsmanship. As for the oxtail agnolotti: the inclusion of bone marrow and apricot conserva makes this a truly rich dish deserving of the praise it has so far received.

There are many hole-in-the-wall sushi spots in Los Angeles – Sushi Tsujita isn’t one of them. Yes, it’s small, and no it doesn’t accept reservations; but this is where the similarities end.

A native of Tokyo, Chef Shigeru Kato has created a very traditional Edomae-style sushi spot in West LA. Cuts of fish on top of rice may not seem like anything new, but the differences here are that there are no noodles and other staples of Asian cuisine usually found at sushi restaurants to satisfy less adventurous American palates. The way in which the sushi is prepared is how it was done centuries ago (without all the modern additions and flair that typifies American sushi.)

Utilizing techniques invented to keep fish longer without modern conveniences like refrigeration (salting, brining, and pickling) leads to the inclusion of interesting flavors in the end result. Those are the flavors that make this both one of the most sought-after and expensive meals in LA.

Heading even farther afield towards the ocean, Brooke Williamson (of Top Chef fame) and her husband opened Playa Provisions in Playa del Rey last year. With four distinct spaces under one roof, this place is unlike any other on the list.

To break down the four sections: Dockside is the fanciest of the group with seasonal seafood, then there’s Grain, which is more of a bar (with classic cocktails like a Penicillin and an Old Fashioned), King Beach, which serves breakfast and lunch, and Small Batch, which serves some of the best ice cream on the coast.

Though it may seem confusing and the sheer amount of options might make one’s head dizzy – each one should be enjoyed on different trips. Try King Beach and Small Batch during the day and make a night of it by dining at Dockside and having some after dinner drinks at Grain.

From the ocean to The Valley, all parts of Los Angeles saw significant culinary growth during 2014. Another bright spot on the coolest stretch of pavement in The Valley, Ventura Boulevard, opened to the delight of foodies everywhere a few months back: the barn-deco heavyweight Tipple & Brine.

So popular and so hip that people drove over to the Valley side of the hill versus the other way around for a change, Tipple & Brine is where Chef Mike Williams (formerly of Parish and the Tasting Kitchen) cooks a menu heavy on fresh, sustainable seafood. Yes, there are other options – but the seafood is what you go for. Definitely start with the oysters – pair them with some Scotch for what is known as a Tipple & Brine Oyster Luge. If that sounds difficult, then there are visual aids to help you.

After the oyster deluge, pick some small plates to share, as each one is as good as the next. Standouts: Blue Crab Risotto Fritters and who doesn’t like Moules Frites?