101 Best Restaurants in America for 2015
#57 Animal, Los Angeles
It’s hard to believe that just four years ago chefs Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo were considered culinary renegades for showcasing dishes like crispy pig head with short-grain rice, bulldog sauce, and soy egg; marrow bone with chimichurri and caramelized onions; and crispy sweetbreads with black Sriracha and finger lime. Despite (or because of) their reputation as extreme carnivores, Shook, Dotolo, and their restaurant Animal became mainstays of the American culinary scene, and their creations kept chefs and civilians coming back for more. At this point, Shook and Dotolo are practically part of Los Angeles old guard, with other endeavors, like Trois Mec (No. 73) and Son of a Gun, taking up some of their attention. But the small, loud, and perpetually crowded original that brought them fame still sets the standard for uncompromising, All-American (read: multi-accented), straightforward cooking. Where can you order veal brains with vadouvan, apricot purée, and carrots or a foie gras/loco moco/quail egg/Spam burger?
#58 Osteria Mozza, Los Angeles
Osteria Mozza is a really good restaurant. And no wonder, right? It only represents the teaming up of Nancy Silverton (whose LA Brea Bakery changed the game for artisanal bread in America) and New York-based Italian-food moguls Mario Batali and Joe Bastianich in a lively L.A. setting. There’s a mozzarella bar with some dozen options, including stracciatella, burricotta, burrata, smoked bufala, and mozzarella en panna; a menu that includes fantastic (and sometimes unusual) pasta (goat cheese ravioli with “five lilies,” meaning five members of the allium family); fiorentini with tomatoes, guanciale, and pickled Fresno chiles; and squid ink chitarra freddi with Dungeness crab, sea urchin, and jalapeños), and main dishes ranging from grilled quail wrapped in pancetta with honey and sage to porcini-rubbed rib-eye bistecca. Is it unfair to give a fine-dining restaurant points for being fewer than 10 blocks from L.A.’s classic hot dog stand, Pinks -not that you’re likely to be hungry for a wiener after a meal here.
#91 Providence, Los Angeles
Los Angeles is a city that thrives on food trucks and pop-ups, but sometimes a no-holds-barred fine dining experience is called for. Chef Michael Cimarusti, who opened this upscale eatery with co-owner Donato Poto in 2005 on the southern edge of Hollywood, serves market tasting menus as well as an à la carte listing of carefully selected seafood from both coasts and beyond, prepared with great originality. He holds two Michelin stars for his efforts. Who else offers wild Japanese sardines with smoked tomatoes and piquillo peppers, Santa Barbara sea urchin with soft scrambled eggs and Champagne beurre blanc, or wild Washington king salmon with red cabbage and Tahitian squash? At $150 for the complete market menu, $200 for the signature and seasonal menus, and $210 for the chef’s menu, Providence isn’t for diners on a budget, but it’s definitely a great place for those looking to celebrate.
Source: The Daily Meal