The editors at Eater Los Angeles dine out several times a week, if not per day, which means we’re always encountering standout dishes that deserve time in the limelight. Here’s the very best of everything the team has eaten this week.
Move aside Joe and the Juice, Los Angeles has a new tunacado in town. West Los Angeles cafe Meymuni brings a modern Persian inflection to the picnic-friendly sandwich, stacking tuna, avocado, torshi, and walnut-dotted pesto on plush barbari bread. This is a sandwich for tuna lovers: A thick swipe of creamy tuna salad is the star, complemented by the mild avocado, acidic pickles, and herbaceous pesto. Add on the sweet-tart lavashak smoothie, or the Dating Tahini, a date shake with whey protein, to complete the picture. Be sure to follow the signs into the back of the building for free parking in a gated garage, since finding a spot on the street can be tricky in the area. 2485 S. Sepulveda Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90064. — Rebecca Roland, deputy editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest
Brisket breakfast sandwich from Nia and Jags Barbecue at Studio City Farmers Market
For many months now, I’ve been messaging back and forth with Stephanie Cordova, owner of Nia and Jags Barbecue. Our conversations surrounded her barbecue techniques, then running a food business, and on to stories as fellow Gen-Xers growing up in Los Angeles. This Sunday, it was time to head to the Studio City Farmers Market for flowers and sustenance (including a technicolored loaf from Hasi Bread), but Cordova’s barbecue sandwich was the real reason for the trip. She packs pork sausage, hash potatoes, cheddar, eggs, and two ounces of barbecue-sauced brisket between a brioche bun, which thrilled me down to the last bite. Nia and Jags operate on Sundays only, leaving me without it six days per week. You’ll be full after trying the sandwich (or the Cubano), so get the blueberry cobbler to go. 2052 Ventura Place, Studio City, CA, 91604. — Mona Holmes, editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest
Making an ideal seafood boil becomes a delicate balance. You don’t want overcooked shrimp that falls apart in the bag or a lackluster spice mixture that may be red in color but solidly flavorless. Shrimp Lover in East Hollywood nails it. I ordered a combination of shrimp, clams, and Dungeness crab and the shellfish was tender and sweet, submerged in a medley mixture that included a kick of curry, an unapologetic amount of garlic, and fragrant Thai basil. Since the joint is run by Thai people, you can also find spicy Thai seafood sauce on the menu, which provides a welcomed hit of chile, lime, and fish sauce to every bite and helps when things start feeling too buttery. Dare I say it’s better than a certain seafood boil chain that is prominent in Los Angeles? 5112 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90027. — Kat Thompson, audience editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest…