18. Celso Y Manolo, Madrid
I went to Spain for the first time in March. All we did was stuff our face with paella, croquettes, Iberico ham, and churros. Cinnamon is one of my favorite things ever and instantly fell in love with Celso Y Manolo’s Leche Frita, a Spanish fried milk dessert dusted with cinnamon and sugar. So good!

Calle Libertad, 1, 28004 Madrid, Spain
w: celsoymanolo.es
p: +34 915 31 80 79

17. Kue Bandung Dan Kue Pukis, Yogyakarta
I was invited to Indonesia by the Ministry of Tourism over the summer along with eight other lifestyle bloggers. Over the course of two weeks, we were on a mission to find the best martabak manis. Martabak is essentially an Indonesian pancake that’s about an inch thick, soaked in butter and various toppings such as chocolate, peanut butter, bananas, cheese, strawberries, and more. The best one we came across was in Yogyakarta. This joint apparently uses Dutch butter, and loads of it. It was so effing good – buttery, moist, and packed with gooey chocolate goodness.

Jalan Abu Bakar Ali No. 22, Kotabaru, Gondokusuman, Kotabaru, Gondokusuman, Kota Yogyakarta, Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta 55224, Indonesia
p: +62 812-2941-071

16. Du Pain Et Des Idees, Paris
I have a soft spot for pastry, especially croissants! The French do not fux around when it comes to their pastry. Du Pain Et Des Idees is the place to go for buttery, flaky, French pastries. I could go here every day for a croissant, escargot, or their tasty AF apple tart with salted butter.

34 Rue Yves Toudic, 75010 Paris, France
p: +33 1 42 40 44 52

15. Lyle’s, London
Lyle’s London serves contemporary British food focusing on seasonal produce. I always enjoy the food here, especially their bread. This time, I was really into their dessert, specifically the brown butter ice cream with mandarin and rye.

Tea Building, 56 Shoreditch High St, London E1 6JJ, UK
p: +44 20 3011 5911

14. Peace of Cake, Hong Kong
My girlfriend Tracy is the queen of birthday cakes. For my 30th birthday, she went all out and made me a 3-tier cake, one tier for each decade. The bottom layer was a chocolate fudge cake with Oreo crumbs and chocolate cream cheese, the middle layer was a citrusy lemon poppyseed cake with yuzu curd and vanilla cream cheese, and the top layer was a polarizing pandan butter cake with durian and coconut cream cheese. My birthday cake was tasty AF, but her pumpkin brûlée pie was bomb!  

w: www.peaceofcakehk.com
e: [email protected]

13. Mingles, Seoul
Mingles is a One Michelin Star Restaurant in Seoul serving modern Korean food highlighting traditional flavors. The menu has things like kimbap, abalone, fermented rice cakes, Korean beef tenderloin, and more. For dessert, we had the “Jang Trio” with doenjang (fermented bean paste) crème brûlée, ganjang (soy sauce) glazed pecans, and puffed rice roasted in gochujang (fermented paper paste). The Doraji (bellflower) sorbet with cinnamon, rice ice cream, and ginger compote was amazing as well.

757 Seolleung-ro, Nonhyeon-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea
p: +82 2-515-7306
w: restaurant-mingles.com

12. BAK, Amsterdam
I’m going BAK, BAK, to Amsterdam, Amsterdam. Thanks to my homie Borre, I had some pretty amazing meals in Amsterdam. One restaurant being BAK, a contemporary Dutch restaurant. We had an amazing lunch that ended with a CRAY carrot sorbet served with sea buckthorn and goats yogurt.

Van Diemenstraat 408, 1013 CR Amsterdam, Netherlands
w: bakrestaurant.nl
p: +31 20 737 2553

11. Pass The Baton, Kyoto
I’m obsessed with kakigori! I usually get my fix at Shari Shari Kakigori House in Hong Kong, but it never compares to shaved ice joints in Japan. The best one I had in 2017 was in Kyoto at a store/cafe called Pass The Baton. They offer a few different flavors including hojicha, matcha, strawberry, as well as seasonal flavors such as sakura aka cherry blossom! The shaved ice was so good here, we ordered three between two people.

Japan, 〒605-0085 Kyoto Prefecture, Kyoto, 東山区末吉町77-6
p: +81 75-708-3668

10. Cheek by Jowl, Singapore
We were in Singapore for just over 24-hours and literally ate the entire day. The best meal we had was at Cheek by Jowl, a modern Australian restaurant. We had an amazing lunch that ended with a delicious burnt pear dessert with hay pannacotta, pear sorbet, and salted caramel. If you’re in Singapore, be sure to check this spot out.

21 Boon Tat St, Singapore 069620
p: +65 6221 1911
w: cheekbyjowl.com.sg

9. Broken Spanish, Los Angeles
Broken Spanish is Chef Ray Garcia’s version of Latin American food, creating tortillas, tamales, enchiladas, quesadillas his way. Not only is the food on point, the desserts are legit as well. I’ve always been a fan of B.S. Taqueria’s Tres Leches and Broken Spanish’s comes pretty close made with brioche, caramelia namelaka, coconut, and stone fruit. The Profiterol is effing bomb as well served with fig leaf ice cream, Vadouvan Azelia ganache, stoneground chocolate sauce, and Xoconostle Jam.

1050 S Flower St, Los Angeles, CA 90015, USA
w: places.singleplatform.com
p: +1 213-749-1460

8. New Punjab Club, Hong Kong
The New Punjab Club is my new go-to spot for Pakistani and Indian food. Michelin-starred chef Palash Mitra knows how to work the tandoor and makes some of the best Indian food in Hong Kong. Great tandoori and naan aside, the carrot sticky toffee pudding with popcorn ice cream, peanut, and banana is crack. It was so good, we ordered it twice !!!

World Wide Commercial Building, Wyndham St, 34
p: +852 2368 1223
w: newpunjabclub.com

7. Le Grand Bain, Paris
I was in Paris for about 36 hours in December on my way back from Marrakech to Hong Kong. I only had time for one meal at Le Grand Bain, and it was 100. You’ll find things like fresh uni, oysters, panisse, lardo gougère, and more. We had trouble deciding between the desserts, but due to our inability of making a decision, Le Grand Bain hooked us up with all of them (merci!) The financier (French almond cake) with apples and crème crue was life. The financier was moist and buttery with golden crispy edges. The apple was sweet, tender, and everything you’d want in a dessert on a cold winter day. The creème crue just brought everything together.

14 Rue Denoyez, 75020 Paris, France
p: +33 9 83 02 72 02

6. Pacchio, Paris
Pacchio is a natural wine bar and restaurant in Pigalle, Paris. Run by Chef Masaki Yamamoto, Pacchio serves small simple yet delicious places such as burrata with strawberries, trofie au cresson, scallops, and more. Although the savory food was on point, the mille-feuille de pommes was what stole my heart, layers on layers on layers of perfectly sliced crisp apples with mascarpone sandwiched between finished with a light drizzle of honey.

75 Rue de Rochechouart, 75009 Paris, France
p: +33 1 40 36 06 22

5. Sugolabo at Krug Room Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong
The Krug Room at the Mandarin Oriental invited me to a special lunch prepared by Chef Yosuke Suga, founder of SUGALABO in Tokyo. This meal was unforgettable with every dish paired with Krug. For dessert, we had the Miyazaki Mango, an all mango everything dessert with fresh mango from Myazki, mango sabayon, and condensed milk ice cream, all enclosed in a thin candy sphere. We also had the “Tosajiro’s Egg,” a velvety, creamy cremé caramel with coffee and lemon foam.  

5 Connaught Rd Central, Central 
w: mandarinoriental.com / sugalabo.com
p: +852 2825 4014

4. Restaurante Martin Berasategui, San Sebastián
Martin Berasategui is a Basque Country must. This 3 Michelin Star Resaurante serves some of the best food I’ve ever had. I ordered “The Great Tasting Menu” which takes you on a journey highlighting Chef Martin Berasategui’s greatest creations. The desserts are equally amazing, an airy almond honeycomb sponge cake with brittle bits and iced cinnamon.

Loidi Kalea, 4, 20160 Lasarte-Oria, Gipuzkoa, Spain
w: martinberasategui.com
p: +34 943 36 64 71

3. Sublime, Tokyo
Sublime is an innovative One Michelin Star French restaurant in Tokyo. They offer a 12-course set menu consisting of things like tandori chicken skin, foie gras black pepper crackers, Hokkaido venison, and more. The finale was just as amazing, ending with a refreshing yuzu kinkan dessert, chestnut financier, and a beautiful rum raisin dessert consisting of white chocolate and banana “snow” with chocolate “branches” and rum and raisin custard. 

3-3-9 Higashi Azabu, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Annex Azabujuban 1F
p: 03-5570-9888
w: sublime.tokyo

2. Azurmendi, San Sebastián
We had the most amazing meal at Azurmendi in Basque Country. The 3 Michelin Star dining experience started with a welcome “picnic,” with several amuse bouches displayed in a picnic basket. We were then guided to the restaurant’s “greenhouse” and kitchen where we sampled more welcome bites. We went for the 13-course meal ending with three dessert courses. Olive’d the black olive dessert served black olive polvorón, sheep’s milk ice cream, and cacao. The chocolate brownie with black tea ice cream and ginger powder was fire too.

Legina Auzoa, s/n, 48195 Larrabetzu, BI, Spain
p: +34 944 55 83 59
w: azurmendi.restaurant

1. Jungsik Dang, Seoul 
Jungsik Dang is a progressive Two Michelin Star restaurant in Seoul, founded by Chef Jung Sik Yim. The dessert at Jungsik Dang was next level – beautiful, flawless, and perfectly executed. The “Rose of Versailles” is a blueberry crèmeux, sculpted into a violet rose. The “Hot Corn” is also super Instagrammable, corn ice cream with candied pecans disguised as corn on the cob.

11 Seolleung-ro 158-gil, Cheongdam-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea
p: +82 2-517-4654
w: jungsik.kr

17. Mh Zh, Los Angeles
Mh Zh is a casual contemporary Israeli restaurant in Los Angeles. The block is hot and there’s an endless mob of people trying to cop a table. The pan con tomate is the simplest, albeit tastiest thing ever – tender sweet slices of heirloom tomatoes on a layer of garlic labneh on a perfect slice of bread. The hummus is crack too.

3536 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90026, USA 

16. Restaurant Locavore, Bali
I was invited by the Indonesia tourism board on a culinary trip where we literally ate all day, every day for 2 weeks. The best meal we had was at Locavore, a restaurant in Ubud, Bali recognized as one of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants. Locavore prides itself on sourcing local produce offering an incredible 7-course seasonal menu. The dish I enjoyed the most was a tomato consomme served with a tomato sorbet. So simple, yet packed with flavor.

Jalan Dewisita No.10, Ubud, Kabupaten Gianyar, Bali 80571, Indonesia
p: +62 361 977733
w: locavore.co.id

15. Piccolo Grande, Tokyo
I’ve been pretty lucky this year on the pizza front. The best pizza I’ve had is pretty much a toss-up between Piccolo Grande, Faggio, and Pizzeria Mozza. The pizza at Picco Grande is just like the way they make it in Italy. The pasta is on point here as well.

Japan, 〒106-0045 Tokyo, 港区Azabujuban, 3−7−2
p: +81 3-3457-0665
w: piccolo-grande.co.jp

14. Faggio, Paris
I had the most incredible pizza in Paris at Faggio. Well technically I was eating at its sister restaurant, Pacchio, across the street, but we ordered a pizza from Faggio and they were kind enough to let us eat it at Pacchio. It was pizza perfection – thin yet crispy chewy crust topped with delicious French cheese and anchovies. I was super dark and the lighting wasn’t great so the pic looks like poop.

72 Rue de Rochechouart, 75009 Paris, France
p: +33 1 40 37 44 02
w: faggio.fr

13. Michikusa Ryori Obana, Shiga
I was invited on a trip to Japan’s Shiga Prefecture for an Omi Beef adventure where we literally ate premium Japanese beef all day, every day. During our trip, we had an amazing meal at Chef Fukutani’s private restaurant, Michikusa Ryori Obana. Ryori-san made an amazing kaiseki meal with this beef shabu-shabu as the highlight. The beef was slowly cooked in 65°C natural Shiga spring water which allows the fat to be slowly rendered resulting in a perfectly medium-rare, tender, and flavorful AF slice of Omi Beef.

1078 Shigarakicho Koyama Koka Shiga

12. Cheek by Jowl, Singapore
Opened by Chef Rishi, Cheek by Jowl serves Australian food with a global influence. Chef Rishi draws inspiration from different cultures and showcases these flavors all on one plate. We went for lunch and the dishes that left a lasting impression included the oyster with smoked tomato granita and the smoked swordfish with sea grapes, mountain caviar, and kohlrabi broth.

21 Boon Tat St, Singapore 069620
p: +65 6221 1911
w: cheekbyjowl.com.sg

11. Ronin, Hong Kong
Ronin is an all-time favorite of mine. The menu changes almost daily, with some of the usual suspects that remain on the menu. Ronin always gets me with its UNI dishes! Most recently, I had Ronin’s crispy nori-wrapped cuttlefish topped with fresh uni! 

8 On Wo Lane, Ground floor, Sheung Wan
w: roninhk.com
p: +852 2547 5263

10. VEA Restaurant & Lounge x Margarita Forés, Hong Kong
I attended a four hands tasting hosted by Chef Vicky Cheng and Chef Margarita Fores at VEA Restaurant & Lounge. Chef Vicky is known for his innovative French cuisine with an Asian twist. Chef Forés specializes in Italian cuisine utilizing Filipino ingredients and was named Asia’s Best Female Chef in 2016. Together, they prepared next level dishes including Margarita’s modern interpretation of a classic Filipino dish, sisig and Vicky’s “life of a jungle” dish which resembled a terrarium consisting of juvenile mud crab, langoustine, and caviar. 

29 & 30/F, 198 Wellington Street, Central
p: +852 2711 8639
w: vea.hk

9. Mingles, Seoul
Mingles is a One Michelin Star Restaurant in Seoul known for its progressive interpretation of traditional Korean cuisine. Mingles’ goal is to show their diners “a new way of Korean cuisine,” creating dishes like “Summer Eggs.” It’s made with cooked egg yolk, chorizo, and green beans topped with an egg white and cauliflower foam and their signature “Jang Noodles,” capellini pasta topped with charcoal grilled seasonal seafood made from doenjang, green algae, soy sauce, and squid ink. The sauce is additionally seasoned with anchovy stock, dashi, and coconut-lemongrass cream.

757 Seolleung-ro, Nonhyeon-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea
p: +82 2-515-7306
w: restaurant-mingles.com

8. Le Grand Bain, Paris
I was in Paris for less than 24 hours en route from Marrakech to Hong Kong. I only had time for one meal and my homie Wu Yue hooked me up real good. He took me to an amazing restaurant/wine bar called Le Grand Bain in Belleville. The restaurant serves small French dishes with Japanese nuances. We had the most AMAZING melt-in-your-mouth Lardo Gougère, a French savory choux pastry made with cheese! The thinly sliced lardo was placed atop the piping hot cheesy gougère. It was f*cking delicious. 

14 Rue Denoyez, 75020 Paris, France
p: +33 9 83 02 72 02
w: legrandbainparis.com

7. Sushi Shin, Tokyo
Sushi Shin is a One Michelin Star sushi restaurant in Tokyo. Unlike Sushi Shin’s Michelin-star competitors, Chef Shintaro Shin Suzuki doesn’t have a lavish resume or come from a family of sushi chefs. His experience is gained from market research, trying hundreds of new and popular sushi restaurants in pursuit of perfecting his own technique. His methods are quite unique in comparison to traditional sushi restaurants. The highlights from this meal were abalone served with abalone liver sauce and bottarga sandwiched between thin rice cakes. 

4 Chome-18-20 Nishiazabu, Minato, Tokyo 106-0031, Japan
p: +81 3-5485-0031
w: sushi-shin.com

6. Baroo, Los Angeles
My new go-to spot in Los Angeles is Baroo, an unconventional Korean experimental kitchen. I was a little confused when I first walked into Baroo as the decor and service are super casual, but the food is next level. I can’t stop thinking about Baroo’s ragu with handmade pasta and caramel corn cappuccino.

5706 Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90038, USA
p: +1 323-929-9288
w: baroola.strikingly.com

5. Jungsik Dang, Seoul 
Jungsik Dang is a modern Korean Two Michelin Star restaurant in Seoul, founded by Chef Jung Sik Yim. Jungsik is also known for being the pioneer behind molecular Korean food, carving out his own genre of “new Korean cuisine.” The signature octopus with gochujang aioli was one of the best octopus dishes I’ve ever had. The uni with fried mullet and mushroom with poached egg were both incredible as well.

11 Seolleung-ro 158-gil, Cheongdam-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea
p: +82 2-517-4654
w: jungsik.kr

4. Sublime, Tokyo
Sublime is a One Michelin Star restaurant serving Chef Junichi Kato’s innovative version of French food with a Japanese twist. Sublime offers a 12-course set menu that changes seasonally. Everything we ate was amazing, but the mushroom soup made with sautéed mushrooms and fresh mushrooms atop of a perfectly poached egg was incredible. I loved it so MUSH.

3-3-9 Higashi Azabu, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Annex Azabujuban 1F
p: 03-5570-9888
w: sublime.tokyo

3. Azurmendi, Larrabetzu
Azurmendi was one of the most memorable dining experiences I’ve ever had. From the moment we arrived and saw this incredible glass-enclosed 3 Michelin Star restaurant, it was a given we’d be in for a treat. The service and approach to food were unique and to build something off the beaten path allows them to do some incredible things including having their own greenhouse and research center.

The meal started off with a picnic basket filled with a selection of welcome bites in the restaurant’s “garden.” We were then guided to the kitchen where we were given a glimpse of all the magic happening and met Chef Eneko Atxa. Froom there, we headed to the “greenhouse” where we sampled more Basque amuse bouches. After the tour, we were seated at our table in the glass balcony where we enjoyed a 13-course meal consisting of oyster tartare, uni, and garlic mushroom “noodles.” My favorite was the Limón Grass and Vermouth filled with creamy foie gras, and topped with honey-like vermouth. If you get a chance… GO !!!

Legina Auzoa, s/n, 48195 Larrabetzu, BI, Spain
p: +34 944 55 83 59
w: azurmendi.restaurant

2. SUGALABO at Krug Room Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong
I was invited to The Krug Room at the Mandarin Oriental for a special lunch prepared by Chef Yosuke Suga, founder of SUGALABO in Tokyo. The meal started with incredible amuse bouches including “ham sushi” made of extremely thin slices of Japanese “Parma” ham. The karasumi (Japanese bottarga) macaron, slow cooked onion wrapped in puff pastry, and abalone with abalone liver sauce and white asparagus was to die for as well.

5 Connaught Rd Central, Central 
w: mandarinoriental.com / sugalabo.com
p: +852 2825 4014

1. Restaurante Martin Berasategui, San Sebastián
If you’re in the Basque region, be sure to make a reservation at the 3 Michelin Star Resaurante Martin Berasategui. This was another unforgettable meal filled with dishes that only a genius could think of. I highly recommend “The Great Tasting Menu” which highlights Chef Berasategui’s GOAT dishes. I can’t stop thinking about the Mille-Feuille of Smoked Eel layered with foie gras, spring onions, and green apple, as well as the Galo Celta Galacian Egg, served in a citrus chicken stalk with salted asparagus.  

Loidi Kalea, 4, 20160 Lasarte-Oria, Gipuzkoa, Spain
w: martinberasategui.com
p: +34 943 36 64 71

After’s (Multiple Locations)
After’s is known for their delicious “Milky Buns,” an ice cream sandwich made with a doughnut-like sweet bun. What’s CRAY about After’s Milky Bun is they use a secret method to heat up the ice cream sandwich so that the sweet bun becomes nice and hot without compromising the cold, creamy ice cream. The flavor selection is wild, including jasmine milk tea, churro, cookie butter, acai blueberry, and more. 

w: aftersicecream.com
Click here for locations

Animal (Fairfax)
Animal, it’s exactly what it sounds like; a place where carnivores gather. Everything is centered around meat, a whole lot of rustic, hearty, meaty, dishes made from all types and parts of animals — ribs, legs, wings, belly, tail, head, tongue, ears, liver, marrow, brains, essentially any part of the animal. You have to try the chicken liver toast, marrow bone, beef tendon chips, pig ears, crispy pig head, and the tres leches!

435 North Fairfax Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90036, United States
p: (323) 782-9225

Baroo (East Hollywood)
One of the most memorable meals I had in LA in November was at Baroo, serving Korean-inspired food in a modern way. Don’t let the appearance of the minimal cafe-style restaurant fool you, chef and owner Chef Kwang Uh is a veteran in the kitchen and has worked for Daniel in NYC, Nobu Bahamas, and Noma in Copenhagen. I wanted to try everything, but the Sweet Corn Cappuccino and the Ragu with homemade pasta were my favorites. 

5706 Santa Monica Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90038
p: +1 (323) 929-9288

Bestia (Arts District) 
Bestia is one of LA’s hottest multi-regional Italian restaurants conceived by husband and wife duo Ori Menashe and Genevieve Gergis. The couple’s cooking style is a “from scratch” approach, focusing on rustic Italian family-style dishes such as charcuterie, pizza, pasta, and hearty grilled or slow roasted proteins. You have to try the smoked chicken liver pate, roasted marrow bone, burrata pizza, and any of their pastas or pizzas! Don’t forget to make a reservation!

2121 E 7th Pl, Los Angeles, CA 90021, USA
p: +1 (213) 514-5724

Blue Bottle (Multiple Locations)
Hailing from Oakland, California, Blue Bottle Coffee Company has made it’s way to LA, and they’re slowly taking over. They now have about a dozen shops scattered throughout the city with more to come.

w: bluebottlecoffee.com
Click here for locations

Blue Star Donuts (Venice & Manhattan Beach)
Blue Star’s philosophy is quality over quantity, made from a classic brioche recipe originating from the south of France. Blue Star’s donuts are made from scratch every day. The dough itself takes nearly 18 hours to make using a sustainable bread flour, cage-free eggs, whole hormone-free milk and European-style butter. The donuts are fried in rice oil and are finished with either glazes or fillings made fresh throughout the day. The spicy Marion berry jam stuffed peanut butter powdered donut is one of my favorites.

Manhattan Beach
451 Manhattan Beach Blvd., Suite D-118, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
p: +1 (310) 545-2187

Venice
1142 Abbot Kinney Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90291
p: +1 (310) 450-5630

Bottega Louie (DTLA)
Bottega Louie is an LA institution, located in the heart of DTLA. The space is gorgeous, split up into a restaurant and patisserie/market. The restaurant serves Italian classics such as salads, pasta, and pizzas, whereas the patisserie offers eye-catching macarons, chocolates, tarts, cakes, and more.

700 S Grand Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90017, USA 
w: bottegalouie.com
p: +1 (213) 802-1470

Brodard (Westminster)
Brodard is one of our go-to Vietnamese restaurants located in Orange County. Brodard actually started out as a French bakery over 20 years ago and expanded into a full-out restaurant. The menu is extremely comprehensive, filled with pages on pages of authentic Vietnamese dishes. They have the usual suspects including a page full of different rolls, bánh xèo, salads, noodles, and rice. Brodard’s key items including their bomb spring rolls, pho, sizzling crepes, and crab soup udon (bánh canh cua tôm).

Mall of Fortune, 9892 Westminster Ave, Garden Grove, CA 92844, United States
w: brodard.net
p: +1 714-530-1744

Broken Spanish (DTLA)
Broken Spanish is a modern Mexican restaurant that focuses on the evolution of its chef, Ray Garcia. Born and raised in Los Angeles, Ray Garcia brings together fresh local ingredients with bold Latin flavors. The menu is broken up into small botanas (appetizers), tortillas, tamales, entradas, family-style sharing platos principales, and desserts. You have to order the queso fundido, any of the tamales, chochoyotes (masa dumplings), camote (sweet potato with pig tail), oxtail quesadilla, and carne asada. Make sure you save room for the dessert – the profiterol with fig leaf ice cream, Vadouvan Azelia Ganache, Stoneground Chocolate Sauce, and Xoconostle jam, is the jam.

1050 S Flower St, Los Angeles, CA 90015, USA
p: +1 213-749-1460

BS Taqueria (DTLA)
BS Taqueria is Broken Spanish’s younger sibling serving dope modern Mexican food in a more casual setting. The approach at B.S. is “authentically inauthentic,” giving classics a twist such as tacos with lardo and clams. Don’t leave without ordering the churros and tres leches cake! Trust me.

514 W 7th St, Los Angeles, CA 90014, United States
w: bstaqueria.com
p: +1 213-622-3744

Chosun Galbee (Mid-Wilshire/Hancock Park)
Chosun Galbee is one of the most popular Korean BBQ joints in LA, albeit, not my favorite. It’s tasty, but it’s also where all the non-Korean people go and it’s pretty pricey compared to some of the neighboring BBQ joints.

3330 W Olympic Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90019, USA
p: +1 (323) 734-3330

Cliff’s Edge (Silver Lake)
Cliff’s Edge is a rustic Italian restaurant highlighting fresh local produce. The menu is split up into small bite-sized starters, cured meats, fresh vegetables & small sharing plates, and large format pasta, grains, and meat dishes. The food is simple, minimal, and delicious. Try the octopus and the chicken liver mousse.

626 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90026, United States
w: cliffsedgecafe.com
p: +1 323-666-6116

East Borough (Costa Mesa)
East Borough is a modern Vietnamese restaurant in Los Angeles that serves Vietnamese classics with a modern twist. The menu consists of spring rolls, vermicelli noodles, bánh mì sandwiches, bánh xèo, rice dishes and salads. The bánh mì is delicious, transformed into a pho baguettes stuffed with beef brisket and served with a side car of pho broth to dip the sandwich into.2937 Bristol St D102, Costa Mesa, CA 92626, USA

w: east-borough.com
p: +1 (714) 641-5010

EMC Seafood (Koreatown)
I’ve only been to the Koreatown location, but EMC Seafood has multiple locations in California. EMC is a good spot for grabbing drinks and happy hour oysters! The uni pasta is pretty tasty as well.

3500 W 6th St #101, Los Angeles, CA 90020, USA
p: +1 (213) 351-9988

Eggslut (DTLA)
Egglslut is where all the egg egg-dicted junkies go to get their fix. Located in Downtown LA inside the Grand Central Market and open from 8am to 4pm serving breakfast and lunch. From fried, scrambled, boiled and coddled, the menu is dedicated to all eggs everything focusing on next level comfort food. Make sure you get a taste of the “Slut,” the coddled egg on top of a smooth potato purée, poached in a glass jar and served with toasty crostini. 

Grand Central Market
317 S Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90013

El Taurino (Korea Town)
El Taurino is where the after party is at. I don’t think I’ve ever been here sober. This place is bumpin’, cheap, and tasty AF.

1104 S Hoover St
Los Angeles, CA 90006

Felix (Venice)
Felix is an Italian restaurant located in the heart of Venice on Abbot Kinney. The menu consists of Italian classics – antipasti, pizza, pasta from different regions of Italy, family-style meat dishes, and sides. I’ve only been to Felix once, and I wasn’t blown away or anything. I would like to go again and try some different pastas. We ordered two pastas from the “Le Paste Delle Isole” section aka Italy’s coastal regions, which resulted in two fairly similar dishes. I’m willing to give Felix a second chance though.

1023 Abbot Kinney Blvd, Venice, CA 90291, USA
p: +1 424-387-8622

Fishing With Dynamite (Manhattan Beach)
Fishing With Dynamite (FWD) is my favorite restaurant in Manhattan Beach. FWD is a seafood-centric restaurant that has also made a name for itself recognized as the “best oyster bar” in Los Angeles. Don’t be shy and go HAM on the freshly-shuck oysters and Peruvian scallops. The clam chowder, key lime pie, and pretzel and chocolate bread pudding are to die for.

1148 Manhattan Ave, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266, United States
p: +1 310-893-6299

G&B Coffee / Go Get Em Tiger (Multiple Locations)
More legit coffee shops in LA! The almond macadamia latte and housemade chai are on point. If you’re at the G&B shop in Grand Central Market, the cheddar cornmeal waffle is breakfast perfection. The food at Go Get Em Tiger is tasty as well.

w: gandb.coffee
Click here for locations

Gjelina (Venice)
This is the place to go in Venice for Italian food. Celebrities including Beyoncé and Jay Z have been spotted enjoying Gjelina’s pastas and pizzas.

1429 Abbot Kinney Blvd, Venice, CA 90291, USA
p: +1 310-450-1429

Gjusta (Venice)
Gjusta is Gjelina’s sister bakery x deli x cafe. I love the set up at Gjusta, they have so many delicious things to choose from including seasonal pressed juices, freshly baked bread, fire-oven pizzas, smoked/cured/pickled meats, mouth-watering pastries, endless sandwich options, and more.

320 Sunset Ave, Venice, CA 90291, USA
p: +1 (310) 314-0320
w: gjusta.com

Grand Central Market (DTLA)
Grand Central Market is DTLA’s food haven. I stayed in DTLA one summer and I literally went to Grand Central Market for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert here. There’s awesome coffee at G&B, breakfast galore at Eggslut, bangin’ bagels at Wexler’s Deli, tasty Thai at Sticky Rice, pizza at Olio GCM, infinite flavors of ice cream at McConnell’s Fine Ice Cream. 

317 S Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90013, USA
p: +1 (213) 624-2378

Guisados (Multiple Locations)
Guisados is a Los Angeles-based taco purveyor, slanging their tacos on handmade corn tortillas that are made in-house. The usual protein choices are available, from your flank steaks and chicken to chorizo and shredded pork. Make sure you get a Stumptown Coffee-infused Horchata.

w: guisados.co
Click here for locations

Ham Ji Park (Koreatown)
Three words – KOREAN PORK RIBS.

407 W 6th St #101, Los Angeles, CA 90020, USA
p: +1 (213) 365-8773

Intelligentsia Coffee & Tea (Multiple Locations)
Intelligentsia Coffee & Tea is essentially the temple of coffee in Los Angeles. Intelligentsia oversees every single step of the process from bean to cup.

w: intelligentsiacoffee.com
Click here for locations

Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream (Los Feliz)
Jeni’s ice cream is bomb. Last time I was in LA, I spent $30 USD on Postmates to have the Sweet Potato with Torched Marshmallows and Pumpkin 5-Spiced delivered to my Airbnb. Worth it.

1954 Hillhurst Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90027, USA
p: + 1 (323) 928-2668

Jitlada (Little Armenia)
Jitlada is one of the most popular Thai restaurants in Los Angeles. It has been around since the ’70s, changing hands a couple times, without compromising the food. The restaurant serves traditional Thai favorites such as saté, tom yum, pad thai, and more. They also have some recipes that were passed down through generations such as the crisp catfish salad.

5233 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90027, USA
p: +1 (323) 667-9809

Jon & Vinny’s (Fairfax)
This is one of my favorite pizza and pasta joints in LA. Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, the menu consists of American-Italian favorites such as bruschetta, salads, antipasto, pizza, pasta, polenta, meat, and dessert. The cacio e pepe was my favorite, made with bucatini and the “L.A. Woman” pizza made with the perfect amount of tomato sauce, topped with large pieces of creamy burrata and fresh basil leaves.

412 N Fairfax Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90036, United States
w: jonandvinnys.com
p: +1 323-334-3369

Kagaya (Arts District)
KaGaYa is an unassuming Japanese restaurant focused on high-quality Japanese beef in a shabu shabu format. Choose from the best cuts of beef and seafood. We were instantly drawn to the Premium Wagyu Beef set which came with Grade A5 Japanese Wagyu Beef, Australian King Crab legs, freshly shucked oysters, and clams.

418 E 2nd St, Los Angeles, CA 90012, United States
p: +1 213-617-1016

Kang Ho Dong Baekjeong
Kang Ho Dong Baekjeong is actually a South Korean-based chain with outlets in LA, New Jersey, New York, and China. Like all the best Korean BBQ spot joints, this spot is not stingy on the banchan, the quality of their meats are on point, and the grill top has little canals built in for freshly beaten eggs and grated cheese with corn! Make sure you order the “lunchbox,” metal containers filled with Korean short-grained rice, kimchi, mini anchovies, fish cake, fried egg, seaweed, and black beans.

w: 678us.com
Click here for locations

Kazunori (Multiple Locations)
Kazunori is a handroll bar in downtown conceived by the Sugarfish family. The menu consists of all hand rolls everything – cucumber, bay scallop, salmon, shrimp, blue crab, yamaimo, snapper, toro, yellowtail, and lobster.

w: kazunorisushi.com
Click here for locations

Kismet (Silverlake)
Kismet is a new all-day restaurant in Silverlake that serves reimagined Middle Eastern food using local produce. I went for brunch and my favorites were the lemony chicken & pine nut pies, freekeh polenta with lamb, and the shakshuka. Make sure you order some flaky bread as well to mop up all the lovely sauces.

4648 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90027, USA
p: +1 (323) 409-0404

LASA (Chinatown)
LASA is a Filipino-inspired, California-influenced restaurant in Chinatown. Founded by brothers Chad and Chase Valencia, they pride themselves on serving a modern interpretation of Filipino food. LASA’s menu consists of familiar flavors, but reinvented, such as adobo peanuts, flat-iron tartare or beef kilawin, deconstructed lumpia sariwa, and more.

727 N. Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90012
p: +1 (213) 443-6163
w: www.lasa-la.com

Mapo Galbi
This Korean spot has the BEST barbecue chicken rice. The server starts by throwing some marinated chicken, ddeokbokki, and vegetables onto the grill. They then add a mound of steamed rice and CHEESE! It’s so good!

1008 S St Andrews Pl, Los Angeles, CA 90019, USA
p: +1 (323) 795-0014

Mashti Malones (La Brea)
Specializing in Persian ice cream, Mashti’s flavor selection is CRAY consisting of exotic ice creams and sorbets. Choose from Rosewater, Ginger Rosewater, Orange Blossom, Lavender, Turkish Coffee and Rosewater Saffron with Pistachios. Opt for the “Mashti” instead of an ice cream cone, meaning the ice cream will be sandwiched between two thin crispy wafers creating an ice cream sandwich. Alternatively, order the “Malone” which is essentially the ice cream flavor of your choice with a deep-fried pastry, similar to funnel cake drizzled with caramelized sugar.

1525 N La Brea Ave, Hollywood, CA 90028, USA
p: +1 (323) 874 -0144

Ngu Binh (Westminster)
Ngu Binh is a Northern Vietnamese restaurant in Orange County. The menu consists of authentic Huế favorites including a jackfruit salad called mít xúc bánh tráng, bánh bèo or rice cakes, glutinous rice dumplings or bánh ít ram and more. 

14092 Magnolia St, Westminster, CA 92683, United States
p: +1 (714) 903-6000

n/naka (Palms) 
n/naka needs no introduction. Niki Nakayama’s n/naka was highlighted in Season 1 of Chef’s Table and has earned global recognition. I’ve actually never been, but everytime I go to LA, I try to book a table.

3455 Overland Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90034, USA
p: +1 (310) 836-6252

MB Post (Manhattan Beach)
Located in the midst of Manhattan Beach, M.B. Post has been recognized as one of the best restaurants in South Bay. Chef and Co-owner David LeFevre focuses on bringing soulful comfort food to his artisan menu of small plates made for sharing along with unique cocktails and wines. 

142 Manhattan Avenue, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266, United States
p: (310) 545-5405
w: eatmbpost.com

Marugame Monzo (Little Tokyo)
If you’re looking for a good udon spot, check out Marugame Monzo. Try to sit at the counter so you can see the udon master roll out the dough and meticulously cut strands of thick chewy noodles. 

329 E 1st St, Los Angeles, CA 90012, USA
p: +1 (213) 346-9762

Mh Zh (Silver Lake)
Mh Zh is another one of my new favorites in LA. Mh Zh is an Isreali restaurant serving the best hummus, labneh, roasted cabbage, lamb ragu, bone-in rib eye, and more. Make sure you go early and put your name on the list!

3536 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90026, USA

Musha (Torrance & Santa Monica)
Musha is a casual izakaya serving small, sharing Japanese-inspired dishes. They do the basics including beef tataki, takoyaki, croquettes, onigiri, and more. They also have fun things like shrimp fajitas, lobster rolls, baguette gratin, and my personal favorite, Musha’s cheese risotto where the rice is finished in a huge wheel of Parmesan cheese.

1725 W Carson St # B, Torrance, CA 90501, USA
p: +1 (310) 787-7344

424 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90401, USA
p: +1 (310) 576-6330

Okrumong (Torrance & Koreatown)
Okrumong has the best Korean shaved ice! Choose from Injeolmi (soy powder), matcha, red bean, or black sesame.

2814 Sepulveda Blvd, Torrance, CA 90505, USA
p: +1 (310) 517-9558

3801 W 6th St, Los Angeles, CA 90020, USA
p: +1 (213) 388-7300

Orsa & Winston (DTLA)
Orsa & Winston serves Japanese-inspired food with nuances of Italian. Offering a seasonal 6-course omakase, Orsa & Winston is full of surprises. The menu is highly curated and constantly evolving, highlighting the freshest produce and chef Josef Centeno’s obsessions.

90055, 122 W 4th St, Los Angeles, CA 90013, United States
w: orsaandwinston.com
p: +1 213-687-0300

Park’s Barbecue (Koreatown)
Park’s is legit. The quality of the meat is on point and the banchan options are endless.

955 S Vermont Ave G, Los Angeles, CA 90006, USA
p: +1 (213) 380-1717

Pho 79 (Westminster)
Pho 79 is a cheap, no-thrills, cash only type of joint, which is exactly what I like. As soon as you pull up, you can smell that delicious broth from the parking lot. The pho and oxtail are tasty as pho’ck.

9941 Hazard Ave, Garden Grove, CA 92844, United States
p: +1 (714) 531-2490

Pine & Crane (Silver Lake)
Pine & Crane is a Taiwanese restaurant serving classics such as beef noodles, cold sesame noodles, potstickers, bubble tea, and more.

1521 Griffith Park Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90026, USA
p: +1 (323) 668-1128

Quarters (Koreatown)
Quarters is the Korean American version of KBBQ. The food is authentic Korean, but the decor is sort of loungey. It’s comfortable, consistent, but they don’t take reservations and the wait is a little too long.

3465 W 6th St, Los Angeles, CA 90020, USA
p: +1 (213) 365-8111

Salt & Straw (Multiple Locations)
Salt & Straw originally opened up shop in Portland and now has locations all over California. Salt & Straw has incredibly innovative recipes including Avocado & Strawberry Sherbet, Roasted Strawberry & Toasted White Chocolate, Honey Lavender, and more. Salt & Straw also does a great job of keeping people interested and giving customers an incentive to return by featuring limited edition flavors!

w: saltandstraw.com
Click here for locations 

Pizzeria Mozza (Central LA)
Pizzeria Mozza is founded by culinary legends Mario Batali, Joe Bastianich, and bread boss, Nancy Silverton. The pizza at Pizzeria Mozza is perfection. The crust is flawless. The bread is also insanely delicious. Make sure you save room for dessert! 

641 N Highland Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90036, USA
w: la.pizzeriamozza.com
p: +1 (323) 297-0101

Scoops (Multiple Locations)
Scoops has been churning up some of the rillest ice cream in LA creating interesting and innovative ice cream flavors. Choose from Horchata, Blueberry Jasmine, Lavender Honey, Green Tea Maple, Thai Tea, Cashew Oreo, Cake N’ Batter, Bear Claw, Strawberry Balsamic, and MORE.

3400 Overland Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90034

Sei Ko En (Torrance)
Sei-Ko-En is an affordable yakiniku restaurant in Torrance. Load up on the Super Prime Rib.

1730 Sepulveda Blvd #14, Torrance, CA 90501
p: (310) 534-5578

Son of a Gun (Beverly Grove)
Conceived by the same dudes that came up with Animal, Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo, Son of a Gun is essentially the seafood sequel of its carnivorous sister restaurant. The restaurant takes a somewhat Southern-inspired approach along with utilizing fresh ingredients off the coast.

8370 West 3rd Street, Los Angeles, CA 90048, United States
w: sonofagunrestaurant.com
p: (323) 782-9033

Night + Market Song (Silver Lake & West Hollywood)
If you’re looking for a tasty Thai meal, hit up Night + Market Song. The food is on point and packed with flavor.

3322 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90026, USA
p: +1 (323) 665-5899

9043 Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069, USA
p: +1 (310) 275-9724

Sprinkles (Multiple Locations)
Sprinkles is famous for being one of the first bakeries dedicated to cupcakes. Sprinkles prides themselves on using the finest ingredients including sweet cream butter, bittersweet Belgian chocolate, pure Madagascar Bourbon vanilla, and fresh fruits. Sprinkles has also branched out into ice cream, cookies, and a 24 hour ATM cupcake service! YES AN AUTOMATED CUPCAKE DISPENSARY !!!

w: sprinkles.com
Click here for locations

Sqirl LA (Silver Lake)
This is the go-to hipster breakfast spot RN. Everything is amazing, especially the sorrel pesto rice and ricotta toast with housemade ricotta and season jams.

720 N Virgil Ave #4, Los Angeles, CA 90029, USA
w: sqirlla.com
p: +1 323-284-8147

Smorgasburg (DTLA)
Smorgasburg is an outdoor market in downtown LA, every Sunday. The market is filled with food trucks, restaurants, cafes, and more. Grab churros at Churro Boss, paratha tacos at Goa Taco, and Humm Dog at Noma Truck.

Address: 785 Bay St, Los Angeles, CA 90021, USA
p: +1 718-928-6603

Sugarfish (Multiple Locations)
Sugarfish is everyone’s favorite sushi spot in Los Angeles. There are locations everywhere, it’s always consistent, and it’s fairly affordable. You can’t go wrong with Sugarfish.

w: sugarfishsushi.com
Click here for locations

Taco Dollar + Churro Goddess (Inglewood)
Taco Dollar is a no thrills, cheap, taco truck parked next to an empty parking lot in Inglewood. The best part of this whole experience was copping a bag of churros at Churro Goddess in the parking lot next to Taco Dollar. Chufrro Goddess sells four churros for a dollar! These churros were BOMB! Light and airy on the inside and crisp on the outside, dusted with the perfect ratio of cinnamon and sugar.

10909 Hawthorne Blvd, Inglewood, CA 90304, United States
p: +1 310-680-7511

Trois Famalia (Los Feliz)

3510 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90026, USA
p: +1 323-725-7800

Takao (Brentwood)
Run by executive chef and owner Takao Izumida, Takao is an unassuming 40-seat restaurant in Brentwood that focuses on “simply excellent” Japanese food. Despite Chef Izumida’s traditional training as a world-renowned master sushi chef, he has found a way to elevate his craft by bridging meticulous Japanese techniques with North American ingredients. You may also recognize Chef Izumida from Season 1 of Netflix series, Chef’s Table. Chef Izumida was a mentor to Niki Nakayama, chef and owner of n/naka.

11656 San Vicente Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90049, United States
w: takaobrentwood.com
p: +1 310-207-8636

The Butcher’s Daughter (Multiple Locations)
If you’re looking for a good plant-based restaurant, check out The Butcher’s Daughter. Their menu isnt 100% vegetarian, but the majority of the dishes are vegan and gluten-free.  Choose from fresh cold-pressed juices, elixir shots, fresh salads, gluten-free or dairy-free pizzas, sandwiches, and more. If you’re not about that life, The Butcher’s Daughter has burgers and regular pizzas as well.

w: thebutchersdaughter.com
Click here for locations

Totoraku (Rancho Park)
Totoraku is one of those “not so secret” secret restaurants. It’s an invite only restaurant where you have to be tight with Chef Kaz to get a ressie. We ended up here through a good friend one evening and proceeded to indulge in the whole Totoraku yakiniku experience. The courses aren’t exclusively yakiniku, but it is of course the main event. You will still enjoy virtually every dish based on quality of ingredients and freshness alone.

10610 Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90064, United States
p: +1 (310) 838-9881

Wanderlust Creamery (Atwater Village,  Tarzana, and Smorgasburg)
Wanderlust Creamery is one of my new favorite ice cream parlours in LA. Founded by Food Science graduate Adrienne Borlongana and attorney-turned-entrepreneur Jp Lopez, familiar, the recipes are inspired by childhood memories and the places the couple has traveled to or places they wish to travel to one day. Their ice cream is meticulously formulated to ensure a creamy texture that’s light on the palate, made with 100% organic milk from Straus Family Creamery. Choose from flavors like sticky rice + mango, ube malted crunch, lychee + nigori sake sorbet, or the limited-time That Food Cray !!! x Wanderlust Creamery Japanese fruit Neopolitan made with our brand colors! The yellow is made with white chocolate yuzu, the pink is strawberry sakura with chocolate covered strawberry beads, and the turquoise is Japanese musk melon! Get it while it lasts!

Tarzana
18511 Ventura Blvd, Tarzana, CA 91356, USA

Atwater Village
3134 Glendale Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90039, USA
w: wanderlustcreamery.com

Wurstkuche (Arts District)
Wurstküche is a restaurant that has earned their stripes as THE purveyor of exotic grilled sausages. As given away by its name, Wurstküche focuses on all sausage everything along with its partners in crime, double-fried fries and beer. My favorites are the Filipino Maharlika consisting of sweet pork giving it a longganisa sort of vibe and the Sun-Dried Tomato & Mozzarella made with smoked chicken and turkey.

625 Lincoln Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90291, United States
p: +1 213-687-4444

• Tikifish’s poke bowls
• Cheezus’ grilled cheese sandwiches
• Little Egypt’s Middle Eastern desserts
• Dream Pops’s 3D-printed popsicles 
• Wanderlust Creamery’s unique globally-minded ice cream

In addition, we’re going to have music, a candy bar, and a special pickling tutorial from Nico de Leon and Jessica Wang of LASA and Pique Nique. They’ll break down all you need to make your own homemade pickles !!!

That Food Cray !!! and Urban Outfitters Food Fest !!!
Saturday, November 11th | 2pm – 5pm
Space 15 Twenty
1520 N Cahuenga Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90028

To catch the action, follow @urbanoutfitters, @thatfoodcray, and @space15twenty. See you there !!!

16. Trattoria Pandemonio di casa Brogi, Florence
Trattoria Pandemonio is located in the heart of Firenze, just a stone’s throw away from the stunning Arno river. The menu consists of all things Florentine, including Firenze-style appetizers, a wide selection of handmade pastas, seafood, and of course, Bistecca alla Fiorentina. The Bistecca alla Fiorentina is insane. Prior to firing it on the grill, the servers bring the massive slab of meat to your table just to show you what you’re getting yourself into. Killer beef aside, the spaghetti alla bottarga and crostini toscani with pâté di fegato was also phenomenal. To finish, do yourself a solid and order the tiramisu! I don’t even like tiramisu, but it this was life changing.

Via del Leone, 50R, 50124 Firenze, Italy
w: trattoriapandemonio.it
p: +39 055 224002

15. Piatto Romano, Rome
Piatto Romano is a legit restaurant in Rome that serves simple, rustic, and classic Roman food, located in one of the oldest neighborhoods in Rome, Testaccio. The menu is fairly simple, broken down into antipasti or starters, primi piatti which consisted of a list of pasta, heavier meat courses under the secondi piatti section, contorni or side dishes, and finally dessert. Piatto Romano is known for its signature offal dishes, so be sure to try the lamb’s sweetbreads or their legendary rigatoni con la pajata which translates to rigatoni with milk-fed lamb intestines. Regardless of how stuffed you may be, order a slice of the torta di ricotta with sour cherry marmalade, trust me!

Via Giovanni Battista Bodoni, 62, 00153 Roma, Italy
w: piattoromano.com
p: +39 06 6401 4447

14. Okra, Hong Kong
Okra is an izakaya in Sai Ying Pun specializing in charcoal grilled small plates and sashimi along with a curated ist of unpasteurized sake. Inspired by Japanese cuisine, the menu consists of a variety of fish dishes along with shellfish, offal, tofu, quail and more. Make sure you save room for dessert and order the “Uji Matcha Cookie Boy,” a roasted green tea & red bean cookie topped with smoked cream & lemon salt.

G/F, 110 Queen’s Rd W, Sai Ying Pun

13. Tsukiji Market, Tokyo
I actually have no idea what this place is called, but it’s a little stand in the middle of Tokyo’s Tsukiji fish market selling all things mochi. They sell everything form warabi mochi to my FAV, daifuku. These are essentially mochi served with a fresh strawberry! The custard is the best flavor IMO. The black sesame is a close second.

5 Chome-2-1 Tsukiji, Chuo, Tokyo 104-0045, Japan

12. Sqirl LA, Los Angeles
Sqirl LA is a tiny breakfast/brunch spot in Silver Lake serving the bombest homemade ricotta with house-made jam on burnt brioche toast. The brioche toast is perfect – golden brown and burnt around the edges, smothered in fresh ricotta and seasonal jams. Depending on the season, Sqirl offers Gravenstein Apple Butter, Moro Blood Orange Marmalade, Wild Boysenberry, or a Blenheim Apricot preserve. So good!

720 Virgil Ave #4, Los Angeles, CA, 90029
p: (323) 284-8147

11. ACME, Sydney
One of my favorite meals in Sydney was at ACME, an innovative restaurant highlighting Italian dishes with hints of Asian influence. Chef Mitch Orr has put in werk at a number or world-renowned restaurants including the world’s #1 restaurant, Osteria Francescana in Modena, Italy. He has now earned the title of the “prince of pasta.” Although the restaurant is known for its pasta, the dessert is worth mentioning as well! ACME’s black sesame ice cream and matcha cake was one of the best desserts we had on the trip!

60 Bayswater Rd, Rushcutters Bay NSW 2011, Australia
w: weareacme.com.au
p: +61 435 940 884

10. Bengawan Solo, Singapore
I forgot how good Bengawan Solo’s pandan cakes were until I had it again this year. My homie Gillian would bring one back for me everytime she went to Singapore. I would hide them from Eugene and eat the whole cake to myself over the course of two days. These bad boys are addicting, full of potent pandan flavor, moist and airy. It’s so FLUFFY, I’m gonna die!

There are locations all over Singapore!

9. Lyle’s, London
Lyle’s is a modern British restaurant in London’s Shoreditch district. The menu changes daily, open for both lunch and dinner, offering an à la carte menu at lunch and a set menu for dinner. We went for lunch and got to try things like lardo with fried bread and tomatoes, lamb sweetbreads, and cured beef with onions and ramson served with a flavorful beef consommé and an onsen egg. To finish, we had a simple yet perfect  treacle tart with raw milk ice cream.

56 Shoreditch High Street, London, E1 6JJ
e: [email protected]
p: 020 3011 5911

8. The Kettle Black, Melbourne
The Kettle Black is located in South Melbourne. The cafe is situated in a one-of-a-kind, all-white Victorian terrace. Designed by Studio You Me, The Kettle Black has won numerous design awards, built in the last heritage terrace on Albert Road which rubs up against a contemporary apartment complex, perfectly bringing together the old and new. Coffee aside, you have to cop the notorious hotcakes with ricotta – fluffy and moist AF topped with ricotta, double cream, fresh fruit, crunchy seeds and sweet pure maple.

50 Albert Rd, South Melbourne VIC 3205, Australia
w: thekettleblack.com.au
p: +61 3 9088 0721

7. Edition Coffe Roasters, Sydney
Edition Coffee Roasters is a small humble café in Sydney’s Darlinghurst district. Influenced by contemporary Nordic and Japanese cuisine, the menu consists of things like Danish smørrebrød, Noma-inspired mushroom udon noodles, Swedish fisksoppa soup and the “Yakuza’s breakfast,” which are fluffy AF matcha hotcakes. The matcha hotcakes are bomb, light and airy yet moist served with honey ganache and fresh passion fruit.

6. B.S. Taqueria, Los Angeles
B.S. Taqueria is an “authentically inauthentic,” Mexican restaurant in DLTA. The menu is simple, featuring Mexican favorites, with a twist. You’ll find lardo tacos, chicken skin chicharrones, cauliflower al pastor and the best churros and tres leches cake! The melt-in-your-mouth churros are crack, light, airy and crispy, dusted in the perfect amount of cinnamon and sugar. The tres leches cake is soaked in sweet milk topped with a brown sugar meringue and macadamia nuts.

514 W 7th St, Los Angeles, CA 90014, United States
w: bstaqueria.com
p: +1 213-622-3744

5. Ametsa with Arzak Instruction, London
Ametsa with Arzak Instruction is located in COMO The Halkin Hotel in London. The restaurant has earned one Michelin star and is rooted in the traditions of “New Basque Cuisine.” Ametsa takes traditional techniques and flavor profiles with a progressive twist. We indulged in the tasting menu which featured things like the “Egg in Leaf” and “Scallops Leaving Home.” To finish, we had two desserts, a gigantic truffle which melted as the server poured warm chocolate all over it and the “Pan de Naranja y Espinacas,” an orange toast and spinach dessert. The latter of the two was my fav!

Halkin Street, London, SW1X 7DJ
e. [email protected]
p. +44 020 7333 1234

4. Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, London
Dinner by Heston Blumenthal is a Michelin-starred restaurant in London. Inspired by British culinary history, Dinner’s menu educates its diners on the roots of British cuisine consisting of historical British dishes, which were researched by food historians and through The British Library. Heston takes 13th to 19th-century recipes, reinventing them with an innovative approach and modern cooking techniques. The restaurant is a known for its signature “Tipsy Cake,” a delicious brioche cake drenched in brandy cream sauce, accompanied by a slice of glazed spit-roasted pineapple. The Tipsy Cake was legit, but the sambocade was what caught my attention, a goat’s milk cheesecake served with elderflower & apple, perry poached pear, and smoked candied walnuts.

Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park
66 Knightsbridge, London SW1X 7LA
e: [email protected]
p: +44(0)20 7201 3833

1. Peace of Cake, Hong Kong
The best dessert I had all year just so happen to be my birthday cake! My friend and one of my FAV pastry chefs, Tracy Wei, worked her ass off making me an epic birthday cake made with some of my favorite tings, with the help of my husband. She whipped up an insanely delicious pineapple upside down cake with layers of horchata panna cotta and coconut cream cheese !!!

w: www.peaceofcakehk.com

Jon & Vinny’s is a pizzeria right across the street from Fairfax’s institution, Canter’s Delicatessen. The pizzeria is run by Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo, the restauranteurs behind Animal, Son of a Gun, Trois Mec, Petit Trois, Trois Familia, and catering company, Caramelized Productions. Jon & Vinny’s is one of the more casual joints of the empire, albeit like it’s sister restaurants, reservations are a must.

Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, the menu consists of American-Italian favorites. For breakfast, Jon & Vinny’s offers a selection of the usual suspects, including granola, porridge, avocado toast, pancakes, and eggs. If you give zero f*cks, pizzas are also available with a special “Breakfast Pizza” topped with Yukon gold potato, egg, rosemary, olive oil, parmesan, red onion, and grilled Niman ranch bacon.

The lunch and dinner menu are the same, broken down into starters such as bruschetta, salads, antipasto, pizza, pasta, polenta, meat, and dessert. Everything on the menu is meant to be shared family style. I would order a little bit from every section, especially the pizza and pasta section, all of which are made in-house! The cacio e pepe was my favorite, made with bucatini, a thick spaghetti-like pasta with a hole running through the center. The hollow centers pick up all that delicious creamy sauce! In terms of pizza, I like my pies simple, which is why the “L.A. Woman” was the winner for me — the perfect amount of tomato sauce, topped with large pieces of creamy burrata and fresh basil leaves.

Sorry, the lighting wasn’t great for photos…

Avocado Bruschetta ($9.25 USD). The avocado bruschetta was delicious – buttery avocado smeared on crunchy yet moist grilled Gjusta ciabatta bread topped with olive oil, lemon, crushed red chili and parmesan cheese.

Grilled broccolini ($12.50 USD). The grilled broccolini was packed with flavor consisting of golden raisins and almonds, finished with a chili vinaigrette.

Honeyloupe melon wrapped with San Danielle prosciutto ($10.75 USD). This dish was super simple but so good. The honeyloupe was sweet AF and the ham was perfection.

“LA Woman” pizza ($19.25 USD). YASSS this is the pizza I was talking about. Amazing thin crust pizza topped with creamy local burrata, tomato sauce, fresh basil, really good olive oil, and sea salt.

“Ham & Yeezy”($19.50 USD). Loved the combination of the smoked mozzarella, vodka sauce, red onion, ham, caciocavallo, and pickled fresno chlies.

Six hour bolognese polenta with parmesan ($15.25 USD). This was quite possibly the best polenta I’ve ever had – perfect texture and that bolognese!

Ricotta ravioli ($16 USD). This was my second favorite pasta dish after the bucatini – creamy ricotta stuffed ravioli topped with fresh parmesan and sage butter.

Bucatini, cacio e pepe, pecorino romano ($17.75 USD). I could have crushed this on my own and then some.

Marinara braised meatballs ($16.25 USD). The meatballs were incredibly well seasoned, juicy, and flavorful, soaked in marinara sauce served with a side of ricotta and garlic bread.

Wood grilled & red wine marinated Niman ranch skirt steak ($26 USD). The skirt steak  was incredibly flavorful and tender, marinated in red wine then grilled over a wood fire.

Warm strawberry bread pudding ($8 USD). The bread pudding was my favorite dessert! The bread pudding was on a whole ‘nother level of bread puddings – moist, custardy with a bit of spice, topped with cream.

La Colombe tiramisu ($9 USD). I usually don’t like tiramisu, but I was feelin’ this.

Chocolate budino with olive oil, caramel, and sea salt ($8 USD). This was a little too rich for my liking, but loved the olive oil and sea salt.

412 N Fairfax Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90036, United States
w: jonandvinnys.com
p: +1 323-334-3369

Run by executive chef and owner Takao Izumida, Takao is an unassuming 40-seat restaurant in Brentwood. It focuses on “simply excellent” food, while creating memorable dining experiences for their guests. Chef Izumida weighs an importance on making his guests feel comfortable, “I want my guests to feel right at home like we are in their kitchen.” He makes a conscious effort to take mental notes about the likes and dislikes of returning customers. His goal is to make each visit better than their last.

Despite Chef Izumida’s traditional training as a world-renowned master sushi chef, he has found a way to elevate his craft by bridging meticulous Japanese techniques with North American ingredients. Chef Izumida’s curiosity of flavors pushed him to explore a new approach to Japanese cuisine. This is evident in his omakase menu, highlighting seasonal ingredients and presenting them in unique and innovative ways.

You may also recognize Chef Izumida from Season 1 of Netflix series, Chef’s Table. Chef Izumida was a mentor to Niki Nakayama, chef and owner of n/naka. Chef Nakayama began her career at Takao under the guidance of chef Izumida. She is now killing it with her impossible to get into restaurant n/naka, a remarkable progressive Japanese restaurant in Los Angeles.

If you’re in Los Angeles, I highly recommend making reservations at Takao. The omakase is on point, each dish was simple yet so delicious. It was my first time there, and I definitely felt at home. Julia had told Chef Izumida that I was about to catch a flight back to Hong Kong and he had the kitchen make us a bento box to-go so we wouldn’t have to eat airplane food. Thank you!

YASSS now that’s what I’m talking about. The omakase started with my fav – UNI served on top of fresh sweet shrimp!

Next to the uni, creamy AF fish liver.

Salmon kelp roll, consisting of thinly sliced fresh salmon roll wrapped in a thin kelp sheet with green onion, burdock pickles and garlic served with ponzu sauce.

Toro tartare x caviar! Loved the chopped blue fin tuna with onion, chives and wasabi topped with caviar.

Giant clam ceviche – simple, yet so delicious.

A perfect chawanmushi, a silky Japanese steamed egg custard.

King crab legs – again, super simple, steamed served with a wedge of lemon and a light vinaigrette.

Light, delicately fried tempura!

The uni tempura was my favorite of course !!!

This Japanese Wagyu Steak was incredible, served with charred asparagus, and mustard on a hot plate. Takao only sources the highest quality of Wagyu beef from either Kagoshima or Miyazaki. The beef was amazing, perfectly marbled and packed with flavor.

YASSSS MORE UNI!

My favs – two types of tuna (otoro and chutoro), halibut, eel and uni!

11656 San Vicente Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90049, United States
w: takaobrentwood.com
p: +1 310-207-8636

One of our go-to spots is Brodard restaurant, which has over 20 years of history initially conceived as a Parisian-style bakery. Since then, Brodard has expanded into a full-out restaurant and become an institution for Vietnamese cuisine. It’s also considered one of the fancier joints, located in a massive space inside the Mall of Fortune, with two dining sections and a cafe serving Vietnamese desserts, baked goods, bubble tea or boba and macarons inspired by Asian flavors.

Broadard’s menu is extremely comprehensive, filled with pages on pages of authentic Vietnamese dishes. They have the usual suspects including a page full of different rolls, bánh xèo, salads, oodles of noodles, and rice along with some stuff I didn’t even know most of this stuff existed! Some of my favorites and Brodard’s key items including their bomb spring rolls, pho, sizzling crepes, and crab soup udon.

Nem Nöôùng Cuoán or Pork Spring Rolls ($7.00 USD). These are the best spring rolls ever, consisting of grilled pork sausage wrapped in rice paper with lettuce, cucumber, carrots, cilantro, chives, daikon, and mint. The spring rolls also have crispy bits of fried spring roll wrapper adding a nice crunch to the rolls. These are so good that people order these rolls in bulk for birthday parties and family gatherings.

Buùn Thòt Nöôùng rice vermicelli with BBQ pork ($7.75 USD). The BBQ pork was mad flavorful, even better doused in that nuoc cham.

Baùnh Canh Toâm Cua ($8.50 USD). The udon with shrimp cake, fish cake, pork and crab meat was my favorite. The crab soup was delicious, with a consistency similar to hot & sour soup.

We had some macarons to go – taro, Thai tea and durian! They were actually really on point.

Mall of Fortune, 9892 Westminster Ave, Garden Grove, CA 92844, United States
w: brodard.net
p: +1 714-530-1744

The Vietnamese food selection is unreal. Yes, there are a ton of legit pho restaurants, but the Vietnamese community consists of people who immigrated from all over Vietnam. Pho aside, you’ll find a diverse mix of food from the North, South and Central Vietnam.

I have a major soft spot for bún bò huế, a popular Vietnamese soup containing round rice vermicelli (bún) and beef (bò), originating from the city of Huế, in central Vietnam. Huế food has been coined ‘Royal’ cuisine since it was once the food of the Imperial Court. Huế food is often described as a balance of spicy, sour, salty and sweet flavors along with the prominent use of lemongrass.

My friend Jen West took me to her favorite bún bò huế spot called Ngu Binh. The menu consists of authentic Huế favorites including a jackfruit salad called mít xúc bánh tráng, bánh bèo or rice cakes, glutinous rice dumplings or bánh ít ram and more. It was my first Huế dining experience and I loved every bite! We ordered an eff load of food, just so we could try everything. It was so good we packed everything up and took it back to the city. I would definitely recommend hitting up Ngu Binh with an entourage so you can taste a little bit of everything!

Mít xúc bánh tráng ($7.75 USD). This is the Vietnamese jackfruit salad served with Vietnamese coriander, shredded pork, and crushed roasted peanuts.

The jackfruit salad was served with black sesame crackers. Use the crackers to scoop up that delicious jackfruit salad, then douse it with fish sauce, and enjoy!

Bánh Bèo ($7.75). The steamed rice cakes were my fav! Each rice cake was topped with shredded dried shrimp, fresh scallions, and pork rinds served with fish sauce. I think I ate about five of these bad boys.

Bún Bò Huế ($8.75). The BBH was amazing. The broth was incredibly flavorful consisting of slices of beef shank, beef balls, chunks of oxtail, pork knuckles, and cubes of congealed pig’s blood. 

Bánh Ít Kep Bánh Ram ($8.75 USD). This stuff is money. It’s a fried glutinous rice cake (or mochi) topped with more glutinous rice with shrimp and pork.

14092 Magnolia St, Westminster, CA 92683, United States

Founded by cousins Kim and Tyler Malek, Salt & Straw originally opened up shop in Portland and now has two locations in Los Angeles. The duo decided to join forces with Kim’s background as a marketing sharpshooter for Fortune 500 companies and Tyler’s wildly imaginative ice cream flavors. The family business has become a Portland institution with line-ups every single day at every location.

Salt & Straw has incredibly innovative recipes, with Portland and Los Angeles locations offering different flavors. Some of the Portland classics include Honey Lavender, Sea Salt with Caramel Ribbons, Arbequina Olive Oil and more, each telling the story of local businesses. The Honey Lavender is made from Oregon-grown lavender petals which are carefully steeped in Bee Local honey, harvested from urban hives all around Portland. The Sea Salt with Caramel Ribbons was created with Mark Bitterman, the owner and “selmelier” at The Meadow, an internationally renowned Portland salt shop. The Arbequina Olive oil is made with Red Ridge Farms’ Oregon Olive Oil Mill’s locally grown, harvested and pressed olive oil.

In Los Angeles, the Avocado and Strawberry Sherbet uses locally grown California avocados and strawberry vanilla bean jam from Laura Ann’s Jams. One of my favorites, the Roasted Strawberry and Toasted White Chocolate consists of Oxnard Strawberries, California’s number one grower of berries!

Salt & Straw also does a great job of keeping people interested and giving customers an incentive to return by featuring limited edition flavors! For instance, during my first visit at the OG Portland location, Salt & Straw had teamed up with local food trucks creating insane flavors such as Koi Fusion’s Kimchi & Rice, Nong’s Khao Man Gai’s Peanut Butter, Potato Champion’s Poutine, Wolf & Bear’s Tahini & Cardamom and Viking Soul Food’s Goats Milk & Lingonberries. The menu is always interesting and definitely worth the visit if you haven’t already been.

240 N Larchmont Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90004, United States
w: saltandstraw.com
+1 323-466-0485

Click here for all locations.