Nok's Kitchen - Westminster, CA

Don't let the exterior fool you. Nok's Kitchen sits inconspicuously at the back of the very small shopping center next to that giant one. You'll inevitably turn into the giant one first and have to circle back out and try again. 

The person behind you will hate you as you scan at a snail's pace for the rather hidden opening, but it's worth the ire of your fellow road-rager, as if they have any sense, they'll follow you in. This spot undoubtedly earned its place on LA's 101 Best list and possibly my top ten.

I don't know much about Laotian food, but delicious is a language everyone speaks, one I'm all too eager to learn. 
 

I recognize the Roti Curry, but it turns out to be my least favorite of the lot. The roti is paper-thin but very oily. A good curry, but not memorable overall.

What IS memorable is the signature Lao Pork Sausage, and the combo is the way to go. The casings snap so hard, and the mincemeat is so juicy, with a finish to sticky and gooey. Add a ball of sticky rice and dip in the hot-sweet-and-sour jeo som sauce for the best bite of your life.

Tum Mak Houng is papaya salad sweetened with fish sauce, and it colludes with salted crab for some next-level funk. I love that living-ocean flavor, but for sure get it with  cooked shrimp if you don't like fishy things or try a different salad altogether.

The Larb Pork is a fragrant platter, a substantial portion seared and sliced with a rice powder coat for extra sticking of the fish sauce and spice. 

King Mok is a fatty, rich salmon steamed in its own fat, wrapped in an aromatic leaf with cute little eggplants embedded for extra texture. Throw in some fresh dill to make it come alive.

Khao Pad is just fried rice, but with crab it becomes a standout. I thought it'd be little bits for flavor, but I unearth giant, mouth-filling chunks instead. You can just imagine what that does for the taste. 

We'd be too full for the Pandan Mango Sticky Rice if it wasn't so damn good. Sage advice to get the coconut ice cream to accompany - believe me, it completes the dish. I don't even like coconut but this stuff is unlike any ice cream I've ever had. It's surprisingly light on the sugar with an icy texture and a taste like a tropical breeze. 

The Nam Wan Taro is not quite what I expected, but it hits like the congees of childhood. I thought it was more like a gelatin pudding, but this one is more of a starchy stew. Taro is lovely, bananas are sweet, and tapioca adds little bubbles. It's awesome overall, but the mango sticky rice is too good to beat. 

It's a fantastic meal, better than most things Michelin commends. The sausage stays with me, and I still salivate over the memory of the salmon and the pork. I dare you to order something on this menu and tell me you're not in love.

Unico Tokyo Pasta - Redondo Beach

Fascinating. A clean and simple menu, just two little pages of pasta and sauces, and they only serve spaghetti. A sweet little spot tucked away in the shadow of Japonica in a quieter corner of a Redondo Riviera street.  

For starters, their mocktails look so good I have to try one, but the bar is low because it's hard to get excited about an eight-dollar juice-mix. Expectations exceeded, would absolutely have either again. White Peach Beach is sun-sweet nectar, lightened by carbonation, Lime Lychee is a refreshing citrus, made juicy by lychee sweetmeat. 

The pastas are fantastic. Uni Truffle is an expected hit, dressed with ingredients that are meant to impress. It is expectedly heavy but also beautifully balanced; uni rich and gooey, cream sauce clingy with citrus for a lighter lift, extra umami from a truffle hit. 

The show-stealer is this simple Yuzu Peperoncino, where the little pancetta bits hit with a bold and salty fat, yuzu pepper pops, and garlic collaborates with red chili to bring on the (addictive) heat. 

The Yasai Bolognese gets overshadowed, lost in the shuffle between two absolute standouts. It's the only one we fail to finish, but the microwave transforms it into a steaming, savory and sweet sensation. It may be the savoriest, most polished bolognese I've had to date, and the addition of asparagus brightens the sauce a bit. 

Every item from this menu has been mesmerizing, and even a "boring" bolognese is an exceptional example of a tried-and-true. I have yet to try the rest of the menu, but I suspect it is spectacular.

Monster Kimbap - Lomita

Don't come in expecting a supermarket selection - most of their food is fresh and made to order. Order online at the Gardena location or shoot an early-morning text to the people at Lomita. Be patient - they're still quite new so the process isn't streamlined, but I do think it's worth the effort. 

The Tteok-bokki is, for sure.  Looks like gnocchi, eats like hard mochi; chewy, savory, sweet-spicy rice-cake delight. Best I've had so far, maybe ever. 

Wings are crispy, perfectly fried. Honey Butter has that addictive factor, and I forgot the other flavor, but I remember it's something sticky, sweet, and good. 

Order all the Kimbap. All delicious, rice texture on point, well-balanced, and flavors just come down to personal preference. 

I didn't expect to like the Cheese, but I do love the fishcake, and together the flavors work. 

Bibimbap features a red rice, stained by gochujang, perfect proportions of pickles, veggies, and egg.

Tofu tickles vegetarians and omnivores alike. Frying adds some spring, veggies provide the texture, and spicy mayo sauce adds a pop. 

Tuna Salad isn't too fishy, good for those who like it. 

My favorite is the Bulgogi - I'm big on beef and that sweet, sweet sauce. 

There's a Pork Bulgogi too, but I've always personally preferred the beef. 

No wrong orders here, everything is fantastic. The Lomita location is less fun to navigate, especially with the text-orders and spotty street parking, but I do think they're worth your time. We loved ordering for the office, and kimbap are sliced for sharing. Think of them next time you're looking for a lunch. 

The Slice & Pint - Redondo Beach

I have been DYING to see if they'd live up to the hype. The El Segundo location has lasted on Eater LA's lists for years, and I'm finally able to try their praiseworthy pizza from Redondo Beach. 

For starters, I'm convinced they can do no wrong. Even the simplest things like their Fancy Marinated Olives are noteworthy. These are juicy, firm, rich salt-bubbles of varying size. The Heirloom Tomato & Burrata is so refreshing. Chewy cheese encases creamy cheese, and the entire salad tastes like a sunbeam. 

The Roasted Asparagus steals some thunder - flavorful and super savory thanks to the bits of prosciutto and shavings of parm. 

As for the pizza, who doesn't like a classic Pepperoni? Usually me, but it's quality, and I can't object.

The rest are far more creative, like this spectacularly simple Cacio e Pepe. The cream sauce is cheesy and smooth, meshing with the melted mozzarella, with sharp cracked pepper to give it a little pop. 

The White Dog has nutty notes from pistachio pesto and drops of velvet texture from dollops of ricotta.

The Grand Ave is a surprise favorite, beautifully balanced. I've always loved white sauce, and roasted garlic makes it better. The leek adds an unexpected, almost-caramelized sweetness. Spinach freshens the creamy sauce, and chilis bring some heat. 

Gabagool has a vodka sauce with some snap and a capicola for some spice and sass. Pickled peppers and fresh basil only add to the attraction.

Their depth and breadth is very impressive - I rarely see so many things done well and even rarer still, this many things done this well. The pizzas are quite creative and distinct, and I appreciate the care and thought that goes into every item. The commitment to quality is clear, even in simple things like asparagus and like olives. Would absolutely order from here again, especially if I'm having guests. 

Tendon Tempura Carlos Jr - Mitsuwa - Torrance

I'm still crying over Hannosuke, but if I can't have that, Carlos Jr will have to do. 

No more trekking to old Torrance - there's a new stall at Mitsuwa Del Amo, and business is booming. 

It's a wait so put your order in ASAP, and collect your bowl of magically never-soggy Shrimp Tempura. It comes with four fresh, sweet shrimps as well as a kakiage with tender little bay scallop dots. Kabocha is a sweet reprieve, seaweed is umami, and shishito pepper adds some green. I added maitake mushrooms too. Not necessary but no regrets. Finish the tempura then smear the gooey egg all over all that rice and you'll be surprised at how fast you see the bottom of that bowl.

I'll admit, my first visit to the old Torrance location wasn't the best, but I really enjoyed the Mitsuwa one this time around. The tempura is truly good, and it's at worst tied for best in town. I do wish they'd change their cheesy name, but that alone won't stop me from giving them all my compliments. 

Offset Coffee - El Segundo

A new branch of the South Bay's best coffee, five minutes from my house. 

My habit is about to get a lot more expensive, as we savor a hot cup of drip and enjoy an iced Matcha Latte. 

The drinks are fantastic, and it's cool to snack but you're not here for the food. They have some pretty good pastries from an outside bakery, and classics like the ABJ are nice to nibble on, but nothing you can't make at home for a fraction of the cost.

They've got a lot of growing pains right now as they face the mad rush of eager patrons, but your order will arrive if you're willing to wait. They don't have a lot of tables so it's best to take your order to go, but whatever you feel like doing, just head over and enjoy the joe. 

Yanni's Best Charbroiled - Fillmore, CA

BIL's house is out there, and I'm told there aren't a lot of choices if you're trying to do the Doordash. 

Yanni's is one such choice and a rather enjoyable one at that. Their menu reminds me of Torrance's Y'Not, a diner-style place with a drive-thru and a very extensive menu. 

The Pastrami Sandwich is a good one, thin-sliced, hot on a hoagie. The fries are alright. 

The Gyro Sandwich is always a personal favorite of mine, and this one is exactly what I'd expect. The slices are seared, the pita is fluffy and warm, and the tzatziki tempers the salinity. 

The prices are high but reasonable in today's world as the portions are huge. Plenty of food, plenty of fun. 

Tomat - Los Angeles

A sleek wood-work building pops out of a dystopian parking lot surrounded by an utterly random mishmash of old-Westchester mom-and-pops and conglomerate chains, a gentrified beauty among urban decay. Eater LA and Michelin were quick to call it a place with a penchant for greatness, and my curiosity was killing me. I just can't get there for dinner anytime soon, so I went for the daytime menu to try to sneak a peek.

For starters, they do know their tea. The Hochija Latte is a beautiful balance between tea and sweetened milk, subtle sugar with toasty-roasty undertones. 

The Smoked Trout is more of a toast than an open-faced sandwich. The fish is buttery, melt-in-your-mouth, and absolutely stunning, but $14 is a steep price to charge for something the size of your palm. Not your hand, your PALM...MY palm - I have tiny hands. 

Then the classic Croque Monsieur. Hoo boy, someone really messed that one up. Can barely taste the ham, can't taste any cheese, and there's supposed to be raclette so I'm PISSED. Between the mustard-hinted salt-goop on top which was overpowering even after scraping it off and the side of carrots with muddy-salty-something, there isn't much flavor left.

They do get props for the gorgeous case of pastries, all of which are baked in-house. Those morning buns look legit, and I wish I'd gotten that instead because those seem to know how to bake. They say they make “English-inspired” fare, which isn't known for its deliciousness, but I recently went to England, and they could at least make a sandwich there.

Again, they’re known for their dinner menu so I know what I had during the day isn't entirely accurate, but based on what I had for lunch, I absolutely will not risk paying what they’re charging for dinner.