Latin American flavours as showcased at DAMA
DAMA is an upscale Latin-inspired eatery and bar in the eclectic Fashion District of Downtown Los Angeles. At DAMA, visitors are greeted by a large indoor-outdoor space with deco-tropical interiors, scrumptious Latin American cuisine and delectable cocktails. Potted plants, dim lighting and tropical-print wallpaper set the mood for a relaxed meal and make you feel like you are on vacation on an island. DAMA is the place to go to with a large group of friends or for a date night. Chef Lofaso’s food menu is an ode to her travels to Spanish, Latin American and Caribbean nations. The menu primarily comprises small, shareable dishes and showcases sophisticated Latin cuisine. The empanadas, seafood tostada, crispy squash flowers with farmer’s cheese, goat cheese, thyme and chive, clams and chorizo, lamb chops and Pacific Banana Co. sundae are highly recommended. While, casual Mexican food has always been popular in Los Angeles, the rise of fine-dining Latin restaurants such as DAMA set the stage for a new direction for this vibrant cuisine.
damafashiondistrict.com
Modern Indian Fusion Cuisine at Badmaash
Badmaash is a trendy Indian fusion gastro-pub with two outposts (Downtown LA and Fairfax) in Los Angeles. Founded by the Mahendro brothers and helmed by their father, chef Pawan Mahendro, Badmaash offers a fresh take on classic Indian dishes. As the Mahendro brothers were brought up in Toronto, Canada, they have infused Indian dishes with Canadian influences. The space has a fun vibe with bright-coloured interiors, bold graffiti on the walls, upbeat music and friendly staff.
By creating a young and lively atmosphere, Badmaash is introducing Indian cuisine to a whole new clientele. While its classic Indian dishes such as butter chicken, saag paneer and lamb vindaloo are delectable, their Indian fusion dishes are the most popular. Our favourite Indian fusion dishes at Badmaash are the mango mimosa, chicken tikka poutine, Badmaash fried chicken sammich (fried chicken sandwich dipped in a smoky butter chicken sauce), Badmaash fish and chips (flaky catfish covered in a chickpea batter and fried), spiced mango pork belly, chilli cheese naan and Parle-G ice cream sandwich. It is safe to say that Badmaash is forwarding Indian cuisine by serving innovative dishes with unique flavours.
badmaashla.com
Vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free dishes at Zinc Café
While vegetarian food has been a huge trend in Los Angeles for a number of years, in recent times, restaurants serving vegan and gluten-free cuisine have dramatically increased. Zinc Café is one such bistro, which serves only vegetarian cuisine and offers a large variety of vegan and gluten-free dishes. Zinc Café has three locations in California and the one in Los Angeles is a serene oasis in the heart of the Arts District in Downtown LA. It is a massive space with an open kitchen and a peaceful courtyard with fairy lights that come on at night. This eatery serves modern American and Italian cuisine such as pizzas, pastas, soups, sandwiches and salads. We were surprised to find that nearly every dish on the menu, including the pizzas and pastas had a vegan and gluten-free option. We loved the vegetarian sausage and fennel pizza, angel hair pasta with marinara, macaroni and cheese, spiced tofu and quinoa bowl, the Zinc burger (vegetarian patty made with brown rice, walnuts, mushrooms, cheese and eggs) and the vegan organic carrot cupcake.
Offbeat Asian cuisine at Ma’am Sir
Thai and Japanese cuisine are old news, Los Angeles has moved on to lesser-known Asian cuisines such as Filipino, with restaurants like Ma’am Sir. This chic eatery is always crowded with locals and tourists alike. Opened by celebrated Filipino chef, Charles Olalia, this restaurant brings Filipino cuisine to the forefront. Ma’am Sir is located in the Silver Lakes neighbourhood, which is the hipster haven of Los Angeles. It is an intimate and lively eatery and bar with lush greenery and a ceiling of hanging plants. The menu comprises classic Filipino dishes, which chef Olalia would serve at his home. We started with pad de sal (homemade bread) with a pimiento spread, followed by the cucumber and pomelo salad and cheddar and chive lumpia (fried spring rolls) served with a hot pepper jam. For the mains, we got the garlic crab spaghetti, adobo chicken rice bowl and fried milkfish served with a house BBQ glaze and pickled papaya. We ended our meal with a moist banana bibingka (Filipino coconut cake). Ma’am Sir is setting the precedent for fine dining Filipino cuisine in the United States. maamsirla.com
Southern American comfort food at Alta Adams
Soul food or southern American comfort food has not been too prevalent in mainstream Los Angeles cuisine. As soul food tends to be a bit unhealthy, and Los Angeles locals are very health-conscious, restaurateurs have stayed away from bringing southern comfort food to Los Angeles. Recently, this has changed with restaurants such as Alta Adams that are making southern comfort food with fresh, Californian ingredients. At Alta Adams, chef Keith Corbin fuses southern soul food with produce-driven California cuisine. This warm restaurant has vintage terracotta floor tiles, wood accent walls, an open kitchen, a backyard patio and hospitable staff, which promotes an inclusive setting. Our top picks at Alta Adams are the cornbread with honey butter, buttermilk biscuits with butter and jam, deviled eggs, kale, avocado and grapefruit salad with a ginger dressing, cornmeal pancakes with brown butter; maple caramel and shrimp and grits served with grilled okra. It is great to see Los Angeles adopting southern American comfort food in a big way and making it its own. altaadams.com
Pallavi Mehra
