Juicy crab and pork bun from Wuxi-style dumpling house Wang Xing Ji, 140 W. Valley Blvd., No. 211, San Gabriel, (626) 307-1188. (Christina House / For the Times)
Vegetable paella from Lazy Ox. (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)
Veal tartare at Wolfgang Puck’s re-invented Spago, 176 N. Canon Drive, Beverly Hills, (310) 385-0880. (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)
Toast with Santa Rosa plum chutney and Sonoma pecorino from Sqirl café, 720 N. Virgil Ave., Los Angeles, (213) 394-6526. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)
Popcorn with bacon from Tar & Roses, 602 Santa Monica Blvd., Santa Monica, (310) 587-0700. (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)
Foie gras with grapes from Baco Mercat, 408 S. Main St., Los Angeles, (213) 687-8808. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)
Squid with sea urchin from Shunji, 12244 W. Pico Blvd., Los Angeles, (310) 826-4737. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
The salads at Alma, 952 S. Broadway, Los Angeles, (213) 444-0984. (Michael Robinson Chavez / Los Angeles Times)
Ten don from Hannosuke, in Mitsuwa Market, 3760 S. Centinela Ave., Los Angeles. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)
