Photos: Jonathan Gold’s finest foods for thin wallets

Barbecued pork ribs, baked beans and coleslaw at Bludso’s Bar & Que. The original Compton location’s fare is all smoke, animal and salt. (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

Aug. 28, 2014 9:08 AM PT

Is it possible to spend more than $400 per person at some of the restaurants in this year’s 101? Of course. Cuisine costs. But great cooking takes many different forms in Los Angeles, and some of the most exquisite flavors belong to us all.

Harold Jones, right, and Stan Zuckerman enjoy the pork ribs in a dining area outside the uptown outpost of Bludso’s Bar & Que on La Brea. (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

Leo Bulgarini is adept at capturing the flavors of ripe, local fruit in his gelato flavors. The goat’s milk gelato with toasted cocoa nibs, the yogurt gelato with sea salt and olive oil and the blood orange sorbetto at his Altadena gelato shop won’t disappoint. (Stefano Paltera / For The Times)

lat-fo-gold-choice-photo-la0010672107-20130729 (Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)

Chicharron pork belly taco served at Colonia Taco Lounge, a taco-oriented gastropub with a decent selection of local beers and great micheladas and a wonderful list of tacos scrawled on a big chalkboard. (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

Camaron (shrimp) taco served at Colonia Taco Lounge in La Puente. (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

Pan con Compipe (Salvadoran whole turkey leg sandwich) at Corazón y Miel, a Mexican gastropub run by Chef Eduardo Ruiz. (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

Lima Prohibida (Pisco Barton, Luxardo Maraschino, grapefruit, lime, Piloncillo and Peychaud’s Bitters), Pelón y Beso (vodka, Casera margarita mix, Liquid Tamarind Candy and Candied Citrus Rim), and Carrot Quemada (vodka, carrot, Campari, habanero and lemon), served at Corazon y Miel. (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

One of the comically large steamed fish heads served with special hot pepper at Hunan Mao restaurant off Valley Boulevard in Rosemead. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

The shrimp taco at Mariscos Jalisco, a food truck that specializes in seafood. (Mariah Tauger / For The Times)

Stephany Villa, left, and her mother, Obdulia, purchase food at the Mariscos Jalisco food truck, owned by Raul Ortega, who has been going to the same location, 3040 East Olympic Blvd., for the last 12 years. (Cheryl A. Guerrero / Los Angeles Times)

Freshly baked biscuits and gravy over a fried egg at Sqirl Cafe in Silver Lake, a great spot for breakfast and lunch. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times)

Andy Goldman, 43, and 4-year-old Morris Goldman at Sqirl cafe in Los Angeles for breakfast. Morris is eating brioche toast with freshly milled almond and hazelnut butter and Gravenstein apple butter. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

Customers gather at Sqirl cafe. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)