Newsletter: Holiday cookies, tamales — and pressed duck
As we draw to the close of another year — and another holiday season — it’s time to think about what’s been on our plates, as well as what’s going on them in the next few days. Which means that our restaurant critic has considered his favorite dishes of the year, as well as his current list of tamale shops. So maybe head to Pacoima for the latter, and pick up a few red chile tamales for your holiday table. And if you’re planning a dinner out, there are 10 dishes you could consider yourself — from a homey plate of beans to an elaborate pressed duck presentation at a new tasting menu restaurant.
And then, well, there are cookies. This week we share the results, the stories and of course the recipes from the five finalists of our Holiday Cookie Bake-Off. It was our seventh cookie extravaganza, and this year’s recipes are stunners. We have even more cookie recipes, a report on a new cookbook shop in Chinatown, more Hannukah recipes, and our weekly farmers market report (fennel!). After a long week of uncertainty, with wildfires still raging and restaurants in troubling transition, gathering with friends and family and a plate of cookies or a pyramid of tamales might be even more necessary than usual.
2017 ON THE PLATE
With tasting menu restaurants in food courts and inspiration coming from all over the world, Jonathan wonders whether there has ever been a dining year quite like 2017 in Los Angeles. And what a year it has been. He looks back at what he’s been eating, and chooses his favorite 10 dishes of the year.
COOKIES FOR US ALL
With the world in its current state, it’s both necessary and comforting to surround yourself with family, friends and holiday traditions like baking. Thus this year’s Holiday Cookie Bake-Off. Test Kitchen Director Noelle Carter shares stories and cookie recipes from five finalists.
TAMALE TIME
For many of us, plates full of tamales and repeating bowls of salsa signify the holidays. So it’s the perfect time of year for Jonathan’s annual holiday tamale list. You can expect the usual suspects (Liliana’s, La Mascota, Me Gusta) and many more.
YOUR NIGHT + MARKET UPDATE
Is the Night + Market in Venice open yet? Not quite. Deputy food editor Jenn Harris checks in with chef Kris Yenbamroong on the status of his third restaurant, Night + Market Sahm, in this week’s news column. She also has details on a new Scott Conant restaurant in Las Vegas and a new steakhouse in Whittier.
A BRIEF GUIDE TO NATURAL WINE
If you’re interested in wine, chances are you’ve heard of natural wines, made without additives, and grapes grown biodynamically or organically. Wine writer Patrick Comiskey has a guide to the stuff, along with six natural wines to try now.
Jonathan Gold’s 101 Best Restaurants, the authoritative annual guide to local dining, is online for subscribers and now features his 2017 Best Restaurants. If you didn’t get a copy of the booklet, you can order one online here.
Goldbot: You can now talk to Jonathan Gold any time you want — or at least the robot version of him that now lives on Facebook Messenger. You can ask Goldbot for a personal restaurant recommendation based on location, type of food or price. The bot will also deliver Jonathan Gold’s latest reviews straight to your device.
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