14 eateries you have to try at dineL.A.’s Restaurant Week

This summer, dineL.A. celebrates the diverse flavors of the city with not one, but two weeks of great deals at hundreds of establishments beginning July 13. Restaurant Week will offer Angelenos the opportunity to enjoy a selection of specially priced prix-fixe lunch and dinner menus from some of city’s best restaurants. We rounded up 14 of our favorites representing cuisines from every corner of the world.

Alimento (Italian)
1710 Silver Lake Blvd., Los Angeles, 90026; (323) 928-2888

Florence inspired chef ZachPollack made mouthwatering pizzas at Sotto in West L.A. and has now taken his talents to Silver Lake in the form of an intimate indoor-outdoor eatery. Tortellini in brodo consists of little pillows of pasta with a soothing broth that dazzle your taste buds with each bite. The chicken liver slathered neatly over half a plate and crowned with black plum mostarda is rich and decadent.

Bar Pintxo (Spanish)
109 Santa Monica Blvd., Santa Monica, 90401; (310) 458-2012

Cozy neighborhood restaurants near the beach that remind you of a favorite little place in Europe are hard to find. So take a seat at the casual wooden bar with whole hams and pans of paella on the counter opposite a wall of Spanish wines. Originating from the Northern Basque region, pintxos are traditional snacks that include everything from chorizo sausage to manchego cheese on a small piece of bread. For tapas, croquettes with salt cod and albondigas with lamb meatballs are good bets, as is the tortilla Espanola with egg and potato. They also sell cans of imported sardines and olives to take home.

B.S. Taqueria (Mexican)
514 W. 7th St., Los Angeles, 90014; (213) 622-3744

Craving a lardo and clam taco? No problem. Chef Ray Garcia (formerly of FIG) has honed his talents and Eastside-inspire recipes while taking over the old Mo-Chica spot downtown. Tortillas are handmade and the chef doesn’t shy away from fat – even using minced lardo in the salsa. Just add a mezcal cocktail to cut through the richness. Other top tacos include the bologna, lengua (tongue) and chorizo and potato.

Cadet (American)
2518 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica, 90403; (310) 828-3300

Many mouthwatering dishes pop out of the wood-burning oven at this romantic and rustic Westside hot spot from Chef Kris Tominaga (The Hart and the Hunter) and Jeff Weinstein (Freddy Smalls). One of the most popular is the rib-eye steak. But the most decadent is probably the pan-fried pommes aligot with layers of potato and a crispy cheese crust. The pair have recently opened a charmingly rustic new patio area and are serving lunch and weekend brunch, so you can enjoy the avocado and smoked olive tartines anytime now.

Chaya Downtown (Euro-Asian)
525 S. Flower St., Los Angeles, 90071; (213) 236-9577

One of the best patio dining spots in all of downtown Los Angeles – especially in summer, when the beer garden is in full swing with boozy popsicles served in Prosecco and the kushiyaki grill is sizzling. Inside is the new Kaisen seafood bar, Osaka-style boxed sushi and a whole fish program with fresh catches flown in several times a week from the renowned tsukiji fish market in Tokyo.

Hutchinson Cocktails & Grill (Indonesian)
826 N. La Cienega Blvd., West Hollywood, 90069; (310) 360-0884

Fans of Indonesian cuisine should appreciate this distinctive concept on La Cienega’s Restaurant Row that includes traditional specialties along with steaks and chops. For dineL.A., try the grass-fed skirt steak or green curry fried chicken. Authentic dishes drawing on the owner’s family recipes include spicy bami noodles, nasi goreng (fried rice) and beef rendang short ribs. The show-stopper is a 16-ounce Creekstone rib-eye paired with bone marrow bordelaise, Szechuan peppercorn or a curry hollandaise. The interior design showcases rich woods and artifacts such as wall map behind the bar that adds to the exotic flair of the space.

L’Assiette Steak Frites (French)
7166 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles, 90046; (323) 274-2319

Entering this former wine bar on Melrose is like stepping into a Parisian café complete with classic steak frites and plenty of rosé wine. Their specialty is made with Coulotte steak, which maintains its tenderness and rich flavor during the four-hour sous-vide process and is then served with finger-long crispy pommes frites made with beef tallow in a 24-hour process. Cleverly, they only serve you half of the meal up front, and then seconds are served later to ensure you never have to eat a cold frite again. Magnifique!

Los Balcones (Peruvian)
1360 Vine St., Los Angeles, 90028; (323) 871-9600

For a casual night out with killer pisco cocktails, head to this recently revamped Hollywood spot by the Rodriguez brothers, who hail from Inca, Peru. Ceviche mixto (featured for dineL.A.) and salads are followed by entrees of sea bass belly with Peruvian rice and bean cake or beef short ribs, which are also on the dineL.A. menu. After 10 years in business, they have just launched a weekend brunch featuring chicken tamales and Peruvian French toast.

Night + Market (Thai)
9043 W. Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, 90069; (310) 275-9724

Chef and owner Kris Yenbamroong didn’t stray far from the neighborhood where he cut his chops. His family-owned Talesai is just down the street from this new award-winning Thai eatery on Sunset Boulevard. Standouts at Night + Market include the grilled “party” chicken wings, which are both sweet and salty; “startled pig” roasted pork with fish sauce; and the catfish tamale baked in a banana leaf with chili and pork fat.

Osawa Shabu Shabu & Sushi (Japanese)
77 N. Raymond Ave., Pasadena, 91101; (626) 683-1150

Old Town Pasadena is lucky to have veteran chef Norio Yoshikawa (Katsuya) behind the otsumami menu of regional tapas. For dineL.A., expect crispy Scottish salmon and a spicy tuna “Zuke” bowl, which consists of four slices of Ahi tuna, ground spicy tuna, shiso leaves, kaiware sprouts and ginger, all topped with julienned nori, sesame seeds and soy sauce and served on a bed of sushi rice.

Sambar (Indian)
9531 Culver Blvd., Culver City, 90232; (310) 558-8800

The old Ford’s Filling Station in Culver City has been taken over by next-door neighbor Chef Akasha Richmond, who has transformed it into a sleek, white open eatery devoted to the flavors of India. Every dish is well executed with an inspired twist. Samosas use Weiser potatoes, fennel dough and pomegranate-mint chutney. Tandoori style prawns are seasoned with a mango powder marinade. Load up on roti (a Punjab corn tortilla): They’re gluten-free.

Tagine (Moroccan)
132 N. Robertson Blvd., Beverly Hills, 90211; (310) 360-7535

This jazz infused, candlelit hideaway in Beverly Hills proves that Moroccan food is sensual (it also doesn’t hurt that Ryan Gosling is a co-owner). House specialties include bastilla made with phyllo dough and layered with Cornish hen, scrambled eggs and saffron and then sprinkled with powdered sugar. Tagines are plentiful, ranging from honey sauced to suckling lamb marinated in seven spices and served with couscous thanks to Chef Ben Benmaur, who originates from the North African country.

The District by Hannah An (Vietnamese)
8722 W. 3rd St., Los Angeles, 90048; (310) 278-2345

Behind an old door on Third Street, Hannah An (of the Crustacean family dynasty), is now cooking her blend of modern-meets-traditional Vietnamese food. The menu encompasses spicy, sour, bitter, salt and sweet – the five elements of her native cuisine. The namesake lobster dish has already become a classic. Hannah’s own homemade noodles are also a staple, and thankfully, featured on the dineL.A. menus for both lunch and dinner. For cocktails, try the Face Down in Saigon with Don Amado Reposado mezcal.

The Pikey (British)
7617 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, 90046; (323) 850-5400

Located in the former Horse’s Head on Sunset Boulevard, this gastropub is known as a cool spot to grab a pint or indulge in a Sunday lunchtime roast of lamb, short ribs or chicken. For dineL.A., main course dinner options are calf’s liver with onion gravy and crispy pancetta; beef tongue cooked in hay; and a cassoulet with duck, pork, white beans and bacon. After the meal, head to the back bar, where owner and bar impresario Jared Meisler shares his rare whiskey collection.

— Carole Dixon, Tribune Content Solutions Writer