Jonathan Gold reveals where to eat on NYE and the best Chinese food on the Westside

Q&A: Jonathan Gold reveals where to eat on NYE and the best Chinese food on the Westside

Jonathan Gold signs autographs at Bite Nite, the Los Angeles Times food event that's also the launch of Jonathan Gold's 2016 "101 list."

By Melissa Leu

Dec. 30, 2016 8 AM PT

Every week our food critic, Jonathan Gold, fields tons of questions about the best places to eat in Los Angeles. Although his chatbot twin, Goldbot, can be helpful in answering those burning questions, he is far from the real thing — yet.

(In case you missed it, we launched Goldbot on Facebook Messenger last week. This quick primer tells you how he works.)

That’s where you come in. We need your help to make him better. All you have to do is talk to him.

In the meantime, here are some of the frequently asked questions this week that the Jonathan Gold the bot stumbled on, but Jonathan Gold the man can answer.

Where can I eat on New Year’s Eve or Day?

Jonathan Gold: Places tend to sell out quick. I would suggest going to your favorite restaurant where you’re a regular. But if you manage to snag a reservation, République in Hancock Park could be great.

Where should I go for a date or anniversary?

Gold: First, you always want to go to a place that’s intimate, but not too intimate. Nice, but not over the top. And definitely a place where they know you. You don’t want surprises.

Alimento in Silver Lake strikes me as a really nice one. It has really good Italian food. It’s a little bit loud, which usually is a good thing on a first date. (This being said by a guy who’s been with a woman for 30 years.) There’s a lot of interesting wine by the glass.

Another pro move might be to go to the mozzarella bar at Mozza in Hollywood.

Maybe, Here’s Looking At You. It’s a new-ish restaurant in Koreatown — not Korean — with fantastic cocktails and a really interesting menu of mostly vegetable-driven dishes, but also big steaks if things go that way.

Best Chinese food on the Westside?

Gold: Qin West is the most undeniably authentic, which has spicy and sour noodles from Shaanxi and Guilin. And Meizhou Dongpo in Century City isn’t quite as good as its sister restaurant in Arcadia, but the szechuan food is solid. Also, Newport Seafood in Beverly Hills — get the spicy fried lobster.

What’s a good Jewish deli?

Gold: Well, Langer’s, of course. I’m also quite fond of Brent’s in Northridge, and Lenny’s in Westwood is much better than you think it’s going to be.