12 best of L.A. recipes from our 101 restaurant chefs

[Looking for the 2019 101 Best Restaurants in L.A. list? Look no further.]

For the last year, our critics Bill Addison and Patricia I. Escárcega have eaten through L.A. to compile their list of 101 Best Restaurants. If you can’t make it to these spots (or even if you can), you can have a taste of them at home with these recipes.

Serve this hummus with pita.

(Maria Alejandra Cardona / Los Angeles Times)

These dishes are as diverse as the city itself; they’re a tour around the world viewed through the lens of Los Angeles. You can start a Middle Eastern-inspired meal with hummus from Ori Menashe of Bavel or a French one with this rich chicken liver crostini from AOC’s Suzanne Goin. For more classic French food, simmer this simple ham soup from Trois Mec’s Ludo Lefebvre.

These meaty tortellini float in a lovely broth.

(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

Or, head to Italy for the meaty tortellini from Steve Samson of Rossoblu, the best focaccia in the city from Nancy Silverton or a gremolata-smothered grilled rib-eye from Yours Truly’s Vartan Abgaryan.

This simple shrimp dish comes together quickly.

(Mariah Tauger / Los Angeles Times)

Hop to Spain via Somni chef Aitor Zabala’s take on gambas al ajillo, easily the most popular José Andrés dish at The Bazaar.

Rice is crisped for this Thai salad.

(Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

From the other side of the globe are brilliant Thai dishes: nam khao tod, the red curried rice from Kris Yenbamroong of Night + Market and a deeply flavorful spicy shrimp sauce from Sarantip “Jazz” Singsanong of Jitlada. Thai chiles also appear in a grilled whole fish from Cassia’s Bryant Ng and Kim Luu-Ng. If you’re really into heat, you’ll want to try the Goan pork curry from Badmaash.

You can swap tortillas or pita for the Bäco flatbread, but it’s worth making.

(Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

A little less spicy but no less flavorful is the Pesco Bäco from Josef Centeno of Orsa & Winston and Bäco Mercat. The salsa-spiked fish comes wrapped in Centeno’s signature Bäco flatbread, which is worth making at home even if you can get to one of Centeno’s spots.