Newsletter: Counter: Arcade food, xo for XO

What is it about some dishes that makes them more addictive, craveable if you will, than others? This is the sort of thing we’ve been thinking about this week, even more than we usually do. The crispy tofu balls at Starry Kitchen are one of those dishes, which Jonathan Gold finds in their latest incarnation at Button Mash, the Echo Park restaurant that is also, happily for some, an arcade.

Another dish, or dishes really, that come under this heading: anything made with XO sauce. I spend time with chef Sang Yoon while he makes the stuff, then check out more restaurants that have it on the menu. Jenn Harris considers not a few addictive dishes: Philippe’s French dip sandwiches, which you can now get delivered; all the kouign amann pastries that Martha Stewart ate when she was in town recently; and ramen, which is addictive in most any iteration, and now comes with truffles. It has been a good week to be hungry.

– Amy Scattergood

Arcade fire

Crispy tofu balls at Button Mash.

(Ivan Kashinsky / For The Times )

This week, Jonathan Gold considers Button Mash, the newish restaurant from the folks who brought you Starry Kitchen. Which means that crispy tofu balls are back, this time in an Echo Park arcade. Love games? Love tamarind fried chicken? You’re so in luck.

Xo for XO

Sea Harbour’s dish of vermicelli noodles with shredded pork and XO sauce.

(Amy Scattergood / Los Angeles Times )

If you don’t want to make XO sauce yourself, as chef Sang Yoon does in his L.A. test kitchen, then I check out six places where you can find the seriously addictive stuff on the menu, from noodles at a San Gabriel Valley dim sum house to Viet fusion food in downtown L.A.

Martha, Martha, Martha

Martha Stewart takes a photo of the pastries at Milo and Olive in Santa Monica.

(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times )

Deputy Food editor Jenn Harris spends a day trailing Martha Stewart as she visits L.A. bakeries. This is R&D for Stewart’s baking books and shows, but it’s also kind of an excuse for her and her entourage to eat a lot of kouign-amann. Nice.

Your French dip, delivered

Philippe has been making its classic sandwiches for years. Now, you can have them delivered.

(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times )

Love Philippe’s legendary French dip sandwiches but can’t get away for lunch? Now you can get them delivered. That sound you hear is DTLA office people cheering.

Truffle ramen

The new truffle ramen at Ramen Jinya in Studio City.

(Amy Scattergood / Los Angeles Times )

If you love ramen, and who does not, now you can get your fix at the same time that you feed your truffle obsession, thanks to the folks at Ramen Jinya. The Studio City ramen-ya recently debuted this latest mash-up in a bowl. Also: kale ramen.

Your “City of Gold” reminder: It’s playing. Maybe go see it. Maybe don’t go hungry, which brings us to …

Jonathan Gold’s 101

Jonathan Gold’s 101 Best Restaurants, the authoritative annual guide to local dining, is online for subscribers.

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