In the first episode of “Off Menu,” host Lucas Kwan Peterson and Jazz Singsanong, longtime proprietor of the Thai Town restaurant Jitlada, head to LAX-C, a vast, warehouse-like grocery store that’s sometimes known by its informal nickname, Thai Costco.
The two of them go shopping, Jazz educating Lucas on selecting produce and how to pick a high-quality fish to bring home. They then return to the Jitlada kitchen where Jazz shows Lucas how to make a few dishes that aren’t on the regular menu.
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Just a few months after opening, Tacos 1986 quickly ascended to become one of L.A.’s most popular taco spots. Run by Victor Delgado and charismatic taquero Jorge Alvarez-Tostado, Tacos 1986 became known for its Tijuana-style tacos de adobada — juicy marinated pork sliced from a rotating trompo and served with a dollop of smooth guacamole.
Lucas follows Victor and Joy to their hometown, Tijuana, to go on a tour of the childhood friends’ favorite taco spots and learn about the different styles of tacos and tortas just south of the border.
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Lucas visits Orange County chef Shawn Pham, formerly of the restaurants Simbal and Fiona, for some of the best Vietnamese food in the country. Shawn, who grew up in Orange County, takes Lucas to Bien Hen in Westminster for some classic Vietnamese drinking food — razor clams, spotted escargot and an enormous grilled catfish. They also go to Banh Cuon Luu Luyen in Garden Grove, where Delena Ta runs a small family-owned operation that specializes in banh cuon, or Vietnamese rice sheets.
The guys chat about eating and drinking culture in Vietnam, growing up Asian American and appropriation in food, and eventually end up in Seal Beach with Shawn’s family.
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Sushi chef Mori Onodera takes Lucas on an early morning trip to Luxe Seafood in downtown L.A. to show him the ins and outs of selecting a tuna. After that, they head to a pottery studio where Mori shows a different side of his artistic temperament — by making the plates that are used in his restaurant, Inn Ann. Finally, they head to Mori’s restaurant, in the heart of Hollywood, where Mori shows Lucas how to break down a tuna in the way only a master sushi chef can.
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Arjun and Nakul Mahendro and their father, Pawan, tell Lucas the story of Badmaash, their modern Indian restaurant with two locations in L.A. They head to Artesia, a small city on the border of Los Angeles and Orange counties, which has some of the best Indian restaurants in Southern California. They chow down on beloved Indian foods like dosai and idli, as well as slightly more unconventional fare, like chicken tikka pizza.
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For a small restaurant, Mini Kabob packs a powerful punch. The meat specialist has been serving grilled beef and chicken skewers for 33 years from a tiny three-table space just off Central Avenue in Glendale, home to one of the largest Armenian communities in the United States.
Lucas visits the Martirosyan family — Ovakim, Alvard and son Armen — and gets to know one of the most beloved restaurants in the city.
