In Los Angeles, it often seems to be the best of times and the worst of times for restaurants simultaneously. Just as Silver Lake is mourning the departure of favorites All Day Baby and Alimento, new spots are popping up almost weekly.
Recent additions include Bar Seco, serving up scene, natural French wines and Japanese-meets-Italian snacky bites; and Bridgetown Roti, bringing zippy Jamaican patties, doubles and rotis to a permanent location in East Hollywood. Meanwhile, the owners of Botanica have already opened Bar Siesta in Alimento’s recently-departed spot, with tinned fish, sherry, Spanish wines and an array of tapas.
Some familiar chefs have also resurfaced in the area.
The Hummingbird Ceviche House is the latest concept from chef Ricardo Zarate, whose Picca brought upscale Peruvian dishes and creative cocktails to Beverly Hills several years ago. Zarate’s new venture is tucked into a former taqueria along busy Glendale Boulevard. Over 100 years ago, this block was the heart of L.A.’s early movie colony, and the modest vintage building with a row of counter seats and a handful of tables might well have once been a café for nearby Mack Sennett studios.
Crispy yellowtail ceviche and shrimp dumpling ceviche at The Hummingbird
Pat Saperstein
On the compact menu, find an aquarium’s worth of ceviches along with hand rolls and mains like seafood risotto, a ribeye steak or grilled octopus. Everything is beautifully plated, from the scallops aguachile in a bright aji sauce to crispy ceviche with fresh yellowtail and crunchy corn kernels. A scallop handroll and unusual shrimp dumpling ceviche with a sesame leaf wrapping were standouts. There’s no beer or wine, but you can choose from purple corn ice tea or horchata, or try a Delta-9 THC hemp soda for a very subtle buzz. 1600 N. Alvarado Street
Rasarumah‘s dining room
Rasarumah has a modern Malaysian-influenced menu, with chef Johnny Lee of the late Pearl River Deli manning the kitchen. A vintage Spanish building on a rather forlorn stretch of Beverly Boulevard in Historic Filipinotown houses the lively storefront, and with the cozy Shim Sham Bar next door and popular spots like Woon and Crawford’s a few blocks away, the area is warming up as an eating and drinking destination. Starters include blanched okra and eggplant, called Ulam Bendi, constructed like a jewel-like edible art piece, and a selection of perfectly-grilled satays.
Uluam bendi with eggplant and okra at Rasarumah
Johnny Lee
Beef cheek rendang, an aromatic curry made with coconut milk, and banana leaf black cod fill out the “meaty things,” and the noodle dishes really shine, including Hokkein Mee with Singaporean style yellow noodles, pork jowl and calamari, or Char Kway Teow, stir fried rice noodles with Chinese sausage. With a legit wine list, sake and shochu, Rasamurah brings both style and flavor to an unaccustomed locale. 3107 Beverly Boulevard
Brunch dishes at Tacolina
You’ve probably brunched or cocktailed in the lush Sunset Boulevard courtyard that houses Tacolina when it was De Buena Planta or Tintorera. Now it’s in the hands of the experienced group behind Blue Plate Tacos and Oysterette, with an accessible, elevated brunch and dinner menu of Mexican favorites from shrimp a la diabla to mushroom tacos and silky corn chowder made with coconut milk. Try festive agave-focused drinks on the leafy heated patio, decorated with Mexican art and furnishings sourced by owner Jenny Rush, or in the cozy Jaguar Room cocktail bar. 2815 Sunset Boulevard
