Standout Dishes

Chest Of Drawers Prix Fixe

Baroque; Los Feliz

Lovers of European cuisine and craftsmanship are raving about this memorable prix fixe that serves each of its seven courses in a separate dresser drawer. The hand-painted walnut top drawer filled with magnificent heirloom tomato gazpacho and a standout bottom drawer containing both espresso tiramisu and crossbanded satinwood inlays bookend a variety of mesmerizing salad and shellfish entrees that slide out in between.

Five-Alarm Water

M&R Wings; Culver City

The popular red-savina-pepper-infused water at this bustling wings spot is not for the faint of heart, offering no heat-tempering solace for diners whose mouths are already ablaze from their 20-count orders of Death Tenders.

Tandem Foie Gras

Tranquilette; West Hollywood

The French delicacy has never tasted better than when chef J.L. Moofrey straps two force-fed geese together and jettisons them out of a plane at 13,000 feet. After their parachute deploys and they are captured on the ground, Moofrey harvests their luscious livers, which have been injected with just the right amount of adrenaline to impart the perfect taste and mouthfeel.

Timothy Olyflan

Yum Drum; Beverly Hills

This rich custard topped with a caramel glaze portrait of the actor Timothy Olyphant is one of the most popular treats served up by the world-class pastry chefs at Yum Drum, who, despite naming nine other desserts after him, including their Jell-Olyphant Pudding, have yet to lure the Justified star into their bakery.

Ode To Julia

Mirror Pond; Downtown

The biggest draw at Mirror Pond is the culinary staff’s Ode To Julia, a masterful amalgamation of every one of Julia Child’s beloved recipes in a single dish.

Panda Steak

Harvey’s; Atwater Village

Anyone who has eaten panda cannot deny that it’s simply the most well-marbled and succulent game in existence, but Harvey’s makes sure to respectfully harvest their filets only from pandas that have died of natural causes, ensuring the endangered creature’s exquisite and beguiling flavor does not go to waste.


Runners-Up

Edible Souvlaki Underwear

Taraba; Fairfax
More of a novelty entree and not truly intended to be worn, chef Che Goodman’s spiced and grilled briefs nonetheless fit as well as they taste.

Gluey Noodles

China Flower; Chinatown
Eaters can’t get enough of these noodles that are so stuck together that several applications of industrial solvent are required to break down the hoisin honey sauce.

Semicircular Puree Smear

LaBrott; Pasadena
With this exquisite dish, chef Evander Crespo has achieved something rare: a garnish that has been spread so pleasingly that it requires no additional food.

Beef Huntington

Number 10; Santa Monica
For the authentic taste of West Virginia, look no further than this delicious filet that has been left to season in a coal mine for six months in order to attain its iconic coating of grainy anthracite before it’s baked inside delicate puff pastry.

Red Ribbon Lunch Platter

Billy’s; Mid-Wilshire
Oversized produce items that fall just short in biggest vegetable contests at regional fairs have found a home on the menu at Billy’s, an eclectic bistro that specializes in dishes made with 137-pound pumpkins, 56-pound eggplants, and 9-foot-long carrots that are massive but not quite massive enough.

Chocolate Vesuvius

The Farm; Pico Rivera
Renowned confectioner Laura Nimonen treats chocoholics to a once-in-a-millennium geologic event with this devastating dessert volcano, whose eruptions of molten cacao preserve ghostly imprints from the surrounding nuts and berries that spent their final moments shielding themselves in vain.