Best Dishes Eater Editors Ate This Week: July 1

Combo plate at Abu Kabab in Pasadena.

The editors at Eater LA dine out several times a week, if not per day, which means we’re always encountering standout dishes that deserve time in the limelight. Here’s the very best of everything the team has eaten this week.

Combo plate at Abu Kabab in Pasadena

Combo plate at Abu Kebab in Pasadena.

I first encountered Abu Kabab outside of Rancho Bar in Altadena where its owner grills a slate of kebabs on Saturday nights to crowds of tipsy revelers. The wondrous smell of meat and smoke has a way of wafting from the dive bar’s front lot, down Lake Avenue, and into my neck of the woods. I finally had a chance to visit the permanent location in Pasadena on a recent Monday. Though the restaurant’s doors were wide open, the shop was technically closed for the day, however, the owner showed incredible hospitality and fired up the grill anyway. The combination platter with beef lule and filet mignon arrived on a fluffy bed of rice along with two sides: a fantastic mutabal (roasted eggplant dip with tahini) and an equally memorable shirazi salad with chopped tomato, cucumber, onion, and parsley. Expertly grilled meats always hit the spot but when it’s coupled with service that goes above and beyond, we’re veering into customer-for-life status. 720 N. Lake Avenue, Unit 9, Pasadena, CA 91104. — Cathy Chaplin, senior editor

Seabass with tomato risotto at Slay Italian in Manhattan Beach

Seabass with tomato risotto at Slay Italian in Manhattan Beach.

David Slay’s ascendance as one of the South Bay’s most prolific and consistent restaurateurs comes at a time when the chef’s last name is emerging as a slang term for “cool” among Gen-A/Gen-Z. Slay’s restaurants and menus, however, reveal an endearing timelessness that every generation should fix their gaze upon. Once seated at his breezy, casual Italian restaurant, find diners aged from 8 to 70 packed inside or on the sprawling sidewalk patio, nibbling on ultra-fresh salad greens and aromatic strawberries picked from Slay’s garden in Santa Rita Hills. The vaguely Mediterranean building and semi-open kitchen give off coastal Italian vibes, like a restaurant plucked from a Ruth Reichl memoir. The seared seabass was a kitchen special, served with a runny, savory risotto that felt so suave and effortless but showed a terrific sense of place. Slay finds the right balance between the ultra-ripe cherry tomatoes and cheese with the lemon-butter sauce basted onto the fish. The chef knows that great ingredients win every time, even if trends change every other minute. 1001 Manhattan Avenue, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266. — Matthew Kang, lead editor

Creme brulee crepe at Millet Crepe in Sawtelle Japantown

Creme brulee crepe at Millet Crepe in Sawtelle Japantown.

It’s rare when a dessert comes along that knocks my alkaline-leaning tastebuds into the dust. I always root for team salty when eating most foods, but that might be officially changed after visiting Millet Crepe with shops in West LA and Little Tokyo. The best seller is a cone-shaped creme brulee crepe filled with custard and topped with sugar before setting a blazing torch to the cap. The sweetness level is evident, but not overwhelming and quite pleasant. The unapologetic amount of sugar will get away from you, so prepare to share or just deal with the resulting sugar high. Though whipped cream or ice cream can be added, it’s not needed for this masterpiece. Those who know, know that the salted caramel walnut filling is perfection. 2011 Sawtelle Boulevard, Sawtelle Japantown, CA, 90025. — Mona Holmes

Ribeye toban at Umaya in Koreatown

Ribeye toban at Umaya in Koreatown.

At some point in the last few years, Koreatown’s Umaya transformed from a run-of-the-mill neighborhood sushi spot to something quite excellent. The last time I went in must’ve been during the height of the pandemic when the restaurant was doing takeout bento boxes. But on a Friday night with other plans in the other, I wandered in on a whim for dinner. The night started well with an Umayatini, a lychee martini that I subbed in gin for the usual vodka, tuna tataki, and the star of the show — a ribeye cooked in a screaming hot toban. The simple dish came out with a well-cooked piece of meat, a mushroom, grilled peppers, asparagus, and cherry tomatoes. Each ingredient was well seasoned while still letting their natural flavors come through. I opted to do a few a la carte dishes for dinner, but for those looking for a more thorough experience, Umaya also offers a kaiseki menu starting at $48 a person. 3322 Wilshire Boulevard #100, Los Angeles, CA 90010. — Rebecca Roland, associate editor