Best Dishes Eater Editors Ate This Week: June 17

Uni tagliolini at Isla in Santa Monica.

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.

Chicken-fried steak at Pann’s in Inglewood

Chicken-fried steak at Pann’s in Inglewood.

There isn’t a more fun place for Saturday morning breakfast than Pann’s in Inglewood, its massive Googie building allows in maximum sunlight. The vibes are perfection, almost cinematic, with families and couples digging into hearty plates, like the diner’s famous chicken-fried steak. So naturally, I felt compelled to order this for the first time. The pounded hunk of meat comes tenderized and heavily breaded, then covered in a thick gravy in the center that allows for the golden brown crispy bits to stay that way. There was no way I could eat this entire thing in the morning, so I split with my wife and son, who lapped up the savory gravy with his bites of sausage and biscuit. On one table to my right, a family was celebrating their kid’s elementary school promotion. To the left, another 10-top looked like it was reuniting after months part. Pann’s could very well be the happiest place in Los Angeles. 6710 La Tijera Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA, 90045. — Matthew Kang, lead editor

Asada torito from Tacos La Carreta at Taco Madness

Asada torito from Tacos La Carreta.

I’ve been meaning to make it out to Tacos La Carreta for a while, so as soon I saw the branded E-Z Up at this past weekend’s Taco Madness, I made a beeline to it. With each restaurant serving the taco of its choosing, Tacos La Carreta went with its asada torito on a fresh flour tortilla. A generous scoop of smoky asada and melted Monterrey Jack made up the base of the taco, to which a strip of roasted chile Anaheim was added. On top, minced cabbage and red onion added an acidic bite that balanced the richness of the rest of the taco. Before biting, I piled on guacamole salsa and Sinaloa-style tomato salsa. The first taste didn’t disappoint; the fire-kissed flavor was evident on the meat and the tender tortilla brought it all together. A trip out to Whittier may be necessary soon for another. 11402 Washington Boulevard, Whittier, CA 90606. — Rebecca Roland, associate editor

Uni tagliolini at Isla in Santa Monica

Uni tagliolini at Isla in Santa Monica.

When chef Brian Bornemann and designer Leena Culhane opened Isla in Santa Monica last spring, the menu went heavy on wood-fired dishes, serving flame-licked skewers like chicken hearts and duck breast alongside charcoal-kissed vegetables. While some of Isla’s early hits can still be found on the current menu, including charred cabbage, a slate of new pasta dishes is an essential part of the restaurant’s current focus. Snagging a seat at the bar, sipping a well-made cocktail, and digging into the uni tagliolini is the perfect way to experience Isla’s evolution — the heap of tangled noodles tastes of saffron and the sea. Bottarga shavings punctuate each bite, while preserved lemons mellowly hum in the background. It’s a perfect bowl of noodles. 2424 Main Street, Santa Monica, CA 90405. — Cathy Chaplin, senior editor

Crabby Neighbor at Side Pie in Altadena

Crabby neighbor at Side Pie in Altadena.

Altadena’s pizza shop Side Pie is downright saucy. Owner Kevin Hockin started out slinging pies as a pandemic pop-up that drew ample traffic to his home, much to the ire of one neighbor who filed complaints to the LA County Health Department. Side Pie shut down and reopened; it was a whole thing. But after opening permanently on the corner of Altadena Drive and Lake Avenue in 2021, Hockin’s pizzas remain outstanding and in a welcoming space. It’s quite the move to name one particular pie the Crabby Neighbor, which is a deeply delicious and seafood-laced beauty with a garlic and cream white sauce base, Fraser Isle wild crab meat from Australia, chives, mozzarella, and freshly squeezed lemons from Hockin’s yard. For best results, order for delivery or pick-up and consume this pizza on Side Pie’s outdoor patio. Always share some meatballs and, when departing, look at the majestic mountains surrounding the restaurant. 900 E. Altadena Drive, Altadena, CA 91001. — Mona Holmes, reporter