Hits Only: The 5 Best Dishes I’ve Had This Week
It’s a mix of high and low this week as McDonald’s cracks the top five right alongside a new heavy-hitter in Di Di, an outstanding modern Vietnamese restaurant from social media culinary star, Tue Nguyen AKA Tway Da Bae.
Lemongrass Pork Toro
Di Di — West Hollywood, CA
Chef Tway calls this dish the sleeper hit in her robust menu of Vietnamese musts. Here pork shoulder transitions into melty morsels of paradise resting on a saucy mound of sticky rice to create one of the best dishes I’ve had this year.
NanPyar Noodles
Bagan Burmese Kitchen — Silver Lake, CA
It’s rare to find a Burmese restaurant in the Los Angeles area, so Bagan seemed like a veritable oasis for the tea leaf salad lover in me. It was my first time having NanPyar Noodles and it definitely won’t be my last. Think egg noodles treated to an impossibly savory situation of hardboiled eggs, marinated chicken curry, roasted chickpea powder, lime juice, fish sauce, and crispy fish cake. YUM.
Seared Salmon
i.8sushi — Silver Lake, CA
Shout out to blowtorches in the kitchen. The very use of them in making a dish already ups the cool factor to new heights. Though i.8sushi is known for serving sushi rolls in pizza boxes, don’t sleep on the undeniable seared salmon that’s been kissed with flames.
Beef Tongue Pastrami Smashburger
Proudly Serving — Long Beach, CA
Lengua always has my attention. Pastrami is always a good idea. Smashburgers have quickly become my favorite type of burger. Proudly Serving captured this tasty trifecta and flipped it into one badass burger that’s ready to bully your hunger into submission.
Jalapeño Sausage McMuffin
McDonald’s — Testing in Los Angeles and San Diego locations
What took Ronald and crew so long to add some spice to the McMuffin. This item is being tested at select locations right now, but this should be a no-brainer to draft into the main menu. This prospect’s primed to be a breakout star.
