The September Hit List: Issima, Antico Nuovo, Wise Sons, and More

The folks behind The Draycott and Olivetta unveiled this ode to all things Mediterranean at the La Peer Hotel. Beachy vibes (think: Mykonos and Ibiza) fill the dining room, poolside tables, and private rooftop lounge. Chef Michael Fiorelli pulls in Spanish and Italian influences on things like crab toast with lemon aioli, grilled octopus, and whole sea bass with salsa roja. It’s like a mini getaway without actually getting away.

With chef de cuisine Martin Draluck now firmly at the helm, he and chef-owner John Cleveland started the Black Pot Supper Club at the Baldwin Hills restaurant. The special menus are based on the “Hemings and Hercules” dinners Draluck was doing at Hatchet Hall, which were also featured on the fantastic Netflix series, High on the Hog. Inspired by Hercules Posey and James Hemings, slaves who cooked for two of the country’s earliest presidents, eight courses (with wine pairings) celebrate historic African-American cuisine, things like black-eyed peas with pickled greens, head cheese with benne toast, whole roasted suckling pig, and the original macaroni and cheese, plus stories on where they came from. Seats are limited, and ticketed reservations are mandatory.

The chili dog and smoked brisket sandwiches were life-affirming over the last year, but Adam Perry Lang has pushed aside the comfort food for now and brought back his modern steakhouse in Hollywood. Reopened for indoor dining, you can still get that amazing 130-day dry-aged rib eye for two, plus new dishes like roasted pork shoulder with grapes and fennel pollen. As for the barbecue Lang has long been known for, it will return, he swears (expect news on that front soon).

David Kuo already has Little Fatty in Mar Vista, now he’s balancing things out with Skinny Dave’s in Westchester. Instead of Taiwanese comfort food, this is more of a sandwich shop, perfect for takeaway — especially if you’re heading to/from LAX and can’t handle the In-N-Out line. There’s a more global stance here, with everything from a turkey meatball sub with sharp provolone to a Cubano packed with mojo-roasted pork belly on the menu. In addition to salads and sides, there’s also cold brew and nitro forbidden rice horchata.

After pivoting to wildly popular takeout pizza and pints of ice cream — and opening a second restaurant, Bari — chef Chad Colby brings the original Antico out of shutdown with a new-old vision. He’s changed things a bit, both in decor and menu, now serving things like a gorgeously puffy focaccia, seasonal salads, handmade pastas, and bone-in rib eye served with drippings. Thankfully, even if you can’t get it delivered anymore, that ice cream is still on the dessert menu.

Just as with Chengdu Taste — there are locations in Houston and Seattle now — the casual noodle house from chef Tony Xu is expanding across the Southland. What started in the SGV, now has outposts in Artesia and, most recently, West Adams. Both locations have a younger, hipper vibe than the original (and even a mural from Eric Junker outside), plus Sichuan specialties like hand-pulled noodles and dumplings, and beer and wine.

Tucked inside the O Hotel, itself a hidden gem in DTLA, this ambitious spot features a menu from two chefs — Joel Stovall and Clay Cassis — who, between them, have worked in top kitchens around town, including Orsa & Winston, Vespertine, and Bestia. That means there’s a lot of creativity and technique on the all-day menu, from matcha French toast to steak tartare, abalone linguini with smoked trout roe, and seared scallop risotto. Really good cocktails, including an espresso martini (!), shouldn’t be overlooked.

Smaller than a lot of Angelenos’ closets, the diminutive new West Third Street wine bar has just enough of everything to keep things interesting: a tight list of French and Italian wines, small plates like mussels in vadouvan curry and steak frites, plus a dash of European charm tying it all together. The partners are also behind Augustine and Sushi Note in the Valley, so the picks and pairings will always be on point.

Taking over the former Ma’am Sir spot, this casual sushi bar brings its best nigiri, cut rolls, and sashimi to Silver Lake. It’s not just the beautifully presented toro, sweet shrimp, golden snapper, and uni that have made it an automatic hit; having an excellent Japanese whisky highball at the counter along with it helps. That, and the stunning omakase and chirashi takeout boxes that kept everyone safely sushi-satisfied at home, as well.

The reliable South Bay standby continues to attract locals and beachgoers with its relaxed vibe and an unfussy menu. It’s a good thing, since most people end up here with sandy feet. From char-grilled steaks to icy cocktails, burgers, and enough fresh veg side dishes that together could easily make a meal, it’s the kind of easy, breezy eating that fits the heart of Hermosa.

Evan Bloom, who grew up eating in L.A.’s iconic delis, brings his San Francisco hit to SoCal, landing at the busy corner of Washington and Culver boulevards. For the last decade, Wise Sons’ hardwood-smoked pastrami, housemade bagels and buttery babka, and matzo ball soup have kept the Bay Area well-fed. Now it’s our turn to enjoy his take on tuna melts, a tribute to Langer’s famous No. 19, and bottomless cups of coffee in a spot that blends history and a bright outlook on the future.