The March Hit List: Kato, Casa Vega, Pearl River Deli, and More

Chef Jon Yao’s highly acclaimed Kato is back in business, and it’s moved into much larger digs to boot. The Taiwanese-American tasting menu spot trades its West L.A. strip mall environs for a much loftier Arts District space with industrial bones and a warm Scandinavian-Japanese feel. The menu is inspired by Asian-American nostalgia, with dishes like a Santa Barbara uni donut with Iberico ham and brown butter, hoja santa-wrapped black cod in broth, and kumquat shaved ice emerging from the open kitchen.

Celebrate this longstanding Mexican institution’s recent, and well-deserved, James Beard Foundation Award as one of America’s Classics with margaritas, enchiladas, albondigas, and more. Casa Vega was founded by the late Rafael “Ray” Vega in 1956 and is now overseen by his daughter Christina “Christy” Vega. The tufted red booths are as welcoming as ever, and the family recipes and festive atmosphere live on.

Pearl River Deli officially reopens in its brand-new Chinatown space this March. To gear up for phase two, chef Johnny Lee and crew — including the mega-talented pastry chef Laura Hoang — have been previewing dishes like char siu bao, seafood congee, pork trotter lo mein, and kaya jam toast over the course of the last several months, plus collaborating with other culinary up-and-comers on various pop-ups. They’re always working on something new, so keep up on the latest by following PRD on Instagram. More info here.

Over in Pasadena, U Street — the pizzeria sister to next-door pasta destination Union — has been working on its square game. Chef Christopher Keyser pulls from his upstate New York roots and time in Philly under Marc Vetri to make New York-style pies that showcase California ingredients like Petaluma mozzarella and Fresno peppers. Most of the pizza here is round (don’t miss the vodka pepperoni), but if you show up for lunch, you can sample his fluffy, crispy-bottomed square slices. Pro tip: Housemade fior di latte and chocolate soft serve is available throughout.

Spago is now on Resy. Spago is also now 40 years old. And still, after all these years, Angelenos and visitors alike clamor for a taste — and a picture — of Wolfgang Puck’s smoked salmon pizza with dollops of creme fraiche and caviar. It’s never a bad time to check in on the storied Beverly Hills flagship of the now-global restaurant for truffle agnolotti, Weinerschnitzel, and apple strudel with whipped cream and caramel.

Last summer, Pomona-based Homage Brewing opened its second brewery and taproom in Chinatown and outfitted it with a killer sound system and full kitchen. That means DJ nights, and as of late, very good food. Balo Orozco, former chef de cuisine at Onda, consulted on a menu that includes masa fried chicken and citrus scallop crudo, which is now being overseen by chef Jasmine Ramirez (Freedman’s, Greekman’s). Needless to say, it all pairs pretty well with Homage’s lineup of hoppy, hazy, and spritzy ales. More info here.

Citrus lovers should revel in the season with a midday visit to the Hammer. For Alice Waters, the significance of a museum restaurant is the symbiosis of art, education, and food. Have lunch at Lulu, and you’ll understand why. Situated in the courtyard of the UCLA-affiliated museum, the restaurant features orange orb light fixtures hanging from two Chinese elm trees, a long wooden table decorated with seasonal produce, and a daily-changing prix fixe menu courtesy of veteran chef David Tanis.

Angelenos with something to celebrate, or those who are simply wanting to splurge, might spring for a meal at a high-end sushi counter or a ritzy Beverly Hills destination. However, they’d be remiss to overlook Kagaya, the shabu-shabu restaurant in Little Tokyo where you get to cook thin, marbled slices of beef in a lightly seasoned broth, dip them in sesame sauce, and savor the pure luxury of each bite. A slew of appetizers, perfectly cooked udon, and a lengthy sake list add value to this exceptional meal. More info here.

You can now find Brad Willits, formerly of Brooklyn’s Camperdown Elm, cooking breezy Italian food in Venice. More specifically, at Market, a brand-new restaurant in one of the area’s oldest buildings that’s poised to become a neighborhood fixture. The approachable menu features cacio e pepe fritters, fennel-and-citrus salad, thick spaghetti with clams and tomatoes, and whole deboned dorade.

This snazzy Italian-Australian restaurant, housed in a formerly renowned Hollywood recording studio, is worth checking out, particularly on Sunday evenings. From 4 to 6 p.m. at the end of each weekend, Grandmaster Recorders hosts an Aperitivo Party with a rotating cast of guest chefs and dishes — think crab curry and oyster sambal from chef Zen Ong (3/6) and tomato pie from Joe Beddia and Eric Wareheim (3/13). First come, first served.

With the recent opening of The Dutchess and now Rory’s Place, Ojai’s food scene is really heating up. Case in point: Here, the focus is on live-fire cooking. Sisters and owners Rory and Meave McAuliffe serve dishes like nigella-studded barbari hearth bread with herb jam and marinated feta, broiled oysters with fermented chile butter, and roasted half chicken with escarole, blackberries, and capers alongside a thoughtful raw bar and an array of natural wines. More info here.