Where to Eat in November: Rustic Canyon, Gish Bac, Gjelina and More

Zarah Khan is in at Rustic Canyon. The chef, who formerly ran point at Botanica in Silver Lake, is the first-ever female chef at the helm of the Santa Monica heavyweight. Under the tutelage of chef-owner Jeremy Fox, she’ll be putting her own spin on Rustic Canyon’s seasonally-driven California cuisine. Watch this space.

Damian has a lot going for it. For one, there’s a killer cocktail program with arguably the best margaritas in town. There are inventive Mexican dishes by way of California, like an uni tostada topped with Caesar salad and duck al pastor, plus unique and delightful desserts (think hibiscus meringue with strawberry curd). And then there’s brunch, with its chilaquiles with machaca de pescado and cajeta kouign amanns. It’s no wonder critic Bill Addison recently declared it “one of L.A.’s finest modern California-Mexican restaurants.” 

On top of The Aster, a brand-new members club in Hollywood, is the Lemon Grove, a rooftop restaurant helmed by Top Chef alum Marcel Vigneron — and it’s open to all. The food is Californian with a bit of global flair: think turmeric, tom kha cream, and kaffir lime in the lemon pasta, and grilled prawns flavored with spicy sesame aioli, black garlic, and harissa. There are also meatballs arrabiata, a tasty mixed mushroom flatbread, and plenty to drink (both boozy and alcohol-free). Best of all are the views, including a direct sight line to Capitol Records Tower.

When was the last time you paid a visit to Gish Bac, L.A.’s longstanding finest purveyor of traditional Oaxacan cuisine? and the kitchen excels in giant tlayudas, all kinds of moles from negro to amarillo, and on the weekends, barbacoa. Come for breakfast, lunch, or an early dinner (the restaurant closes at 8 p.m.), and bring a crew to share in the family-style portions.

More info here.

As Gjelina gears up for its New York debut, now’s an excellent time to check in on the Venice institution. Grab a Resy, then order for the table: flame-kissed vegetables, seasonal salads, a handmade pasta, a protein, and always a pizza (or two). The hardest part about dining at Gjelina is narrowing down your order from the extensive menu. Ask your server what’s particularly seasonal, then go from there.

Osen Izakaya is one of Silver Lake’s best neighborhood gems for yakitori, rice hot pot, sushi, and the like. Now it has a new sister restaurant, just down the road, where the focus is on omakase and hand rolls. The latter range from vegan to classic, premium, and baked, including fried eggplant and ginger, toro with uni and caviar, and baked lobster tail with mayo and gobo. The omakase pricing is relatively affordable — $120 at a table and $150 at the sushi bar — with an optional sake pairing for $50.

More info here.

If $8 Szechuan margaritas and $5 cold sesame noodles sound like your kind of deal, make a beeline for Genghis Cohen from 3 to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday. The New York-style American Chinese restaurant has a new happy hour, and it’s the perfect excuse to catch up with a friend in one of their signature red booths. Also on offer: $8 Bloody Marys with ume vinegar and Sriracha (add an egg roll garnish for $1), $5 fried pork potstickers, and more.

Fans of Aaron Lindell’s square-shaped pizza and Hannah Ziskin’s princess cake and slab pies know that Quarter Sheets has been slowly but surely morphing into a full-on restaurant in Echo Park. Well, the take-out window days are over, and although reservations are not (yet) a reality, there are tables to dine in at, bottles of wine to drink, composed salads to eat, and sometimes even plated desserts. Voila!

More info here.

Mondays are tough for dining in L.A. Luckily, we have a guide for that, and here’s an addition: Bacetti, which is now open seven days a week, for whenever a pasta, pizza, or branzino craving hits. Try starting your week with an order of focaccia ebraica, a bowl of strozzapreti cacio e pepe, and something green to balance it out, then report back. Oh, get the tiramisu, too.

The Hollywood revival continues onward, now with a storied dive bar in the mix. That’s right: Power House Bar is back, serving cheap beer and tried-and-true cocktails like Gimlets and Sazeracs. The group behind Golden Gopher and The Normandie Club are responsible for the revamp, of which a back patio is the most notable upgrade. Come during happy hour (4 to 7 p.m.) for $3 Pabst Blue Ribbon and $2 off well drinks.

More info here.