Elina Shatkin

Los Angeles Contributor

Elina is a journalist, writer, and podcast producer. Before joining KCRW as a producer for Good Food, she was the food editor at LAist/KPCC. Prior to that, she was the Arts and Culture editor at Los Angeles Magazine, a restaurant critic for LA Weekly, and a staff writer at the Los Angeles Times. She loves dogs, dark chocolate, and her mother’s brisket. Her writing has appeared in California Sunday, The Believer, Bitch, HiLobrow, and Palm Springs Life, among other publications. You can find her restaurant reviews in Westways.

Fun Facts

  • Lives in
    Los Angeles, CA
  • Drink of choice
    A perfect Manhattan.
  • Favorite food movie
    “The Menu.”
  • Best high-low pairing
    Caviar and potato chips (really, potato chips with anything).
  • A spot you’d almost gatekeep
    Jackson Market in Culver City.
  • Most memorable bite
    The cheese toast at Sizzler’s when I was 5 years old.
  • Pro tip for diners
    You can get into almost any restaurant in L.A. if you just call at 1 or 2 p.m. and ask if they have anything open that night. They might have cancellations. This works best on a weekday, if you only need a table for one or two people, and if you don’t mind eating early or late.
  • Last meal on earth
    My mom’s brisket and mashed potatoes.

Elina’s Featured Stories

Lasita chicken inasal

Interviews

It’s ‘Just a Roast Chicken,’ and Lasita Wants It That Way

Resy Spotlight

Le Great Outdoor Is Where You’ll Want to Eat All Summer Long

A spread at RVR

The Rundown

Everything You Need To Know About RVR, Travis Lett’s New Venice Izakaya

A spread of dishes at Tomat

The Rundown

Tomat Is an Unlikely Destination for Genre-Defying Food Near LAX

The Rundown

Saltie Girl Is the Sunset Strip’s Splashy New Seafood Spot

Recent Posts


InterviewsLos Angeles

Scopa’s Antonia Lofaso is Playing the Long Game

An interview with the owner of Scopa Italian roots about restaurant longevity, crafting a crowd-pleasing menu, and more.

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The bar and dining room at Beethoven Market

The One Who Keeps the BookLos Angeles

How to Get Into Beethoven Market (And What to Order Once You’re There)

Mar Vista’s new hotspot has been packed every night of the week. Here’s how to get in, from someone who knows.

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A spread of dishes at Tomat

The RundownLos Angeles

Tomat Is an Unlikely Destination for Genre-Defying Food Near LAX

Owners Natalie Dial and Harry Posner are turning out some of the most ambitious and exciting food in L.A. right now, all within spitting distance of the airport.

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A spread at RVR

The RundownLos Angeles

Everything You Need To Know About RVR, Travis Lett’s New Venice Izakaya

RVR isn’t Travis Lett’s first izakaya on Abbot Kinney. In 2017, the chef, who first wowed Angelenos with Gjelina and…

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Layla spread

The RundownLos Angeles

Everything You Need to Know About Layla, a Middle Eastern Oasis in Santa Monica

What happens when you combine breezy beachside vibes, generations-old Jordanian recipes, and precise French culinary technique? You get Layla, an…

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Prima Donna spread

The RundownLos Angeles

Everything You Need To Know About Prima Donna in Culver City

“Fun” is the most appropriate way to describe Prima Donna, Culver City’s newest Italian restaurant. The space is large with…

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Resy SpotlightLos Angeles

Le Great Outdoor Is Where You’ll Want to Eat All Summer Long

An entirely outdoor restaurant, hidden in an art gallery complex on an industrial side street, that opened during the pandemic…

By

The RundownLos Angeles

Saltie Girl Is the Sunset Strip’s Splashy New Seafood Spot

What does it take to make a restaurant work on the Sunset Strip? It must be snazzy enough to tempt…

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The RundownLos Angeles

Everything You Need To Know About Fiish, Culver City’s New Sushi Spot

To make exceptional sushi, you first need to find exceptional fish. And as climate change continues ravaging the planet, that…

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Lasita chicken inasal

InterviewsLos Angeles

It’s ‘Just a Roast Chicken,’ and Lasita Wants It That Way

When is a roast chicken more than just a roast chicken? When is the screaming curveball of the pandemic an…

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