So I went to Los Angeles, California last month, and my main agenda was to eat. Hey, I wasn’t there to see the Hollywood sign; that’s for sure. Here are some of my favorites in no particular order:

Animal

I went there within an hour of my arrival and it didn’t disappoint. Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo’s New American resto features a lot of bright, well-balanced flavors and the execution of dishes are laudable. Do try its fair share of interesting proteins like rabbit, veal tongue, ox brain and the like, but they also serve great seafood and pork belly for the less adventurous. If you ever plan on listening to me, do yourself a favor. Try the Sweetbreads with Mongolian Sauce (it is NOT actual bread) and the Veal Tongue with Pickles and Black Mustard. Both are cooked perfectly and are out of this world.

Website: www.animalrestaurant.com

Trois Mec

Here’s the thing with Trois Mec. I can’t tell you what to order because everything is up to the chefs. That means putting your faith in Ludo Lefevre (and sometimes his partners Shook and Dotolo). That, my friends, is a good thing. The Trois Mec team creates a new menu every 2 weeks and it allows them to unleash their creativity. When I was there, the dishes were Caramelized Eel with White Chocolate Potato Souffle or Grilled Cheese with Truffles and Maple Ice Cream. They had beautiful classics as well like the Black Cod with English Peas. You have no choice but to try Ludo’s menu and you won’t regret it. You have to buy tickets to the 24 seater restaurant two weeks before your preferred date. They sell tickets on Friday 10 am (California time) on their website so be prepared to click as tickets sell out fast. Each ticket gives you a 5 course meal, but they give you about 5 “snacks” before the start of your meal so it’s like 10. They have a vegetarian menu if you ask, and I got to taste some off of my friend Dia’s plate and they are very good too. If you dine as a party of 2 (you can only book seats for 2, 4 or 6) you have a chance to sit at the counter, where you can see chefs (even Ludo) in action.

Website: www.troismec.com

Squirl

Drop that boring breakfast burrito and head to Squirl instead. They make their own jams which you can have with any number of their interesting toasts. I had mine with ricotta and one of the 3 homemade jams available everyday. Also worth noting is they serve house thick cut bacon. I wish it were smoked, but they did cook it well with a nice crunch. If you fancy something other than bread, they have a pesto rice bowl that will definitely hit the spot.

Website: www.sqirlla.com

Umami Burger

If you grab a burger and dump as many umami flavors on it as possible, you get Umami Burger. The fast casual resto has upped the ante on burgers and you get to enjoy this ante raising. Try the Sunny Side Burger, which has a Parmesan Frisco, Truffle Compound Butter, Truffled Aioli, Truffled Arugula and Fried Egg. The burger patty has a nice hint of Worcestershire Sauce, which I’ve always maintained is an essential flavor every good burger needs. Of course, the Umami Burger is another great choice and if you’re hungry, some Sweet Potato Fries.

Website: www.umamiburger.com

Egg Slut

I apologize for including this on my list because you have to wake up early for this one. Lines form early at Egg Slut in the Grand Central Market in L.A., and getting there early (say 9 am or slightly before that) will minimize wait time. It’s a stall all about eggs so if you enjoy soft and runny eggs served in many ways, this is the place. Try the Egg Slut, sous vide egg on top of mashed potato served in a jar (you can substitute the toast side with salad which I recommend) or the Scrambled Egg Sandwich which features perfect soft scramble in a brioche with cheese.

Website: www.eggslut.com