Best Dishes Eater Editors Ate This Week: January 22

The editors at Eater LA dine out several times a week, if not per day, which means we’re always encountering standout dishes that deserve time in the limelight. Here’s the very best of everything the team has eaten this week.

Ziti alla Genovese at Funke in Beverly Hills

Matthew Kang

As winter descends upon LA, there are few things more comforting than stewed meat pasta served in a heaping portion for the table to share. Last week at Funke, I was reminded of its overall excellence as a crowd-pleasing Italian restaurant in the heart of Beverly Hills. People keep asking me whether I prefer it to Mother Wolf or Felix, and the best way to describe it is that it blends elements of the other two restaurants. Consider the ziti alla Genovese, made with probably the best house-extruded dried pasta in town and properly coated with stewed beef tender enough for my toddler to eat with ease. 9388 S. Santa Monica Boulevard, Beverly Hills, CA 90210. — Matthew Kang, lead editor

Ahi tuna crudo at Ladyhawk in West Hollywood

Mona Holmes

Though there’s no dress code at Ladyhawk, one might feel compelled to dress up on a rainy night with a raincoat, dramatic scarf, boots, plus a wide-brimmed hat. The reconfigured room at the Kimpton La Peer hotel is elegant, but chef Charbel Hayek’s very personal menu brings comfort. The mezze platter is massive and can be an enjoyable meal for two, but try to follow staff guidance as they can curate an excellent meal. Ladyhawk’s spectacular spin on a martini called the Souq of Byblos offers hints of grapefruit and rose water cordial. And no matter what you do, opt for Hayek’s ahi tuna crudo, the dish that won him Top Chef Middle East in 2022. It’s in a beautiful bowl with orange blossoms, avocado, the right amount of citrus, and charred cucumber. 623 La Peer Drive, West Hollywood, CA 90069. — Mona Holmes, reporter

Goldburger at Goldburger in Los Feliz

Rebecca Roland

When smash burgers started to pop up in Los Angeles they took the city by storm. Frizzled, crispy edges with melty cheese on potato buns popped up on every corner until it was all anyone was talking about. For some time, the smash burger came to define what an LA burger was. Now years into it, we’re seeing the arc of burgers bend towards a variety of patty thicknesses. As it starts to go quiet on the smash burger front, it’s now the time to be eating them and the one from Goldburger is among the best. It’s the platonic ideal of a smash burger, a bit messy and eaten on the sidewalk outside of an independent bookstore. The smash burger is dead, long live the smash burger. 1820 N. Vermont Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90027. — Rebecca Roland, associate editor

Littleneck and uni shooter at Si! Mon in Venice

Cathy Chaplin

The best way to begin an evening at Si! Mon is with a shot. Not of the alcoholic variety that can burn on the way down, but with a silky and savory potion brimming with clams, Hokkaido sea urchin, and a quail egg from Panamanian chef José Olmedo Carles Rojas. The seafood and accompanying chilled achiote ponzu slide down easy and set the mood just right for a night of bold flavors and immaculate vibes. Most everything on the menu of large and small plates is thoughtful and delicious, especially of note are the fried chicken legs, Afro Caribbean dumplings, and the seemingly simple green banana patacones, which are the chef’s take on tostones served with a garlicky ajillo sauce and LQH sauce that should be bottled and sold. 60 N. Venice Boulevard, Venice, CA 90291. — Cathy Chaplin, senior editor