{"id":223784,"date":"2025-09-13T14:38:22","date_gmt":"2025-09-13T14:38:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/223784\/"},"modified":"2025-09-13T14:38:22","modified_gmt":"2025-09-13T14:38:22","slug":"l-a-times-critic-bill-addison-picks-10-l-a-restaurants-where-summer-produce-shines","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/223784\/","title":{"rendered":"L.A. Times critic Bill Addison picks 10 L.A. restaurants where summer produce shines"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

I have a suggestion: Treat yourself to a beautiful meal, right now, at one of the Los Angeles restaurants where the chefs really invest in seasonal produce. There is nothing, anywhere, like the high-ripe flavors and rainbow pigments of California fruits and vegetables at the close of summer. We know this, but the knowing hits different when the produce is freshly considered by our finest culinary minds.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s an excellent time for a spontaneous indulgence. Late August and through September is shoulder season for finer-dining in L.A. Vacations are done, kids are back in school, we settle in at work and home before the holiday blur. Reservations are often easier to score. Many of our favorite dining rooms could use our presence. The ingredients are so urgent, I\u2019d nudge you even to show up solo at a restaurant\u2019s bar and savor just a plate or two of summer\u2019s final splendors.<\/p>\n

Where to taste the end of summer in L.A.<\/p>\n

The cooking at Rustic Canyon<\/a>, guided by chef de cuisine Elijah DeLeon, is particularly exciting at this annual juncture, when the greatness of the raw product is a given and the deeper pleasure comes from the savvy, daily-changing flavor combinations. His weaving of spells began with a plate of halved greengage plums from Andy\u2019s Orchard \u2014 a fruit Lucas Peterson once rightly dubbed the \u201cHoly Grail of stone fruit\u201d<\/a> \u2014 filled with a cherry paste cleverly mimicking the Mexican candy Chamoy.<\/p>\n

Charcoal-grilled Jimmy Nardello peppers were paired with hunks of white peach and dusted with fennel pollen, a garnish that can sometimes seem precious and innocuous but here added the right offsetting licorice nip. White cheddar blanketed a spread of earthy-sweet corn kernels and snipped shishito peppers, a feel-good riff that fell somewhere between Midwestern creamed corn and Korean corn cheese. Tiny Sungold tomatoes rolled like marbles around nearly translucent sea bass, crowned for contrast with an oversize round of orange-ish butter flecked with herbs and Calabrian chiles.<\/p>\n

\"Jimmy <\/p>\n

Jimmy Nardello peppers and white peaches at an August meal at Rustic Canyon in Santa Monica. <\/p>\n

(Bill Addison \/ Los Angeles Times)<\/p>\n

A meaty pork chop arrived with thin ribbons of zucchini that had been glossed in mustard vinaigrette. The effect was more of a glow than a zap, lifting the pork with gentle acid while allowing the vegetable to also shine. So light-handed, so summery.<\/p>\n

DeLeon\u2019s menu moves at warp speed during these heady months; I see figs and purslane currently adorn the pork chop this week, and the variety of snacking plums are speckled Mirabelles.<\/p>\n

More summer-themed suggestions<\/p>\n

For dining inspiration, here\u2019s a rundown of some other spectacular summertime dishes I\u2019ve had in the last month. They\u2019re going fast, agriculturally speaking. Acorn squash and apples have their own joys, but nothing beats the moment we\u2019re in.<\/p>\n

Yess<\/a> has opened for lunch service, and the menu includes Junya Yamasaki\u2019s famed \u201cmonk\u2019s chirashi.\u201d A recent version, splayed over rice, modeled peaches, plums, cucumbers, peas still dangling from their pods and handsomely veiny shiso leaves.<\/p>\n

\"A <\/p>\n

A summertime version of \u201cmonk\u2019s chirashi\u201d at Yess in the Arts District.<\/p>\n

(Bill Addison \/ Los Angeles Times)<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve written plenty lately about the glories of the vegetable cooking at RVR in Venice<\/a>. Go straight for the peaches and purple daikon stung with tosazu (vinegar-based dressing smoky with katsuobushi) and aromatic accents of pickled Fresno chiles, ginger and crushed Marcona almond.<\/p>\n

It isn\u2019t summer without at least one cracker-thin bar pie at Quarter Sheets<\/a> (available Tuesday, Wednesday and Sunday, for dine-in only) scattered with Jimmy Nardellos and sausage.<\/p>\n

Two perennial favorites for savory-leaning stone fruit salads: The beauty at Kismet<\/a> fragrant with lemon balm and dressed in turmeric-whey vinaigrette that adds intriguing color and weight, and the tomato and stone fruit salad at Majordomo<\/a> splashed with a perfectly balanced sherry vinaigrette and flecked with shiso.<\/p>\n

Dunsmoor\u2019s<\/a> summer menu straddles the influence of parallel agrarian regions: California and the American South. A simple platter of sliced duck ham and fleshy Honeyloupe melon from Weiser Farms brought the theme home early in the meal. <\/p>\n

\"Smoked <\/p>\n

Smoked moulard duck ham with Weiser Farms Honeyloupe melon at Dunsmoor<\/p>\n

(Bill Addison \/ Los Angeles Times)<\/p>\n

Cam\u00e9lia<\/a> in the Arts District is operating at the height of its powers. A late summer dinner: a fluffy salad of greens with slices of yellow peach and hidden walnuts, generously covered in shaved Comt\u00e9 and tensed with calamansi vinaigrette, followed by soft-shell crab tempura over a fresh sauce vierge made with bright, chewy-soft Sungolds. I\u2019m a cheese freak, so a Comt\u00e9 tart with brul\u00e9ed figs for dessert didn\u2019t feel redundant.<\/p>\n

Speaking of stunning salads: They never disappoint at A.O.C.<\/a> in West Hollywood. Case in point: tender arugula arranged with cherries and nectarines, an ash-ripened goat cheese called Linedeline with the scent of mushrooms and, to drive home the intensity, a garlicky, pesto-like aillade bright green with pistachios.<\/p>\n

Birdie G\u2019s<\/a>, one of the sister Santa Monica restaurants to Rustic Canyon where Jeremy Fox can frequently be seen on the path, has brought back its incredible relish tray featuring five-onion dip. Look for the shimmery sprigs of ice plant among the spectrum of geometric carved vegetables.<\/p>\n

\"Birdie <\/p>\n

Birdie G\u2019s relish plate, pictured in 2019. It\u2019s always changing. <\/p>\n

(Mariah Tauger \/ Los Angeles Times)<\/p>\n

When do I know summer is over? When Nicole Rucker and her team stop baking pies with stone fruits at Fat & Flour<\/a>. I just checked with Rucker, and the last of the peaches are touch and go. Fall might be here sooner than I\u2019m willing to admit. <\/p>\n

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Food Bowl tickets<\/p>\n

VIP tickets (allowing early entry) to The Times\u2019 Food Bowl Night Market<\/b><\/a>, presented by Square<\/b>, are already sold out for the Saturday-night session taking place Oct. 11 at City Market Social House<\/b> in downtown L.A. Friday-night VIP tickets are still available, but going fast. More than 40 restaurants are participating, including Holbox<\/b>, Baroo<\/b>, the Brothers Sushi<\/b>, OyBar,<\/b> Heritage Barbecue<\/b>, Crudo e Nudo<\/b>, Hummingbird Ceviche House<\/b>, Rossoblu<\/b>, Perilla L.A.<\/b>, Evil Cooks<\/b>, Villa\u2019s Tacos<\/b>, Holy Basil<\/b> and Luv2Eat Thai Bistro<\/b>. Check lafoodbowl.com<\/a> for tickets and info.<\/p>\n

Also …<\/p>\n