The Best Dishes Eater Editors Ate This Week: July 14

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.

Mapo tofu and minced pork on rice from Pine & Crane in Silver Lake

Meals at Pine & Crane have been a constant in my life for longer than I can remember. I’ve spent numerous nights in the lively dining room, sipping on Taiwanese beer and splitting plates of fluffy buns. The no-reservations set up keeps the restaurant a flexible option for any kind of night, and minimal pre-planning is needed to swing by. Lately, Pine & Crane has become part of my go-to takeout rotation. The minced pork over rice and mapo tofu travel incredibly well (as does most of the menu), and the affordable prices and generous portions mean that there are usually leftovers in the refrigerator for the next day. 1521 Griffith Park Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90026. — Rebecca Roland, editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest

Cinnamon roll from Badash Bakes in Pasadena

In a city where cinnamon rolls from non-corporate operators are fairly easy to find, it’s always fantastic to find one that suits my personal taste. For me, the requirements include a balance of frosting, layers of cinnamon, and sweetness that is not overpowering, plus a well-proofed dough that is good hot or cold. Badash Bakes prepares one of LA’s best cinnamon rolls that hits each of these perfectly, and it is easy to understand why entering Ashley Cunningham’s Pasadena bakery is so popular. The display case is packed with cookies, brownies, lemon loaves, and two types of rolls (matcha and traditional), and more. Of all the delicious baked goods, the cinnamon rolls are replenished by staff the most often. Though the buzz surrounding Badash Bakes has definitely slowed down, it remains busy. If hanging out long enough, one will witness another patron bite into one of her celebrated cinnamon rolls with a reaction that’s best described as euphoric. Actually, that was my response. As someone who isn’t always attracted to sweets or dessert, Cunningham’s cinnamon rolls are actually that good. As are her s’mores cookies and ceremonial grade matcha drinks. 247 E. Colorado Boulevard, Pasadena, CA, 91101. — Mona Holmes, editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest

Heirloom melon salad at Diner Antonette in Santa Monica

In the height of summer, nothing is better than in-season melons. Diner Antonette’s charming space in Santa Monica occupies the former Ingo’s Tasty Diner, and feels like a kind of Musso & Frank west, though instead of pure silence at the old Hollywood haunt, it’s booming bebop jazz played on a hi-fi system. The food is also much more contemporary, and this melon salad is proof positive. Chef Jordan Lynn takes delicate, even slices of melon with salty prosciutto, mache, and almond oil, which would feel appropriate in Italy right about now, except that he sprinkles on chile flakes for a Tajin-esque punch. The balanced assemblage felt so thoughtful and fun for a weekday dinner — an appetizer that doesn’t fill you up before the mains. By the way, the crispy fried chicken with rowdy greens, the crust tinted with turmeric and juicy to the bone, is a stunning shareable entree to enjoy after this melon salad. 1213 Wilshire Boulevard, Santa Monica, CA 90403. — Matthew Kang, lead editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest

Sweet and sour mushroom at Men & Beasts in Echo Park

It’s wild how quickly a new space can turn over in Los Angeles. The former Cosa Buona has been morphed into Men & Beasts (a reference to a Confucius quote), a modern Chinese restaurant that eschews meat, replacing everything with plant-based proteins. For the most part, the meat won’t feel like it’s really missing, and that is best illustrated in the sweet & sour mushroom, typically pork or chicken, but here breaded, fried, and seasoned to an appealing ruddy color. Each bite popped with tangy sauce and a gentle interior of what seemed like oyster mushrooms. Bites of cashew, garlic, and bell pepper bring in textural contrast. It’s still fairly early in the Minty Zhu and Alex Falco’s foray into the LA market (they were previously in Miami), but with their sleek patio and indoor tea lounge, it’s clear Echo Park denizens have already bought into their plant-based approach to Chinese cuisine. 2100 W. Sunset Boulevard, Echo Park, CA, 90026. — Matthew Kang, lead editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest