Bon Appetit Names the 20 Most Important Restaurants in The U.S.: Can You Guess the (One) L.A. Restaurant on the List?

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djjewelz via Twitter
The one L.A. restaurant that made Bon Appetit's 20 Most Important List
Yesterday, Bon Appetit magazine put out a list of the 20 most important restaurants in the country. These are the restaurants, according to the magazine, that:

...define how we eat out. They're the fearless spots that drive chefs to innovate, restaurateurs to imitate, and the rest of us to line up. In short, these are the restaurants that matter -- right now.

Of this list of 20, can you guess which solitary L.A. restaurant made the cut?

That's right, Animal. Even five years after opening, Animal is still considered our most important restaurant, and the only one in Los Angeles on the list. They came in at number 11. According to Bon Appetit: "By serving a menu of upscale munchies in a gritty, minimalist space in the old Jewish neighborhood of Fairfax, the two also changed the dining culture in L.A., making food, not the scene, the centerpiece."

Not surprisingly, of the 20 restaurants listed, six of them are in New York City. This is either a function of New Yorkism, a disease wherein New Yorkers don't grasp exactly how much of the universe exists outside of New York, or it's simply a truth that the New York restaurant scene still completely dominates and outshines everyone else, by, like, sixfold.

I'm not sure -- I might rank one or two places in L.A. above Balthazar in terms of 2013 importance. But maybe I just have a case of Los Angelism, in which I overestimate the importance of our sprawling city simply because it has swallowed me.


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Animal

435 N. Fairfax Ave., Los Angeles, CA

Category: Restaurant

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34 comments
plw55
plw55

In a typically asinine statement from a New York magazine, they describe Animal as being in the "Old Jewish Neighborhood of Fairfax".  Being blow hard New Yorkers, they have proclaimed themselves experts on everything -- including L.A.   I'm betting the author of the article in Bon Appetit has never even been to Animal (or Fairfax).  

The  only thing Jewish left on Fairfax is Canters and a few Jewish stores barely hanging on.  20 years ago every store on Fairfax was Jewish as was the neighborhood - tons of bakeries like Schwartz's and Diamond.  The Leader Beauty Salon. Me v' Me for falafel.  In a generation Fairfax has gone from Haimish to Hipster.

Jay Lopez
Jay Lopez

Eat Drink Americano in the arts district Downtown

Bigmouth
Bigmouth

Shake Shack? Balthazar??? No reason to waste any further angst on such a ridiculous list lol.

Bigmouth
Bigmouth

Shake Shack? Balthazar??? No reason to waste any further angst on such a ridiculous list lol.

FarleyElliott
FarleyElliott

I don't think there's a sixfold comparison between L.A. and NYC, but it is fair to say that New York has more appeal to a list like this than L.A. does. Things are too spread out, there's too much of... everything... for an East coast person to drop into town and find out what we're all about. It's frustrating, but at least we locals don't have to wait three months for a reservation because our favorite cocktail spot got blown up in Bon Appetit.

micahrzehnder
micahrzehnder

Animal? Really?


It's good, but it's overhyped. Among the city's best, but not THE best. Is it really even in the top 10?


What about places like Salt's Cure? Or Bäco Mercat (perhaps the best representation of LA cuisine in the city)?


The Animal obsession is very strange.

Bigmouth
Bigmouth

@micahrzehnder Love Baco Mercat but it's not in the same league as Animal imo. I'm with you on Salt's Cure, though.

micahrzehnder
micahrzehnder

@Bigmouth @micahrzehnder True enough. Bäco is way ahead of Animal, not even in the same league really.

micahrzehnder
micahrzehnder

@Bigmouth @micahrzehnder What dishes have you had at Bäco?... I've had quite a bit of the menu (and about half of the menu or more changes regularly...). I cannot fathom the metric by which Animal would be good, while those dishes failing to be so.

Bigmouth
Bigmouth

@micahrzehnder @Bigmouth Not surprisingly, you guess incorrectly lol. I want good food, in whatever form. The flatbreads may not technically be pizza, but they still suck, as does the house soda.

On that note, you say they actually know the sodas are a joke? On whom? Their customers? Because that's sure how it felt to me.

Animal may not be trendy or innovative enough for you, but does consistently delicious food across the board.  Baco, by contrast, does a handful of things very well, and everything else rather poorly.

micahrzehnder
micahrzehnder

@Bigmouth @micahrzehnder Let me guess, you came in looking for a Mozza clone (like everywhere else is content to be) and were upset to find something different going on? (You realize they aren't supposed to be pizzas...right?)


The house soda is kind of a joke on purpose...and it's the only soda (other than Red Medicine's Cream) that I enjoy, so not really sure what you're saying.


If all you've had is one of the bacos and one of the coca's you have missed most of the restaurant. 


What does Animal do that is even exciting, thrilling, interesting of innovative? Grind up some pigs head and put it into a patty? OH WOW!!

Maybe 4 years ago they were hot stuff, now....what is the fuss about?


I just ate at Son of a Gun last night and thought that was way better. Seems like they've sent that initial energy into that restaurant.

Bigmouth
Bigmouth

@micahrzehnder @Bigmouth Yeah... no lol. Maybe if we were just talking about the bacos, but the pizzas are weak and the house soda kind of a joke.

Bianca Figueroa
Bianca Figueroa

Bottega Louie only because Madeline's (Pasadena), Elements (Pasadena) have closed :(

Jeff Dixon
Jeff Dixon

Al Wazir Chicken on Hollywood & Gower

Jason Martinez
Jason Martinez

Never been to Animal yet. But I'm sure I won't be able to now.

Teri Carson
Teri Carson like.author.displayName 1 Like

Guisados or Langers

Bigmouth
Bigmouth

@Teri Carson Now this is a person who knows good food!

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