Where to Dine - Los Angeles 2010 - page 125

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shrimp with rich mojo de ajo sauce, fish tacos, shrimp enchiladas, por k gorditas, and the
garlicky beef tongue in tomatillo sauce. All dishes ar e accented with hand-patted corn
tortillas, fresh chips dusted with añejo cheese, and flavorful fresh salsas. It's always packed
to capacity, so try to avoid the prime lunch and dinner hours.
10924 W. Pico Blvd. (at Westwood Blvd.), West L.A. & 310/441-9667. Main courses $8-$13. DISC, MC, V.
Mon-Thurs 11am-3pm and 5-10pm; Fri 11am-3pm and 5-10:30pm; Sat 9am-10:30pm; Sun 9am-10pm.
Metered street parking.

Luckyfish SUSHI Yes, another sushi restaurant in L.A., but this time with a clever
twist. This is kaiten-zushi, where sushi and sashimi wind through the restaurant on little
covered plates via a conv eyor belt. It's a common way to speedily dine on sushi, and it
can be highly entertaining. Everything here exudes modernity, from the gleaming white
leather booths and nickel-plated chairs, to the ultra-modern 38-foot conv eyer belt lined
with little high-tech sushi plates—each with a radio fr equency chip embedded in it so
that, after 45 minutes, an unloved dish is automatically whisked off the belt and replaced
with a fr esh item. The chefs pr epare about 100 differ ent types of J apanese dishes—
including entree items from the menu such as miso-marinated cod—and ther e's a little
cheat-sheet on each table to help y ou identify the wide v ariety of nigiri sushi and r olls.
While it's not the best sushi in L.A., it 's relatively inexpensive, you get to eye before you
try, and it's fun.
338 N. Cañon Dr. (btw. Brighton Way and Dayton Way), Beverly Hills. & 310/274-9800. www.luckyfish
sushi.com. Reser vations not ac cepted. M ain c ourses $9-$14. AE, DC, DISC, MC,

6

V. Daily 11:30am-

10:30pm. Valet parking $7.

Nyala Ethiopian Cuisine Value ETHIOPIAN There are no fewer than four
Ethiopian eateries along two compact blocks of Fairfax, but our favorite is Nyala; it's one
of the largest and still the most popular . In a mellow setting an ethnically mix ed crowd
finds common ground in the exper tly spiced (smoldering rather than fier y) cuisine. For
the uninitiated, Ethiopian food is a mosaic of chopped salads, chunky ste ws, and saucy
vegetables, all served on a colorful enamel platter for communal enjoyment. There are no
utensils, merely a basket of injera, the thick, sour, plate-size pancake that triples as uten-
sil, plate, and br ead. Choices range fr om hear ty chicken or lamb chunks ste wed with
tomatoes and onions to a parade of v egetarian choices (lentils, chickpeas, gr eens), each
with a distinctive marinade. African beers and honey wine ar e perfect accompaniments.
Tip: The daily lunch buffet is a gr eat deal.
1076 S. Fairfax Ave. (south of Olympic Blvd.), Los Angeles. & 323/936-5918. www.nyala-la.com. Reser-
vations recommended. Main courses $7-$12. AE, DC, MC, V. Daily 11:30am-11:30pm. Street parking.
Tanino Ristorante and Bar SICILIAN It's worth visiting Tanino just to mar-
vel at the 1929 I talianate Renaissance-style building, one of only 12 r emaining since
Westwood's founding days. The magnificent original ceiling fr escoes, carvings, murals,
and artisan plaster blend well with the checkerboard terrazzo marble flooring, sumptuous
booths, wrought-iron chandeliers, and candlelit tables—an ideal setting for a r omantic
evening. Chef/owner Tanino Drago (scion of L.A.'s well-known Drago restaurateur fam-
ily) has cr eated a menu based on r egional dishes fr om his nativ e home of S icily; most
dishes are cooked cartoccio -style (in their own juices), such as lamb shank osso buco atop
soft polenta, roasted rabbit in green Mediterranean olive sauce, and striped bass baked in
papillote with white wine. B e sure to star t with the pumpkin tor telloni in a light sage-
and-cream sauce. Tip: Arrive a little early to enjo y a glass of grappa b y the fireplace.