Beacon

Description:

• Chef Kazuto Matsusaka worked at some of L.A.'s top restaurants (Spago, Chinois on Main), mastering the art of fusion cooking. Along with his wife Vicki Fan, the duo opened this small, minimally decorated cafe within the Helms Bakery complex. The reasonably priced cuisine is simple yet superb, combining fresh California ingredients with traditional Asian cooking styles and a dash of Vicki's family recipes. Start with the outstanding Kaki Fry appetizer -- warm crispy oysters set in cool lettuce cups and topped with yuzu tartar sauce (a steal at $6.50) -- and the stir-fried mushroom salad, a heavenly mix of organic mushrooms, mixed greens, manchego cheese, and tangy yuzu dressing. Other fantastic dishes include miso-marinated black cod with sesame-tossed green beans, and a savory bowl of kakuni udon -- thick wheat-flour noodles flavored with a generous cut of braised pork belly, bamboo shoots, baby bok choy, and warm broth. Tip: On sunny days request a table at the back patio.

• © Frommer's 2013

Awards:

Frommer's

•  Highly Recommended 2010