More Reliable Than the Times: Jonathan Gold's 99 Essential LA Restaurants

LA Weekly just released Jonathan Gold's annual 99 Essential LA Restaurant list today. I trust Jonathan Gold as a restaurant reviewer a lot, more than the LA Times, and I like how he's just as apt to try San Gabriel Valley ethnic eats as he is with the hottest new restaurant openings. He's got a great pulse on what defines the LA restaurant scene. The list, which changes every year, is a handy guide for ideas when I'm in a rut and looking for something new to try. I've only been to a little more than 1/3 of the places on the list, although he does include some of my new favorites as well as standard go-to restaurants, including Picca, Mozza, Mayura and Din Tai Fung.