Welcome to Kang Town, where you'll find the latest West Coast restaurant reporting, analysis, and industry intel from me, your LA-based correspondent, Matthew Kang. |
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Like a lot of people, I wanted to go to Noma’s LA residency before it sold out in three minutes. I posted an offer on Instagram to share my hypothetical table with anyone willing to pony up $1,500 for a meal, and more than three dozen people — folks I know and complete strangers — showed interest, which I guess indicates I’m a tolerable dining companion. The price of fine dining is astronomical, but Noma is in another league. I attended an Audi-sponsored Noma pop-up in LA a few years ago, where the meal was pretty excellent. $1,500 excellent? Hard to say.
I’ve visited lots of great fine dining restaurants around the world, which — even factoring in the cost of a plane ticket — I could revisit right now for less than another meal at Noma. It makes me think of this joke by Ngaio Bealum: |
The joke was reposted on the Instagram account @brokeassstuart. |
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So, to all of you who didn’t land any of those coveted tables at Noma LA, here are six (arguably better) restaurants you could be splurging on right now. (Prices, estimated departing from LA, may vary depending on your point of origin. And sure, my tallies don’t include lodging — but are you really counting pennies over your Airbnb if you’re considering a meal at Noma?) Sorn in Bangkok Meal: $447 Travel: $700-800
I think Bangkok might be the most interesting fine dining scene in the world right now. Sorn is chef Supaksorn “Ice” Jongsiri’s ode to Southern Thai cooking. The relaxed restaurant, located in a semi-hidden home, serves an exploration of aggressive, spicy, and intensely flavored dishes presented in magisterial elegance. A meal starts with a procession of crab, lobster, prawns, and abalone, before culminating in a table-wide set of jasmine rice served with chile pastes and curry. I’ve never had another meal that seemed more deserving of three Michelin stars.
Wing in Hong Kong
Meal: $450 Travel: $700-800
I just got back from Hong Kong, and my meal at Wing left me near speechless. Chef Vicky Cheng presents his vision for hyper-refined Chinese cuisine without the influence of European cooking, which he’s used to slowly march up the World’s 50 Best restaurant list to No. 11. Black bean sauce pools beneath a hefty sliver of threadfin filet. Alaskan king crab leg, presented with a thickened chile sauce and crispy cheung fun, was a pure luxury. And the celebration of Cantonese cuisine’s dried seafood really stood out. Excellent pairings, like an engrossing Dönnhoff Kabinett riesling, elevated the dinner too.
Diego in Valle de Guadalupe
Meal: $339 Travel: $200-300 to Tijuana
I love Valle de Guadalupe, which still has that rugged, undeveloped feel of Californian wine regions in the ’70s (though it’s starting to jump the shark with luxury resorts and such). Diego Hernández made waves with Corazón de Tierra before opening this namesake restaurant at the Museo del Vino. His world-class Mexican Baja Mediterranean food features pristine shellfish and grilled seafood, served with a view of the wine valley below. Plus, you get the jovial Hernández, an eloquent raconteur who represents the best of Valle de Guadalupe’s cuisine.
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Kampachi with pumpkin seed and preserved lemon at Diego. Photo credit: Matthew Kang |
Quintonil in Mexico City Meal: $464
Travel: $400
I went to Quintonil in 2018. Though I haven’t had a chance to return, I’ve watched from afar as it evolved into a powerhouse with a much more comprehensive menu — which now goes for more than twice the price. Though Mexico City has reached a flashpoint over gentrification and the oversaturation of digital nomads, restaurants like Quintonil maintain the city’s place at the top of Latin American dining. Chef Jorge Vallejo and wife Alejandra Flores keep propelling this gem, which sits at No. 3 on the World’s 50 Best. I wouldn’t be surprised to see it clinch the top spot in years to come.
Mingles in Seoul
Meal: $413 Travel: $900
I haven’t been to Mingles’ new location since I dined there in 2019, but I’ve chatted with chef Mingoo Kang in recent years (including recommending a few spots to him in LA’s Koreatown when he did a collab dinner at Baroo). To me, Mingles is still the most impressive Korean dining experience anywhere. It earned three Michelin stars for Kang’s creative approach to traditional Korean ingredients woven through expert technique. Think paper-thin abalone slices over white kimchi or grilled lobster tail with egg-yolk doenjang. I might be the mayor of Kang Town in America, but the Mingles chef is the prime minister of Kang Town Korea.
Celele in Cartagena
Meal:$200 Airfare: $500
In 2022, my wife and I enjoyed one of the most inventive and delightful dinners at this tiny Colombian destination, not realizing that Celele would become a global superstar. Celele exhibits Caribbean ingredients with Colombian sensibilities. Chef Jaime Rodríguez doesn’t overthink dishes, instead focusing on pure flavor, balance, and delight in items like a flower salad with pickled cashew fruit that looks like a painting. Dishes are affordable, but the place is No. 48 on the World’s 50 Best.
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What do you think? Is a meal at Noma LA really worth $1,500? Or are there better ways to eat for all that money? Let me know your thoughts by replying to this email or sending a message directly to kangtown@eater.com. And who knows, your comment could be the spark for my next newsletter. |
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What I’m eating:
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Napa Rose at Disneyland, the fanciest restaurant at the theme park (though located just outside) reopens this week after a nine-month hiatus. The food on the choose-your-own-adventure tasting menu is maybe a little dated, but the revamped interior, with striking natural materials and soaring ceilings, is magnificent.
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Just after New Year’s Day, I had dinner at Bistro Na’s, which I consider to be the preeminent upscale Chinese restaurant in Southern California (and arguably the country), and one of the most underrated restaurants in LA. The Beijing duck is immense, not quite as good as versions at Ji Rong in SGV or Chyna Club in Las Vegas, but the third-best I’ve had stateside.
- Moody, romantic wine bar vibes make Bar Etoile in Melrose Hill the nicest grown-up restaurant I’ve been to in recent memory. The Caesar salad-flavored steak tartare is a must-order.
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The club sandwich at the Verandah in the Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok is a marvel of knife work and layering. It combines ham, turkey, egg, cheese, bacon, and lettuce, but somehow manages to remain biteable.
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I’ve tried chef Wilfrid Hocquet’s cooking in Beverly Hills at Food Network chef Geoffrey Zakarian’s short-lived Georgie. At Margo in Bangkok, he cooks fantastic French fare in a quiet residential block. The crisp, pastry-wrapped tomato tart topped with olive “dust” was memorable.
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What I’m hearing: -
Somni chef Aitor Zabala is doing a TEDx talk in March 2026, and tickets cost $150. The men-heavy lineup includes Grove/Americana owner and former mayoral candidate Rick Caruso.
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Phillip Frankland Lee (Pasta|Bar, Sushi by Scratch) and skateboard pro Neen Williams’ burger restaurant, NADC (short for Not a Damn Chance), is opening next to UCLA, making it the first official California location for the burgeoning wagyu smash burger brand. I’ve had the burgers, which are extremely rich. NADC, originally out of Austin, had a residency in Vegas last year and runs outlets in New York, Dallas, Chicago, and Denver.
- Monami, by Ssal chef Junsoo Bae, is bringing a high-end Korean barbecue contender to compete with San Ho Won in San Francisco. Slated to open in fall 2026.
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Top-tier croissant maker (and Eater Award winner) Petit Grain has a new landlord: Bob Lynn of Diner Antonette (and Phoenix’s La Grande Orange restaurants). Expect a long-term lease to ensure it stays in its tiny Santa Monica space.
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While British food is making waves, it turns out not everyone is crazy about social media star Wilde’s in Los Feliz. Variety television critic Alison Herman wonders if hype can ruin a neighborhood restaurant.
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