BBE Editor's Pick

Xiomara

6101 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles (Hollywood)

Xiomara, a restaurant where pork belly and duck confit are served against a backdrop of a giant mirrored bar sign reading “La Casa del Mojito,” has struck the perfect balance between upscale dining and unpretentious digs. The sexy main space and cool upstairs loft has a new executive chef, too— Michael Reed—who has turned the Nuevo Latino cuisine of Cuban-born owner Xiomara Ardolina into his own classic Californian menu of local ingredients—all to great critical acclaim. Hence, beer-battered tiger prawns pick up some flair from jalapeño and aioli, while a black-bean croqueta spices up a dish of pepper-crusted salmon. And if mojitos aren’t your thing, the wine list has some well-priced bottles from vineyards throughout the world.

menu musts

Crispy pork belly with roasted Jerusalem artichoke
Beer-battered tiger prawns with jalapeño and garlic aioli
Hanger steak with arugula fennel salad
Chocolate bread pudding soufflé with vanilla praline coffee sauce
view full menu here

sweet seats

Scared of missing the game? Sit at the bar and dine while watching on the flat screen. Looking for something more intimate? The second floor loft is cozy and elegant.

chew on this

The secret to great mojitos? Fresh cane juice, which is here made in a big beautiful cane press that sits regally on the bar.

hours

lunch: Mon.–Fri. 11:30 AM–3 PM
dinner: Mon.–Thurs. 5 PM–10 PM; Fri.–Sat. 5 PM–12 midnight
closed Sunday

price range

$19 (seared salmon) to $21 (braised veal cheeks)

6101 Melrose Ave. (at Seward St.), Los Angeles, CA 90038; 323-461-0601 www.xiomararestaurant.com $$