Plugs is The Angel’s recs column. Every week, you’ll get six picks—a restaurant, a bar, a shop, an ingredient, a person, and a treat—from someone in Los Angeles who knows what they’re talking about. (Plugs are for paid subscribers of The Angel only. However, if you’re in the restaurant industry and want a free subscription, hit me up. :))
#38 is , the co-owner of beloved vegetable-forward restaurant Botanica, situated near the Silver Lake Reservoir. Before moving from Chicago to Los Angeles to become a restaurateur, Emily staged at Nopi and Moro in London, and before that, she was a longtime editor at (sadly, now-defunct) DailyCandy. Nowadays, you can read her writing on Substack, where she reviews books and shares recipes in a monthly newsletter . A few months ago, Emily and I had our first coffee after circling each other for years and quickly realized an affinity. Our taste in restaurants, locally and abroad, is nearly identical. Needless to say, I’m very excited to have her on The Angel today. Here are her L.A. plugs!
Restaurant — Raffi’s Place
I’m pretty picky when it comes to an ideal dining experience – I’m looking most of all for a feeling of comfort, care, and consistency. I love an ambiance, but if the food isn’t good, forget it, and vice versa. I’ve lived in L.A. going on nine years now, and Raffi’s Place has been my go-to since my first week here. It’s an example of L.A.’s incredibly rich culture (Glendale has the largest Armenian population outside of Armenia itself): a banquet-style restaurant designed for giant family gatherings. There are massive plates heaped with charred kebabs, the fluffiest rice, copious dips (my love language), and multiple occasions being celebrated every single time I’ve visited. The lighting is bad, I don’t think there’s even music (?), and the wine list isn’t what I’d call natural, and that’s exactly what I love about it. I think a lot about the definition of cool (especially in L.A., the city of the hottest new thing). To me, Raffi’s is the absolute coolest.
Runner-ups: Rory’s Other Place in Ojai for buffalo milk soft serve! (Vanilla in a cup, no toppings, preferably eaten in a hot car.)
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