2014 U.S. TOP 100 RESTAURANTS - JUST MISSED
136
AME
AME
We can't think of another restaurant that serves both Japanese and Italian cuisine. Not a fusion of the two, but offerings that reflect, in turn, the ethnic backgrounds of its husband and wife owners, Hiro Sone and Lissa Doumani. The mix-and-match menu affords the rare opportunity to start your meal with miso-glazed pork ribs before being transported to Italy and a ragout of rabbit atop a polenta cake
Bubbling under.
Bubbling under.
137
ZUNI CAFÉ
ZUNI CAFÉ
The cultural importance of the late Judy Rogers' restaurant merits its mention in the same breath as places like New York's Union Square Café and La Coupole in Paris. The food is nothing fancy, just a selection of oysters or a Caesar salad, and mains like Petrale sole with sauerkraut in a Riesling butter sauce and the most famous roast chicken in the country, cooked in a brick oven and served with a warm bread salad, red mustard greens, scallions, currants and pine nuts.
Bubbling under.
Bubbling under.
138
TWIST BY PIERRE GAGNAIRE
TWIST BY PIERRE GAGNAIRE
Judging by comments like “sensory overload” and “everything but the kitchen sink was thrown on the plate,” it appears that Ryuki Kawasaki has done a credible job of transporting Pierre Gagnaire’s highly expressive cuisine from Paris to Las Vegas. In addition to the food, reviewers commented on “a stunning room” and “service that was beyond attentive.”
Bubbling under.
Bubbling under.
139
LUCQUES
LUCQUES
Every major U.S. city seems to have a restaurant that is compared to Chez Panisse, and our reviewers have nominated Lucques for that honor in Los Angeles. One reviewer says the best way to enjoy Lucques is to see it as a "high-quality neighborhood place" with "top-flight, ingredient-based cooking." A number of our reviewers told us they enjoy the set-menu Sunday Night Suppers, which often are supervised by Goin herself.
Bubbling under.
Bubbling under.
140
SIERRA MAR
SIERRA MAR
Even if you're not ready to plop down an average $1,000 a night for a hotel room at this luxury resort, you can still enjoy the lovely views of Big Sur from its dining room by reserving a table for lunch or dinner. While John Cox’s New American menu doesn't take many chances, that doesn't seem to deter reviewers from calling the experience "a treat for all of the senses" and "worth the drive if you are anywhere close to the area."
Bubbling under.
Bubbling under.
