Hippo

38 Best Restaurants in Los Angeles for Street Tacos, California Cuisine, and Flawless Omakase | Condé Nast Traveler

"Warm and inviting, with beautiful bow-truss ceilings and warm wood touches. There may be a wait for a table, but don’t sweat it. The meal—and wine!—are well worth it. California/Mediterranean dishes are the play here, with market produce taking various forms, including crudos, salads, housemate pastas, and gorgeous grilled meats and fish. It’s pretty difficult to place a bad order at Hippo, but whatever you do, don’t miss out on the cappellacci, a pasta from Emilia-Romagna that gets its name from its hat-like shape. Served stuffed like a chubby tortellini with seasonal squash and then topped with brown butter, amaretti, and sage, the dish warrants doing something novel for an LA restaurant: refusing to share. Rossoff is known for his impeccable palate, and the wine list at Hippo has some unique picks, including orange wines and selections from lesser-known regions like Lebanon and the Azores." - Celeste Moure