"Even after more than two decades, La Casita Mexicana is still one of Los Angeles’s most essential Mexican restaurants. Operated by Jaime Martin del Campo and Ramiro Arvizu, the restaurant serves familiar classics with its own touch, like tequila-infused guacamole and queso fundido with chorizo. Chicken enchiladas come smothered in cheese, and pork shoulder is marinated in achiote for an excellent cochinita pibil. The mole poblano, which has been passed through generations, uses 46 ingredients. Grab a glass of Mexican wine to wash it all down." - Rebecca Roland