Baby Bistro Brings a Build-Your-Own Tasting Menu Vibe to Chinatown | Eater LA

"Tucked away in a Craftsman bungalow in Chinatown, this unassuming wine bar rewards a go-with-the-flow attitude with an intentionally tiny menu — typically just six dishes and two specials — that changes frequently to highlight seasonal ingredients, making it feel more like a DIY tasting menu than a random collection of bar snacks. The move: Order one of everything if you’re dining with one person, two of everything if you’re a four-top. The thick sourdough with liptauer cheese and caramelized onions is a staple starter; its toppings can vary slightly, and in recent weeks paper-thin slices of buttery zucchini crowned it. The entree-worthy pork belly seems here to stay; glistening and fatty, it was recently accompanied by juicy figs and served on a streak of creamy pistachio labneh. The only dessert, a cucumber-custard-topped pine nut shortbread, might sound strange, but it’s shockingly pleasant and memorable — like an elevated Dunkaroo. Imagine stepping into a friend-of-a-friend’s cottage for an intimate dinner party with soft lighting and cozy corners; wine flows, stress melts away, and service is casual but attentive. The laid-back, hidden-away atmosphere is transportive and unhurried and, because this is Los Angeles, also draws the VIP crowd. Because the menu is so small, dine somewhere else if your group has many allergies or dining restrictions — though on a recent visit, the staff was very accommodating to my date’s lactose intolerance; transparency around ingredients and stronger menu descriptors could help." - Hilary Pollack