Gem

after all the hand-wringing, here they are, the 10 best new restaurants of 2019.  10. Gem Chef Viet Nguyen (The Vox Kitchen, Sūp Noodle Bar) has opened a sparkly jewel-box of a restaurant across the street from Mile Square Park. Nguyen draws inspiration

. 10836 Warner Ave., Fountain Valley, 714-516-8121, gemdining.com Gem restaurant in Fountain Valley. (Photo by Brad A. Johnson, Orange County Register/SCNG) 9. Omakase by Gino Chef Gino Choi offers a nightly omakase to no more than 10 people at a time

Gem    Omakase by Gino    Isla Cuban    Anjappar    Maison Cafe & Market    Knife Pleat    Henry's    CdM    Louie's by the Bay    Fable & Spirit   

inventing an all-you-can-eat pho restaurant. It got the group not only a foothold in the business, but also the experience to start Vox. But both were warmups to its most ambitious venture yet: Gem Dining. Photo by Edwin Goei Though still in its soft-opening

phase, Gem Dining is already a game-changer in Little Saigon. As word spreads that it’s the new restaurant by the Vox geniuses, prime-time reservations are impossible to snag if you don’t plan two weeks ahead. And it’s not just the reputation that

The cart rolls up to the edge of my table at Gem in Fountain Valley, bringing with it a swoosh of air tinged with saline. “Can I offer you an oyster?” a young waitress asks, her voice filled with glee.  “Tonight we’re featuring kumamoto and shigoku

cart at Gem in Fountain Valley (Photo by Brad A. Johnson, Orange County Register/SCNG) Moments later as I’m swallowing an icy oyster, another cart rolls up. “Would you care for tea tonight?” An enthusiastic young waiter performs his best Vanna White

beverage director, Luis A. Del Pozo, who previously worked at Gracias Madre in Newport Beach. He has a way with mezcal. 31761 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano, 949-218-5140, mayfieldoc.com 3. Nếp Cafe Gem was one of the best new restaurants of 2019

. Now comes Nếp, the daytime counterpoint. They occupy the same address but embody completely different personas. Whereas Gem serves dinner only (and has been on pause since March, slated to reopen in November), Nep serves daily brunch on the sidewalk

These fries are insane. A single order would be more than enough for several people to share, but I’m happy to devour an entire platter on my own at the Galley Cafe, an old pint-sized diner on a sleepy cul-de-sac among the maze of harbor channels...

Take in the ocean air while walking around the Shoreline Village shops and take home gifts and souvenirs from local gems like The Beach House, Pirates Cove, and Istanbul Home. Landscaped spaces and water views­ define the 2nd & PCH shopping center

-made ricotta on grilled bread, a salad of little gems, spinach-ricotta cavatelli with pork sausage and mushrooms, braised short ribs with polenta and salsa verde, and walnut-chocolate chip cookies. ‪At Bavel, the menu include their excellent hummus and

Bestia    Bavel   

-poke tattoo that Hannah gave Conor: an eye with a diamond pupil (gem in eye). Sourdough loaves are dense and chewy, with formidable crusts. Turmeric golden beet loaves add vivid color and earthy base notes. Savory everything bagels deliver satisfying

, gjusta.com The Los Angeles Banh Mi Company Tradition and innovation flirt at this Huntington Park gem. Dac biet (“the special,” in English) delivers a canonical mix of pâté, head cheese and ham, pinged with pickled daikon and carrots, cucumber spears, sliced

Banh Mi My Tho    Banh Oui    Banh Mi Saigon 168    Gjusta    The Los Angeles Banh Mi Company    Mr. Baguette    Saigon's Bakery / Banh Mi Saigon    Saigon's Bakery & Sandwiches   

to be my favorite. Obscured by a 99-cents store and a traffic median, with little outward signage to distinguish it from surrounding apartment buildings, Mingles is the living embodiment of that stock food cliché: a hidden gem. To find it, you follow

must have driven past Mingles Tea Bar a hundred times before I found it. I’m glad I finally did. Let me know about your favorite “hidden gem” neighborhood spot in greater Los Angeles (or beyond) by emailing me at patricia.escarcega@latimes.com. Many

Mingles Tea Bar