Gem

A fork slips through Lina Georges’ mehshi koussa — zucchini filled with rice and richly spiced ground beef — with the ease of slicing room-temperature butter. Stuffing vegetables is a sacrosanct category of Lebanese cuisine. Cooks heap hollowed...

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   

, Tustin, 657-699-3019, chaakkitchen.com The Empress cocktail at Gem in Fountain Valley is made with infused gin and yuzu. (Photo by Brad A. Johnson, Orange County Register/SCNG) 4. The Empress at Gem When I order this, the waiter leans in and says, “Just

average, a neighborhood gem ★★★ = outstanding, exceptional quality, a regional standout ★★★★ = transcendent, world class in every detail Ratings are based on multiple visits and reflect the reviewer’s overall reaction to food, service and ambience, taking

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

team that’s behind Vox, Gem and ROL. The laksa is one of several creative takes on ramen here. The broth is classic Peranakan curry: a rich, creamy coconut broth deeply imbued with chilies and topped with a fistful of crab, several large shrimp and the

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...

Hollywood gem (which also makes excellent, massive breakfast burritos) is no secret, but ordering them requires showing up in person or calling the restaurant; they don’t appear on the online menu. — B.A. 13363 Saticoy St., North Hollywood, (818) 287-6911

tamales made by South-Central Oaxacan pop-up gem Poncho’s Tlayudas. Alfonso “Poncho” Martínez is a Zapotec immigrant whose masterfully smoky Sierra Norte-style tlayudas made a statement for a while at the Sunday food fest Smorgasburg downtown. In his tamal

plastic cling wrap. Not joyous. This unyielding truth is the guiding principle at ROL, the newest restaurant from chef Viet Nguyen and Kei Concepts, the hit-making team behind Gem, Nếp Cafe, The Vox Kitchen and Sūp Noodle Bar. ROL is an intimate 14-seat