L.A. Eats :: This & That...

I've been covering L.A. restaurants for 15 years now, and recently it struck me: there are only a handful of places in this town that stand the test of time. What I also realized was that rediscovering old favorites can be just as rewarding as scooping the finger-on-the-pulse place. Old or new, these are personal favorites from a longtime chronicler of L.A.'s eating scene.

Search: Engine Co. No. 28!

ENGINE CO. NO. 28 (644. S. Figueroa, Downtown L.A.) is that rare bird: an L.A. restaurant that's been around for more than two decades. With very good reason: this updated comfort food is prepared without pretense or pooh-bah, and served in a woodsy, old-boy's-club setting with service that is wise and warm.

Executive chef/G.M. Kenneth McCaskill is a chef's chef: his classic French training sets the stage for precise and powerful pairings of presentations and tastes. (How many restaurants do you know that actually make their own lamb stock?) Add just a touch of his New Orleans heritage, and the only hardship is choosing among the immensely appealing offerings here.

Grilled Ahi Tuna Salad ($17) features just-rare, peppery ahi atop greens just kissed with housemade vinaigrette- and is big enough to share as an appetizer for two. Fresh fish adorns every menu; on our visit, it was Yellowtail ($20), seasoned with just a bit of salsa, and served up with blackened mashed potatoes that are spicy and fine. The Gumbo ($18) is wondrous: huge chunks of jumbo shrimp, Andouille sausage, and chicken in a piquant (but not overpoweringly spicy) sauce that is rich, savory, and very much worth a return trip.

The show's star was Braised Lamb Shank ($22), accompanied by wide, perfectly rendered pappardelle noodles: the aforementioned lamb stock kisses this dish with a days-in-the-making richness that inspires slow, sensual mouthfuls-and supporting action from the gorgeously toasted La Brea bakery bagueutte (the only item not made in-house).

As for the Bananas Foster, whose foundation is the chef's update of Engine Co's 20-year-old cheesecake recipe (not the traditional ice cream), we say life ain't fair: a man who looks this good shouldn't be able to be such a culinary wizard as well.

Here's to another 20 years!

Mexican Marvel

YXTA (601 S. Central Avenue, Downtown L.A.) brings marvelous Mexican fare, a spirited ambiance, and an industrial-chic setting to the increasingly trendy fish market district. Supersexy owner Jesse Gomez had us at hello; when he left his packed wallet at our table, we thought we'd died and gone to heaven. (We only gave it back because we love his publicist.) Gomez knows how to make people feel at home; on a Friday evening, everyone seemed to be having a bang-up time- large parties and solo suppers (the bar is extremely inviting) alike.

Smart and stylish server Romy, an Australian-Ecuadorean transplant, was right on target with her recommendations throughout. Tostados de At�n ($12) marry sashimi-grade tuna with fried onions, lime cream, and avocado for a sophisticated version of California roll; and Taquitos de Camar�n ($12), despite the requisite accent, are estupendos: Mexican sweet shrimp, guacamole and salsa brava in a just-right taquito crisp.

We're major fans of carnitas; Yxta's Carnitas estilo Michoac�n ($15), though also accent deficient, had no such deficit in the taste department: crusty on the outside, supertender inside, and flavorful throughout. Best of all was Jesse's abuelito's recipe for Chuleta de Puerco en Chile Verde ($19), a double-thick pork chop with just the right touch of salsa verde, served with Mexican rice and pitch-perfect black beans kissed by a Mexican cheese garnish; grilled to just-past-pink perfection in a portion even this macho couldn't finish.

Good news for fish lovers: entrees abound, though we'd recommend the catch of the day (at market prices); given the location, there's no fresher catch in L.A. Check the website, www.yxta.com , for bar specials. Worth a detour? Pues, s�!

Alley, Cat!

THE GRILL ON THE ALLEY (9560 Dayton Way, Beverly Hills) is the perfect antidote to over-the-top California cuisine: classic in d�cor, service, and cuisine, this is a near-perfect upscale bar 'n' grill. (We actually thought we'd stepped into a fancy steakhouse of our D.C. youth, thanks to the warm, woodsy interior and tableside camellias.) After a string of fusion failure, we were so in the mood for The Grill's goodies.

Dungeness Crab Cocktail ($17) is simplicity itself: fresh chunks of crab and a slice of lemon-divine. Fresh Ahi Sashimi ($16), generously portioned, is crusted in pepper and momentarily sauted-sublime. The Halbut ($38) was just this side of decadent, with a cheesy crust and buttery sauce; cooked perfectly, this Gallic interpretation was curiously paired with a Mediterranean vegetable side whose balsamic overlay was too assertive- and skewer presentation too rustic- for the refined and rich fish. (Crisp broccoli or haricot verts would have provided crispness while letting the fish shine.)

No such problem with our Prime New York Steak ($33), a textbook medium rare and packed with flavor; the Lyonnaise Potatoes ($7 if ordered separately; a side comes with each entr�e) were piping hot and the best we've had in many, many years.

Dessert? What else, darling, but a Hot Fudge Sundae ($8): three scoops of rich vanilla ice cream, thick-ass fudge, and (nice touch!) roasted almonds and cr�me fouett�?

Miss Pamela runs the ship with personality and elan, and service is among California's best: swift, sure, and sassy. The Grill? It's always a "go." (Tip: don't be scared of BH parking; the lot on Dayton in Via Rodeo is not only free for two hours, but valet. Sweet!)

Westside Wasabi

ROBATA-YA (2004 Sawtelle Boulevard, West Los Angeles) brings a new dimension of Japanese cuisine to the Westside's Little Tokyo. Robata, the traditional Nipponese grill, meets ya, which means house, and that's a great summation of this place's charms: friendly folk and fine food.

Owner Dennis Mao greets customers with warmth, and server Chidori, a native of Japan, brings some Silverlake spunk to the West part of town. Small plates are perfect for those, like me, who want to order everything on the menu; it's all about the sharing here.

Naturally raised jidori chicken skewers should be your first stop; we braved the Gizzard ($3), brown and beautiful, and Neck Meat ($4), sinewy and full of flavor. (Liver lovers will want to go there; we didn't quite have the heart for the heart, but may be bold enough next visit.)

The Robata vegetables each have their own sauce, brushed on at cooking, which lets them retain flavor and crispness a marinade repeals. Japanese Eggplant ($2) is rightly a must, as are Shiitake Mushrooms ($3); with both, a mere hint of secret sauces augments the natural taste of the vegetable, never obscuring it. Seafood skewers are also reasonably priced; the Salmon ($4), was firm and fine.

From the entrees, don't sidestep the Chicken Karaage ($6), small bites of Japanese-style fried chicken; in fact, we'd advise two orders unless you want to get into a Pink-style food fight. Japanese beers, including a special micro-brew, are available; light drinkers like us will find a mug of Kirin draft "ichiban"-as is everything else at this fun new addition to the Sawtelle scene.

Good Grub

GRUB (911 Seward Street, Los Angeles) is lunch central for Hollywood creative types, and with good reason: everything on the menu is savory and fine. There's some updating, to be sure- the Carnitas Wrap ($12) takes pork to a soft, ropa viejalike level- but the results work well. The gargantuan Crack Bacon Burger ($13), cooked to just medium rare, was delish (though the BBQ sauce was more cloying than its advertised "spicy" self; in fact, it doesn't need to adorn this otherwise fantastic burger at all); roasted potatoes, piping hot and crusty, had just the right touch of onions and herbs.

Appetizers rule the roost, though: Spicy Crab and Artichoke Dip ($10) arrives bubbling in a ramekin, all creamy goodness and chock full of crab; served with fresh chips, it warrants a double order for a gaggle of friends. You might also try their hearty and healthful Beef Chili ($12, bowl), bursting with flavor and not merely heat. Mac & Cheese ($11) is good, but the cheese needed to be more assertive to meet up harmoniously with the cayenne kick. Coffee, shipped from San Francisco, will remind you of that city's java joints; it's just about the best in town. Service is super-attentive and welcoming; we fell in love with Karla, a brown-eyed cutie, who made us feel right at home. There's a reason for Grub's great success: good prices, fine fare, and a super staff are it.

Terrific Thai

SOI 56 (1556 N. Cahuenga Boulevard, Hollywood) takes its name from the street markings of Bangkok alleys, and only in L.A. could a strip mall produce such a remarkable gastronomic testament- in this case, to the street foods of Thailand, previously underrepresented here.

So many items tempted us that we hardly knew where to start, so we dug right into the small plates. Crispy Mussel Crepe ($7) is more of an omelet, really, redolent of garlic and the accompanying home-altered sriracha sauce- perhaps the most elegant and hearty $7 appetizer in town. We were also wowed by the Crispy Frog Leg ($8) simply served with garlic and red pepper; like all of the fish here, it is summoned daily from the Fish Market by spirited co-owner Katy on a daily basis.

Leave your knowledge of commonplace Thai salads at home: here, you should order Squid ($8), thinly sliced, super fresh, and nearly sashimi quality. Mint, watercress, scallion, and lime juice perk up, rather than hide, the freshness of the fish; this one's a must. But so is Soft Shell Crab with Mango ($10)- again a simple adornment of shallots and cherry tomato in chili lime sauce sparkles, complementing the perfectly fried shellfish.

Noodle fans will have a hard time choosing, but we went with Boat Noodle Soup ($9) featuring flanks tea, meatballs, tendon, beef stew, and veggies; traditionally sold from the boats lining Thailand's canals, this is a savory staple. (We did feel the portion was a bit small for the price, especially compared to the heaping bowls of Korean and Viet soups in our Koreatown 'hood.)

Finally, you'll think about Side Walk Pad Thai ($13) in a whole new way; these are not the sickeningly sweet, gloppy noodles other restaurant serve,but spicy thin rice noodles saut�ed with jumbo shrimp dried prawns, baked tofu, green chives, egg, peanut, and bean sprout-piquant; perfect.

Big bonus: Soi 56 is open till 2:00 a.m on weekends. For rad new Thai taste, this is the place.