Jonathan Gold dines at Moruno

This week, Pulitzer Prize-winning food writer Jonathan Gold does tapas at Moruno. The pincho moruno, a snack of little Spanish shish kebabs seasoned with spices and cooked over live coals, is the restaurant’s signature dish. But there are many other plates that Jonathan recommends trying. Start with a glass of wine from Spain or southern France selected by Moruno’s managing partner David Rosoff, or try the red and white Vermina vermouths (above) made especially for Moruno.

Pair your drink with a light snack from the Basque country: Gildas, a salty, flavorful combination of guindilla peppers, green olives and gherkins that come wrapped in anchovies on mini cocktail skewers. Then begin to work your way through the Spanish, Moorish and North African-inspired fare from chef Chris Feldmeier’s menu with dishes such as the tortilla Española, the mejadra and the roasted butternut squash topped with the Egyptian spice mix dukkah.

Jonathan says some of the best choices at Moruno are the vegetables options, but you won’t be disappointed with Feldmeier’s pork belly chicharrones or the ras-el-hanout seasoned rotisserie chicken. Also on the list is what our Pulitzer Prize-winning food writer calls “one of the great tripe dishes in Los Angeles,” served together with white beans.

End the night with something sweet from pastry chef Dahlia Narvaez’s dessert menu like the chocolate sesame tart or Jonathan’s favorite: the deep-fried biscuits served with vanilla ice cream and tangerine marmalade. You won’t be sorry you did.

Read the LA Times review Jonathan wrote of Moruno and get more of his weekly restaurant recommendations here.

Come for a drink...stay for the night at Moruno

A taste of Spain meets California upscale-casual.

Other recommendations: Jonathan says to try the tender, spit-roasted cabbage smothered in yogurt, the artichokes a la plancha, the “gunpowder fries,” spinach and chickpeas served with bhatura (flat bread) and the saffron rice pudding with pistachios and cherries.

Location: 6333 West Third Street, Los Angeles, CA 90036 | (323) 372-1251