Men-Oh: Bowling a perfect 10 in Little Tokyo ramen

Tokushima ramen with a richly porky broth

Men Oh Tokushima is certainly no secret - it was named Little Tokyo's best ramen by Jonathan Gold in this exhaustively helpful guide to ramen published on Super Bowl weekend. But it's still so new that on the very day the article appeared, the ramen shop wasn't even crowded after a late afternoon visit to the Geffen's art book show.
Located in the Honda Plaza across the parking lot from Sushi Gen, where a crowd was already gathering, we couldn't help but feel smug that we would soon be slurping hot porky broth on a cold winter evening while dozens of people waited an hour to eat cold fish or milled in front of Daikokuya. Several young families had the same idea, and the multiculti toddlers of Highland Park or Silver Lake slurped alongside of us. ("But Violet, you love nori!") We tried the karage fried chicken, because TheJGold had suggested it, but really the ramen was so deeply flavored no other dishes were needed.
Tokushima is a region of Japan famous for its pork, and indeed this bowl does its namesake region proud.
Berkshire Kurobata pork bones are simmered until they cry uncle, then simmered pork and stir-fried pork belly are added to Men Oh's springy yet supple homemade noodles (medium thickness, straight, if you're keeping track). A perfectly cooked pasteurized egg floats in the murky depths. That's really all you need. It's been called a medium-strength broth, but it was rich enough for me that I could barely manage a single mochi from Mikawaya afterwards.
Men Oh Tokushima
456 E. 2nd St.,
(213) 687-8485

Guisados Echo Park: New on the near-Eastside

Cochinita pibil (pork), left; camarones (shrimp), right

Since Guisados opened in Boyle Heights exactly two years ago, the slightly adventurous eaters have all made pilgrimages to the slow-stewed assertively-spiced meats packed into housemade tortillas. But for many of us, it wasn't convenient as an everyday spot. Guisados' new Echo Park location, on the cusp of Downtown, has changed that equation so that it's now easy to work one's way all the way down the list of tacos. For those not used to guisados, these aren't the familiar grilled meat tacos dished out at trucks and tables, with bits of meat seared to a crisp and folded into an often-indifferent tortilla. Instead, guisados are lovingly-simmered stews in which the spices at their base, the accompanying vegetables and meats slowly cook together into a saucy harmony. The vegetarian fillings are equally flavorful, and if the shrimp tacos probably can't stew as long as the meats and still stay tender, their sauce will take on that duty.

chicken tinga, bistek en salsa roja, cochinita pibil

The former La Esquinita restaurant is fairly spacious, with plenty of seating inside and a large patio out back. For now only tacos and mini-taco samplers are available, along with a good variety of fresh fruit aguas. If it's anything like the Boyle Heights location, there will be specials too, like tamales, chorizo quesadillas and more. You'll want to try as many kinds as possible, though I prefer the full-size tacos to the sampler plate. Start with fiery Bistek en Salsa Rojo and Cochinita pibil topped with pickled onions for the classic Guisados experience. Then branch out into Calabacitas (squash), tangy Camarones (Shrimp with pepper strips), and Chicken tinga.
Guisados is also opening soon on Spring St. Downtown, fortifying the veritable taco trail from East L.A. to Echo Park, by way of Mexicali on Figueroa.
Guisados
1261 W. Sunset Blvd.
Echo Park

(213) 250-7600