I’ve been visiting Chinatown a lot more because so many interesting restaurants keep popping up. No longer is it exclusive turf for Asian cuisine as Howlin’ Rays, Little Jewel of New Orleans and Kapoor’s Akbar Indian Restaurant have set up residence. One of the latest to open is LA Brisket.
LA Brisket has a north Broadway address and you can drive up and down Broadway and not see the restaurant. If you are walking on the east side of North Broadway, you may see their sandwich board. Next to an Asian gift shop are unmarked glass doors. Opening the doors yields a nondescript hallway and walking down the entire hallway, you run into LA Brisket’s restaurant.
It is a fast casual eatery and the dining space is actually set up in the hallway. A small number of tables and chairs are set up there. Individual diners, like myself, can dine at the counter sitting on a stool. Despite being at the counter, I wasn’t able to watch the food as it was being prepared. Nevertheless, the place was clean.
Their brisket sandwiches are named after LA freeways: 405, 101, 5, 10 and 110. The 405 includes garlic aioli, mustard, caramelized onions, sauteed mushrooms, baby arugula, and bleu cheese. The flavors nicely complemented the beef and I appreciated that they used a fresh French baguette.
Individuals that seek more texture in their sandwich may prefer the 101. In addition to the standard garlic aioli and mustard, caramelized onions, LA slaw, and gruyere cheese are included. If you like it simply made, the 710 with bbq sauce and crispy onions may be the sandwich for you.
The brisket, the pulled pork and the chicken are also available in rice bowl format or as loaded fries Barbecue lovers may prefer the bowl format because it allows the diner to focus on the meat experience. The bowls are topped with a choice of protein and served with LA slaw and salsa verde and served over garlic jasmine rice.
For a fast casual, their beverage list is quite extensive. They have an herb strawberry lemonade, kombucha tea, house brewed iced coffee and several natural sodas from Stubborn Soda.
LA Brisket is a family-owned business and the children, who are trained culinary chefs, do all of the cooking. Everything is prepared to order and may take time if they are busy. The staff is pleasant and attentive to your needs.
Because they are located in the heart of Chinatown, parking is tough. Fortunately, I found a metered spot on Broadway.
If you like good brisket, LA Brisket is definitely worth a visit.
LA Brisket, 736 N Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90012; 562.741.7000 or
18189 Pioneer Blvd, Artesia, CA 90701 or
2930 Bristol St, Costa Mesa, CA 92626
labrisket.com