Jonathan Gold dines at Moruno

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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.

2000 Moruno - David Rosoff & Christopher Feldmeier
Managing partner David Rosoff, who designs Moruno’s bar program, and chef Chris Feldmeier enjoy sherries from Moruno’s menu: a La Cigarerra Manzanilla and a 12-year-old Amontillado from El Maestro Sierra. (The original image is no longer available, please contact KCRW if you need access to the original image.)

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.

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

2000 Moruno - Artichokes a la Plancha
The garlicky artichokes a la plancha are cooked on a griddle and come with slices of baguette. The bread is flown in from Spain.(The original image is no longer available, please contact KCRW if you need access to the original image.)
Moruno - Butternut Squash & Dukkah
A recommended dish at Moruno is the roasted butternut squash topped with dukkah, an Egyptian spice mix. (Photo by Sierra Prescott)(The original image is no longer available, please contact KCRW if you need access to the original image.)