When the owner of Los Angeles’ only dedicated Mongolian restaurant was ready to sell it last summer, first-time restaurateur Batbayasgalan Enkhbold and his wife, Bayarmaa Bat-Ayush, stepped in. The couple took the reins from Ganbat Damba, which owned and operated Golden Mongolian in Koreatown since 2014, and renamed it Arag Mongolian Cuisine.

While the restaurant’s interior is largely unchanged from his time as a Golden Mongol, the newly expanded menu leans more traditional than that of its predecessor, Enkhbold says. Together with Chef Buted Sanjaa, the couple refined many of the restaurant’s staple recipes, including boiled whole lamb’s head, stone-grilled lamb chops, fried dumplings filled with minced meat and offal, and buuz, steamed meatballs served with a vinegared coleslaw.

Traditional Mongolian cuisine is often misunderstood among Angelenos, especially with the proliferation of Mongolian barbecue restaurants across the Southland, which is neither Mongolian nor barbecue. Arag’s Mongolian cuisine menu is characteristic of what one eats in Mongolia, with its strong Russian and Chinese influences and lamb embrace. Enkhbold wants Arag’s Mongolian cuisine to be a beacon for the local Mongolian community, which he estimates to number between 7,000 and 8,000. The restaurant is open Monday through Saturday from 11 am to 8 pm. Note: traditional Mongolian cuisine is also found at Nadima’s Sushi & Mongolian Express in Torrance, alongside a more substantial sushi menu.

Former Bestia cook channels punk rock vibes with pasta pop-up

In Los Angeles Magazine, writer Joshua Lurie delves into the Estrano pasta pop-up, where chef Diego Argoti takes an all-round approach to handmade noodles. A recent menu included a Chicago-style tsukemen of fried hot dogs, neon green relish, and celery salt. A future brick and mortar location isn’t in the cards for Argote, who wants to maintain the pop-up punk rock philosophy. Follow Estrano on Instagram for the latest locations and context menus.

New law makes it easier for restaurants to keep al fresco dining after pandemic

Elina Shatkin of Laist provides an overview of AB 61, a new law that allows local jurisdictions and the Department of Alcohol Control to be more flexible with a variety of regulations, including “how food is prepared and served. exterior and how restaurants organize and use their exterior spaces to increase catering capacity. AB 61 comes into effect immediately.

Indonesian meat stick specialist arrives in valley

Find Indonesian-style meat on a stick at Satay Lisa, a new food truck parked at 10116 Mason Avenue in Chatsworth Tuesday through Saturday from 1 to 7:30 p.m. The truck is owned by Kevin Susanto and is named after his mother. , Lisa Nursalim, a beloved caterer in the Indonesian community of Los Angeles. Best-sellers include the pork and chicken satay platters, crispy chicken pies, and hand-made strawberry lemonade. Confirm the location of the truck by following Satay Lisa on Instagram.