A scruffy 1970s shopping plaza on North Broadway that has, improbably, become one of LA's most interesting places to eat. The turning point was Howlin' Ray's, whose Nashville hot chicken still draws queues down the walkway, but the plaza now packs in a dozen small, chef-driven operations alongside the old-guard Chinese tenants.
The mix changes, which is the point: this is where young LA cooks try out concepts without the overhead of a full restaurant. Come hungry, walk the whole upper and lower level before deciding, and be ready to share a cramped outdoor table.