la.foodblogging

I’m not big on “Best Of” lists, they always make it sound like there is only one place to go for any specific type of food. We all know that, in reality, there are a multitude of options out there for great dining. So, in lieu of a Best Of 2005 list, I’m going to make a “Try This in 2006″ list, pointing out some great places that I think you should try to visit over the next 12 months.

• Jinky’s Cafe is the place to go for breakfast with small groups (4-6). The menu is varied enough to take care of vegans to carnivores with great flavors and unique dishes.
• Marina Farms has only seasonable and mostly tree ripe produce. If you live on the Westside and want to get fruits and vegetables that actually taste like fruits and vegetables, be sure to stop in.
• Groundwork Coffee has stores spread around town and also supplies a number of local eateries who wish to serve organic, fair trade coffee. If you can’t make it to their store, you can always pick some up online.
• Cobra Lily will delight you with their flavorful small plates. You too can have a debate with your table mates as to how they cook the crispy lentils. It’s best to sample everything on the menu at least once, keeping in mind that this may require multiple visits.
• Border Grill Happy Hour, if only to have a couple plates of the plantain empanadas. A great place to meet your friends after a long day at work.
• Ramenya is my pick of the Sawtelle Ramen options — the place to try if you haven’t had good ramen. Yes, I know that Ramenya is actually a few blocks off Sawtelle on Olympic.
• Mao’s Kitchen makes a sizchuan eggplant that will even please those who hate the little purple veggie and you can bring your own booze without charge.
• Although Hugo’s tea list has become a bit shorter this year, it still serves some of the best breakfast around town
• SoCalorie broke the Beard Papa’s story and predicted that the puffs would be a hit. She was right and after tasting the creampuffs, I’m convinced that everyone should visit at least once.
• Akbar is still my go-to joint for Indian food. Not the most upscale and not the cheapest, Akbar is perfect for a night out of spicy delights.
• Warszawa was one of my most exciting new finds this year. The duck will change the way you think of duck.

There’s a hundred more places to try in the new year and I plan to hit many of them. If our readers have tips, suggestions, or just want one of our writers to taste test a place you are thinking about trying, let us know. Food is about sharing and foodblogging is about documenting those finds so others can discover the gems out there.

By Jonah (see more of his posts). Jonah is the founder of la.foodblogging and also created Digesty, a food blog aggregator and Cheww.com, a spam free foodblog search engine.