Bar Ama

Bar Ama Restaurant Review:

Chef Josef Centeno’s Bar Amá pays homage to his mother, grandmother and Tex-Mex roots with a menu featuring hearty fare like menudo and lengua carnitas, but prepared with a sense of style and sophistication. Puffy tacos are a specialty, and don't forget the pork belly chicharrón or enchiladas in mole. Other notable dishes include goat hash with watercress, fried egg and salsa verde; cauliflower with cilantro pesto and pine nuts; and fried Brussels sprouts with green olives and cilantro crema. Call ahead for a coffee-and-chile-rubbed whole goat, slowly roasted. Desserts include pineapple upside-down cake and a fennel pollen-dusted leche quemada (“burnt milk”) pudding similar to butterscotch. The bar dispenses a wide selection of tequilas and mezcals, chile-spiked cocktails and a short but interesting roster of wines. On tap are beers from Mexico, plus others handcrafted in L.A. Happy hour offers a fine list of haute comfort food like lengua chile con carne, super nachos with picadillo, and short rib taquitos, alongside discounted beer, wine and margaritas. The digs are totally casual, with a high noise level bouncing off an industrial space warmed by reclaimed wood.