Gold Dig #20

Lukshon is the modern Southeast Asian restaurant by Sang Yoon (the chef famous for the “Changes and Modifications Politely Declined” policy he started at his burger place Father’s Office). Its patio area has the luxury of facing the pedestrian-only street of the Helms Bakery complex, so you can enjoy the weather while having a bit of a buffer from the congested LA traffic.

The Dish

Most of the Asian restaurants on Jonathan Gold’s 101 Best Restaurants list seem to do the best possible renditions of authentic dishes; Lukshon, on the other hand, does modern re-imaginings of Asian foods. I’ve been to Lukshon several times, and have yet to be disappointed. I only wish I’d taken pics of all the yummy food I’ve had there!

Tea Leaf Salad

The tea leaf salad comes with cabbage, crispy chana dal, marcona almonds, peanuts, and sesame. It is crisp, crunchy, and not too heavy. Goes well with some of the meaty dishes on the menu.

Hawaiian Butterfish

I sigh with pleasure when I re-live eating the Hawaiian butterfish. The fish is smooth and buttery. It comes with these amazing white cubes they call “lime cells”, which are sort of like almond jello, but the lightest, creamiest, most refreshing version you’ve ever had. That white powder is “coconut snow”, which adds a touch of sweetness and pretty finish to this amazing dish.

Larb Sliders

The meat in these sliders is flavorful from larb seasoning, with crunchy green cabbage slaw giving nice contrast to the creaminess of the green fire aioli. The carrots on the side are pickled and go great with the sliders. Weirdly, my absolute favorite thing on the plate was the taro chips. They are amazingly light and crispy, with a deep savory flavor. I wish I could order a giant bowl of the taro chips.

Chiang Mai Curry Noodles

The Chiang Mai Curry Noodles have chicken and rice noodles in a rich broth. It is tasty, but out of all the dishes I’ve had at Lukshon, it’s most similar to dishes I could get elsewhere. I like the creativity of the food here, so prefer the more inventive dishes.

Coconut Dark Chocolate “Rocks”

I would go to to Lukshon just to get the Coconut Dark Chocolate “Rocks”. They bring out this stunning plate, reminiscent of an asteroid belt in deep space. You break into one of the “rocks”, and it’s rich dark chocolate complemented with the tang of passion fruit and the sweetness of coconut, garnished with chocolate black pepper crumble. Heavenly.