Eater Readers Share LA's Best Restaurant Secrets, Part 2

Recently, Eater offered readers a chance to score tickets to food tasting event Plate by Plate. To win, we asked readers to share their best kept restaurant secrets. After receiving so many great tips, we've decided to create a series of posts dedicated to these suggestions, the first part of which ran here. Below, round two of the city's best restaurant secrets, as determined by readers. Got another undisclosed tip? Feel free to add in the comments.

1) "This used to be a secret restaurant, but not anymore. However, they serve an extra dish that some do not know about. Totoraku's King Crab Soup...even getting into Totoraku is tough enough, but having the King Crab Stew after the meat extravaganza is rare."

2) "Have you ever heard of monkey-style at In-n-Out? Just kidding. My restaurant secret is for all the budget-minded LAX travelers out there. With nicer restaurants popping up throughout the airport as part of the modernization program, (I'm not complaining; I'm pleased I can get an ink.sack sandwich on my way out now) some of my guilty pleasures (McDonald's , that noodle place in Ton Bradley) are on their way out. However, in the less-frequented Terminal 8, a Carl's Jr. has not fallen victim. No lines. Prompt service. But what if you don't have a flight out of T8? A tunnel connects the south terminals so you can meander your way there from Terminal 5, Terminal 6 and Terminal 7. So grab those salads from Lemonade and skewers from Morimoto and make your way to T8 for a pop-tart ice cream sandwich for dessert."

Outside Totoraku, West LA. [Photo: Darin Dines]

3) "Would love to get tickets to Plate by Plate this weekend and my favorite restaurant secret is a small Italian restaurant in bustling Brentwood that's hidden amongst Yogurtland and Susie Cakes on San Vicente called Osteria Latini. I have literally NEVER had a bad meal there, it's incredibly authentic, warm, inviting and reasonably priced. They also serve this delicious olive spread/dip at the beginning of the meal that is incredible and would make an Low Carb and Loving It sister HAVE to reach for her bread for a dip. My go-to dishes are the lobster ravioli and the carbonara but the artichoke salad they have as a special every once in a while is AMAZING. The chef, Paulo, will come out and ask you about your meal personally and has always accommodated any friends that were food challenged (glutards, lactards etc.)"

4) "Best Kept Secret: While I have been invited to Totoraku and was invited back but I have advised friends they can score a reservation there by giving them some guidance on saying they have been there before and they have been able to get a reservation. shhhh dont tell."

5) "The Ssam Platter at Moo Dae Po is off the menu and it's amazing! It's basically a platter of greens you can add on to the AYCE Korean BBQ. Everytime I go there, I get the order and I feel pretty cool for being the only person around the restaurant to know of it."

6) "getting a quesadilla at Gold Room in echo park – yes they're famed for their $3 pbr & tequila shot special + free peanuts, but their tacos are questionable – you can ask for a bean quesadilla and it's actually? pretty good!"

7) "Honda Ya Izakaya hidden gem!!!"

8) "Shin-sen-gumi Yakitori Chicken Heart Skewers. So, I know this isn't really a secret item on the menu, but the chicken heart skewers at Shin-sen-gumi Yakitori in Gardena are delicious. Not many places serve chicken hearts as well as they do, it has a chewy but soft texture to the heart, it's cooked perfectly every time."
·Eater Readers Share LA's Best Kept Restaurant Secrets [~ELA~]