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The 38 Essential Los Angeles Restaurants, April '12

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It's time to update the Eater 38, your answer and ours to any question that begins, “Can you recommend a restaurant?” This highly elite group covers the entire city, spans myriad cuisines, and collectively satisfies all of your restaurant needs, save for those occasions when you absolutely must spend half a paycheck. Every couple of months, we'll be adding pertinent restaurants that were omitted, have newly become eligible (restaurants must be open at least six months), or have stepped up their game.

To start, and for obvious reasons, we're swapping out the long revered and sadly shuttered Sushi Nozawa for sushi chef Kazunori Nozawa's modern chainlet sugarFISH, arguably the best bang for your buck in the sushi space. Meanwhile, in the burgeoning downtown arena, after 20+ years of seafood service, Water Grill and its fresh new look bump out Sunnin's hummus and fried cauliflower.

For those of you readying the pitchforks because your favorite restaurant isn't on the list, wouldn't it just be more productive to leave your thoughts in the comments? State your cases for (or against) restaurants in the comments or in the tipline.

Additions and Subtractions:
·April, 2012: Sushi Nozawa, Sunnin dropped; sugarFISH, Water Grill added
·January, 2012: Kogi dropped; Picca added
·October, 2011: Valentino dropped; Mo-Chica added
·July, 2011: Sushi Zo, Loteria Grill dropped; Urasawa, Rustic Canyon added
·April, 2011: Capo, AOC dropped; Angelini Osteria, The Tasting Kitchen added
·January, 2010: Axe, Jones, and Stefan's at LA Farm dropped; Park's BBQ, Drago Centro, and Santouka added
·August, 2010: Petros, Fraiche, Bar Marmont and Pace dropped; Patina, Valentino, La Casita Mexicana, and Dean Sin World added

For more Eater 38 guides updated today across the Eater Universe, head over to Eater National.

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Eater maps are curated by editors and aim to reflect a diversity of neighborhoods, cuisines, and prices. Learn more about our editorial process.

Umami Burger

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The Bazaar by Jose Andres

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Giorgio Baldi Ristorante

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La Casita Mexicana

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Father's Office

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Apple Pan

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Animal Restaurant

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Guelaguetza Restaurant

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In-N-Out Burger

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Matsuhisa International

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Pizzeria Mozza

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Dan Tana's

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Mastro's Steakhouse

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Campanile Restaurant

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Providence

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Sushi Park

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Patina Restaurant

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Wurstküche

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Spago Beverly Hills

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Melisse Restaurant

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Jitlada

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Gjelina

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Park's BBQ

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Dean Sin World

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Urasawa

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Bay Cities Italian Deli

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Santouka Ramen

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Drago Centro

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Lazy Ox Canteen

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Mo-Chica

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The Tasting Kitchen

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Angelini Osteria

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Rustic Canyon

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Langer's

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sugarFISH

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Water Grill

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