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The 38 Essential Los Angeles Restaurants, July '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.

Since Spago is about to shutter on July 9 for that much needed facelift, we're taking it off the list, along with the original Mo-Chica, though now open in its new home, the restaurant is still too young to qualify as an Eater 38 member. In their places come the year-old plus M.B. Post which has successfully attracted Angelenos from far and wide to Manhattan Beach for chef David LeFevre's seasonal eats, and Food & Wine's Best New Chef winner Bryant Ng's The Spice Table. Finally, Lazy Ox Canteen, originally cheffed by Josef Centeno, is replaced with Centeno's newer lauded downtown haunt Bäco Mercat.

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:
·July, 2012: Spago, Mo-Chica, Lazy Ox Canteen dropped; Bäco Mercat, M.B. Post, The Spice Table added
·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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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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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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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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The Spice Table

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Bäco Mercat

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M.B. Post

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