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We look at how five popular Los Angeles restaurants are setting new food movements in the city

- Pallavi Mehra

When one thinks of Los Angeles, one thinks of beaches, palm trees, Hollywood and Disneyland. While Los Angeles is all those things, it is also a city with a rich culinary heritage. This Southern California city showcases some of the finest global cuisines and sets food trends for California, the United States, and the entire world. Whether it is the emergence of vegan and gluten-free cuisines or the rise of offbeat Asian food, Los Angeles is one step ahead. We recently visited this sprawling city’s most well-liked restaurants to discover the latest food trends in California.

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LATIN AMERICAN FLAVOURS AS SHOWCASED AT DAMA

DAMA is an upscale Latin-inspired eatery and bar in the eclectic Fashion District of Downtown Los Angeles. At DAMA, visitors are greeted by a large indoor-outdoor space with deco-tropical interiors, scrumptious Latin American cuisine and delectable cocktails. Potted plants, dim lighting, and tropical-print wallpaper set the mood for a relaxed meal and make you feel like you are on vacation on an island. DAMA is the place to go to with a large group of friends or for a date night. Chef Lofaso’s food menu is an ode to her travels to Spanish, Latin American and Caribbean nations. The menu primarily comprises small, shareable dishes and showcases sophisticated Latin cuisine. The empanadas, seafood tostada, crispy squash flowers with farmer’s cheese, goat cheese, thyme and chive, clams and chorizo, lamb chops and Pacific Banana Co. sundae are highly recommended. While casual Mexican food has always been popular in Los Angeles, the rise of fine-dining Latin restaurants such as DAMA set the stage for a new direction for this vibrant cuisine.

damafashiondistrict.com