Restaurants in La Palma

Although originally a Mexican restaurant, these days, Senor Big Ed is more like a trip to Puerto Rico, from the cuisine to the flags on display. And, as Miles Clements writes for the Los Angeles Times, “past those patriotic goods are wispy white curtains and sun-bleached walls…light and bright enough to recall a breezy beach scene despite its landlocked location on Lincoln Avenue.” If the decor alone doesn’t transport diners, the food will: helpings of mofongo (plantains, pork rinds, and garlic), plus roasted leg of pork and stewed beef impart signature Puerto Rican flavor, not unlike a bite of the fortress walls surrounding Old San Juan.

Frostbites Crepes & Frozen Delights' freshly made delectable desserts have garnered this ice creamery several accolades: MyFOXla voted Frostbites the best ice-cream parlor, while The Tonight Show granted it a custom-made jingle. Loosen up with the 16 flavors of sorbet chill (starting at $2.59), made with authentic italian ice, or dive taste buds into creamy chocolate frozen custard (starting at $2.79), made from natural ingredients such as egg yolk. Commitment-phobic customers can combine the two with the sorbet cream (starting at $2.89), where fruity flavors such as watermelon, coconut, and orange merge with rich vanilla custard. Those in the mood for pancake-esque desserts can fill up with a sweet crêpe ($3.29) hot off the griddle and topped with a choice of sauces (each $.69) and accoutrements (each $.89). Buck traditional notions of French cuisine with a sandwich crêpe (starting at $3.99), stuffed with a choice of meat, cheese, condiments, and fresh vegetables.

It's been posited that it takes approximately 10,000 hours of practice for a person to become really good at something. Pho So 9's chef has crafted the same delicious pho for more than 40 years, making him arguably a soup and noodle genius. His dark, rich broth simmers with rice noodles and chunks of rare steak, a complement to his lighter, seafood-rich stir-fries, all made with authentic ingredients. In the dining room, wait staff pour creamy Thai iced teas and coffees, surrounded by contemporary, Asian-inspired decor that gives the space a casual elegance.

Shrimp is the signature dish at Seafood Bucket, where chefs season prawns to each customer's specifications and heap them onto plates by the pound. Cajun spices, Thai seasonings, and garlic butter are but three of the tastes that grace the shrimp, which can also be used to customize pounds of clams, mussels, and crawfish. Thailand's culinary traditions extend past seafood to inspire dishes such as panang chicken and red-curry chicken, and the tastes of Louisiana infuse fried catfish that arrives with the obligatory Cajun fries.