Eater Editors Share Their Favorite Dishes of the Week

From a standout Filipino biko pie to a beloved taqueria in Santa Barbara, these are the best bites the Eater LA team enjoyed.

Published on Feb. 22, 2026

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The editors at Eater LA dine out frequently and share the most memorable dishes they've tried this week, including a coconut milk-soaked sticky rice pie, classic tacos from a Santa Barbara institution, a cross-cultural tres leches cake, and a sweet potato dish with Korean flavors.

Why it matters

This story provides readers with a glimpse into the dining experiences of Eater's expert editors, highlighting some of the most delicious and unique dishes available at restaurants across Southern California. It showcases the diverse culinary landscape of the region and offers recommendations for must-try items.

The details

The editors share their thoughts on several standout dishes, including a biko pie from Baking with Ish in San Gabriel that features coconut milk-soaked sticky rice, dulce de leche, and a salted pecan pie crust; tacos from the legendary La Super-Rica Taqueria in Santa Barbara, which has been a local favorite since Julia Child's endorsement in 1985; a tres leches cake with sesame cream and crispy quinoa from a collaboration dinner between chefs Fátima Juárez and Ki Kim; and a sweet potato dish with burrata and chili crisp from the Korean-influenced pasta bar Lapaba in Koreatown.

  • The biko pie was purchased for a Chinese New Year gathering last weekend.
  • La Super-Rica Taqueria has been a beloved institution in Santa Barbara since 1985.
  • The Komal and Modo collaboration dinner took place earlier this week.
  • Lapaba, the Korean-influenced pasta bar, recently opened in Koreatown.

The players

Baking with Ish

A Filipino bakery stall located in the Blossom Market food hall in San Gabriel.

La Super-Rica Taqueria

A cash-only taqueria in Santa Barbara that has been a local institution since 1985, when it was endorsed by Julia Child.

Fátima Juárez

The chef behind Komal, one of Eater's best new restaurants of 2025.

Ki Kim

The chef behind Restaurana Ki, another of Eater's best new restaurants of 2025, who collaborated with Juárez for a dinner.

Lapaba

A Korean-influenced pasta bar in Koreatown, opened by husband-and-wife chef team Matthew Kim and McKenna Lelah.

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What they’re saying

“This pie might be the best pie I've ever had: coconut milk-soaked sticky rice sits atop rich dulce de leche in a salted pecan pie crust. The sticky rice filling gets topped with a fluffy mountain of coconut whipped cream and sprinkled with latik, or toasted coconut curds, and flaky salt.”

— Kat Thompson, audience editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest (Eater)

“Look for the white building accented in Baja Blast blue to find La Super-Rica, set on bougainvillea-strewn Milpas Street away from the louder downtown stretch of Santa Barbara. A handful of tacos — filled with adobada, rajas, or bistec — should be a part of every order, along with Super-Rica Especial, a thick corn tortilla blanketed with rajas, cheese, and al pastor.”

— Rebecca Roland, deputy editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest (Eater)

“The cake, not overly sweet, uses the speckled sesame cream to imbue it with an earthiness not found in your average tres leches. It was a cross-cultural wonder.”

— Mona Holmes, editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest (Eater)

What’s next

The editors plan to continue exploring the diverse dining scene in Southern California, seeking out more standout dishes to recommend to readers.

The takeaway

This story showcases the breadth and quality of the culinary offerings in the Los Angeles area, from beloved local institutions to innovative new restaurants, highlighting the creativity and passion of the region's chefs and food purveyors.