Some people might not think that the month of March lends itself to food-related holidays, but that’s where they’d be wrong.
First, there’s Fat Tuesday, the beloved Mardi Gras holiday that’s often celebrated with a flavor-packed feast. Then, Pi Day, the March 14 math holiday that celebrates the famed ratio and constant number, 3.14. Over the years, it’s turned into an excuse to eat classic pies as well as score on some pizza pie deals.
Additionally, there’s St.Patrick’s Day, a good reason to drink Guinness, dye your beer green and enjoy some traditional Irish dishes.
This month’s round-up includes Instagram-worthy ramen, a variety of donuts and a decadent burger that combines classic barbecue flavor with Japanese milk buns. Also unique to this month is a restaurant that was featured in February, that was so memorable our reporter returned to try something new.
Here’s a look at the best things we ate throughout Los Angeles, Orange County and the Inland Empire in March.
Related: See the best things we ate in Southern California in 2024.
Chashu Spicy Miso Ramen – Menkoi Ya Ramen, The Claremont Village
This Chashu Spicy Miso Ramen was the perfect antidote to nurse my hangover and give me the warm fuzzies on a rainy night in the Claremont Village. Pork broth, spicy miso base, toro chashu, corn, bamboo shoot, green onion, dried seaweed, bean sprout, garlic, red ginger—the bowl is packed with nutrients and flavor! I order mine at a level 5 spicy (on a scale of 1-10) and ask for extra toro chashu, as well as 2 soft-boiled eggs. It’s massive, I can never finish and I love to have the leftovers to heat up the next day for lunch.
— Emily St. Martin, Digital Features Editor
Chicken parm – Ospi, Costa Mesa
Ospi’s meatballs hooked me in February, so I returned in March, this time for the entrees. The chicken parmesan caught my eye. A red sauce restaurant staple, admittedly, but often a heavy one that, despite its comfort-food status, lands with a thud. You know the drill: breaded chicken, generic marinara, a slab of mozzarella and baked until… well, baked. Ospi, though, uses a different design, rebuilding the dish from the studs up. Thin, pounded chicken breast gets fried golden-brown in a butter frier, then brushed with browned butter, followed by delicate layers of mozzarella, a dusting of parmesan, and a spicy vodka sauce. A butter chicken prepared in the “chicken parm” style. Anointed with green and purple basil, the dish arrives at the table in dramatic fashion with its own dedicated knife tucked under the bird. Gobbled, gobbled.
— Brock Keeling, Restaurant Reporter
The Oak Burger – Oak and Ember, Ontario
I’m not one to order a barbecue burger before trying the restaurant’s standard burger, but given that this was one of the new restaurant’s signature offerings, I had to try it. No regrets here. The oak burger from Oak and Ember in Ontario features a melty Wagyu ground beef patty at its center and is topped with brisket burnt ends, hand-battered onion rings, new-style American cheese, and barbecue sauce. What I appreciated about this burger was that the Japanese milk buns were spongy enough to eat comfortably without needing to cut them or unhinge my jaw like Scooby-Doo.
— Charlie Vargas, Features Reporter
Assortment of doughnuts – Urban Dripp, Downtown Riverside
A tantalizing display of sugary confections greets you upon entry as every shape, flavor, and color tempts you no matter the time of day. Urban Dripp has far beyond exceeded my expectations for a simple doughnut and has mastered a unique offering of the doughy favorite many of us love. My personal favorite is the simple strawberry, though all the options I chose during my visit were delectable. I will repeatedly visit until I have tasted the entire expansive menu.
— Mercedes Cannon-Tran, Local Reporter
Upside down Mamba slice – La Sorted’s Pizza, Chinatown
You wouldn’t think flipping the order of toppings on a slice of pizza could make such a difference in the experience, but you’d be wrong. The Mamba slice from La Sorted’s is inspired by LA legend Kobe Bryant. It’s a garlic oil crust, with a layer of three cheese blend then topped with house tomato sauce. On top of that is some seasoning of oregano and salt. As someone who is known to dip their pizza in ranch (to be against this combo is a bad take), I think it really says something about a slice of pizza if I don’t feel compelled to do so. On top of that, I think it’s really telling if you opt to eat the crust, and even more so if you can eat it on its own without ranch or sprinkling some powdered cheese on it, and again, that was not necessary here. The slice is simple but classic.
Additionally, I tried a slice of one of their specialty pizza pies, the Mookie, named after Dodgers player Mookie Betts. I know mushrooms are a controversial pizza topping for some, but this slice really utilizes them. The pizza starts with the signature crust, mushroom cream for the sauce, and three cheeses on top: ricotta, mozzarella, and parmesan, with a final layer of garlic roasted mushrooms. Aside from the pizza, the overall experience of La Sorted’s is worth checking out. It’s a Dodger fan’s dream, decked out in memorabilia and located just two miles away from Dodger Stadium for a quick bite before the game. The local pizzeria will also be featured as part of the Pizza City Fest Los Angeles lineup, happening at L.A. Live on April 26-27.
— Carolyn Burt, Audience Engagement Producer
Citrus Roll – Village Bread, Calimesa
Village Bread has been a go-to spot for artisan baked goods for years in Calimesa’s Crown Village. Last year, it moved to a larger space, which it shares with Lucid Coffee. The businesses are separate, meaning if you want a pastry with coffee, you’ll be making two separate orders.
There’s usually a line as customers wait for amazing loaves of bread, ranging from classic sourdough to muesli sourdough and sharp cheddar sourdough with Hungarian and smoked paprikas.
Pastries also range from cheese Danish and almond croissants to hard-to-find (and pronounce) creations such as kouign-amann, an ultra-buttery French puff pastry.
I was blown away by the simple but tasty Citrus Roll, a flaky croissant made with pastry cream and candied citrus peel. It costs $5.50.
— Fielding Buck, Restaurant Reporter
Smoked burnt end fundido – Oak and Ember, Ontario
The smoked burnt end fundido is easily one of the best dishes at Oak and Ember. It captures the restaurant’s ability to fuse Southern barbecue staples with South of the Border flavors. The appetizer, served with homemade black tortilla chips, combines Oaxacan cheese, mozzarella, grilled corn, and black beans, all topped with cilantro and burnt ends. It’s made to share, but after your first few bites, you’ll want to reconsider and perhaps order your own.
— Charlie Vargas, Features Reporter
Pure maple doughnut – JD Flannel, San Juan Capistrano
JD Flannel, purveyors of some of the Golden State’s finest doughnuts (in 2024, Yelp crowned them the best in California), offer a bevy of circular glee in many iterations, ranging from bacon-studded to strictly vegan. Despite the variety, maple remains my unwavering preference – my go-to save for the occasional cinnamon roll (which differs vastly from its equally sublime counterpart found at bakeries). The pure maple at JD Flannel never disappoints. Yeasty with a thick khaki-colored glaze made from dark grade-A syrup, the maple here is one of the best I’ve come across in years. And the weekend lines, snaking out the door like starving serpents, aren’t just hype but a testament to the quality of Dave Rhode and John Miller’s divine dunkers.
— Brock Keeling, Restaurant Reporter
Lobster Roll – Angel Stadium, Anaheim
Baseball season is back! In my opinion, part of what makes the experience of attending a game is the ballpark food. Growing up in the Bay Area, we’d take Caltrain over to Oracle Park to watch the Giants play in San Francisco. I still distinctly remember snacking on cheese and crackers during the commute to keep me full until the midgame snack of Gilroy garlic fries. Truly, those fries and riding the iconic Coca-Cola slide were all I needed to have a great day at the park. Since then, baseball stadiums have stepped up their offerings. We got to try out some of the new and returning menu items Angel Stadium in Anaheim is selling in the stands and suites this year. Without a doubt, the best thing I tried was the lobster roll. I’ve had my fair share of lobster rolls over the years, but the quality of the lobster and the toast level of the bun paired with the lemon zest on top made it a perfect bite.
— Carolyn Burt, Audience Engagement Producer
Late-winter farm potage – The Ecology Center’s Community Table, San Juan Capistrano
Chef Michael Campbell, fresh from Capo, Capas Tacos and Pacific Pearl Cafe and Catering, headlined the Ecology Center’s Community Table, a Friday night dinner showcase inside the regenerative farm’s new “Peace Portal” space. His menu was a hit: smoked black cod, yellowtail and beet ceviche, broccoli salad, a showstopping paella spectacle and a dessert plank loaded with blue corn shortbreads and koginut squash pies. But the real star was a simple late-winter farm potage. Beans, leeks, pickled romesco and a drizzle of olive oil — a humble bowl that delivered surprising depth. As the rain fell outside, it provided perfect comfort to the chill outside. An added bonus? The ingredients were plucked from the farm, a stone’s throw from my dinner seat.
— Brock Keeling, Restaurant Reporter
Muffaletta and Passion Fruit Pie – Happy Mediums, Calimesa
Crown Village in Calimesa is becoming a destination for bread lovers. The shopping center near the 10 Freeway is the longtime home of the artisan bakery Village Bread and now a new sandwich shop called Happy Mediums.
The Muffaletta at Happy Mediums is made with delightfully crunchy bread liberally topped with sesame seeds and filled with deli meats, provolone, a blend of mayo and mustard and house-made giardiniera. It costs $11 for half, which would be filling, and $18 for a whole sandwich.
I also had a slice of Passion Fruit Pie. Made with graham cracker crust and topped with meringue, it’s a delightfully tart dessert.
— Fielding Buck, Restaurant Reporter
Key Lime Pie and Garlic Caesar Salad – The Broken Compass, Burbank
Tucked away in an unassuming building located off of West Burbank Boulevard is a lovely gem known as Broken Compass Tiki. The Polynesian-styled establishment serves up a vast menu of tiki bar favorites, such as painkillers and mai tais, along with some of their own creations. The stars of the show for the evening I visited were the key lime pie on a fruity pebbles crust and the garlic Caesar salad. A strange meal combination for some but an excellent “girl dinner” if I may say so.
I am not a big key lime pie fan, but I can’t deny that Broken Compass Tiki has really figured out something special with their recipe, as it is both tart and satisfyingly sweet without being too rich. Imagine a delicious key lime cream cloud. As for the Caesar, you can’t go wrong, but the added punch of garlic really took it to another level. No notes. I will be returning again when I feel the need for a mini trip to paradise.
— Mercedes Cannon-Tran, Local Reporter
See more of our monthly round-ups of the best things we ate in Southern California
The best things we ate at Southern California restaurants in February
The best things we ate at Southern California restaurants in January
The best things we ate at Southern California restaurants in 2024
The best things we ate at Southern California restaurants in November
The best things we ate at Southern California restaurants this October
The best thing we ate at Southern California restaurants in September
The best thing we ate at Southern California restaurants in August