Food trends come and go. So how can you tell which tastes are trending right this minute?
We took a data-driven look at the question, using Yelp to deduce which eateries have been most discussed this month.
To find out who made the list, we looked at Los Angeles businesses on Yelp by category and counted how many reviews each received. Rather than compare them based on number of reviews alone, we calculated a percentage increase in reviews over the past month, and tracked businesses that consistently increased their volume of reviews to identify statistically significant outliers compared to past performance.
Read on to see which spots are worth exploring this winter.
Salaya Plant-based Kitchen
Open since December 2019, this vegan, Thai and Asian fusion spot is trending compared to other businesses categorized as "Thai" on Yelp.
Citywide, Thai spots saw a median 1.2% increase in new reviews over the past month. Salaya Plant-Based Kitchen only recently appeared on Yelp, but while many new businesses struggle to gain reviews, it has seen strong initial popularity.
According to its Yelp page, "Salaya is the first all plant-based vegan restaurant in Hollywood's historic and hip Thai Town district. It serves traditional Thai and international fusion vegan food in a modern and upscale but still cozy space."
Located at 5185 Hollywood Blvd. in Los Feliz, Salaya Plant-Based Kitchen offers crispy fried tofu, tom yum soup, eggplant larb salad and spicy garlic noodles.
Salaya Plant-Based Kitchen is open from 11 a.m.–3 p.m. and 5–9:30 p.m. on weekdays and 11 a.m.–9:30 p.m. on weekends.
Sushi Enya
Beverly Grove's Sushi Enya is also making waves. Open since December 2019 at 480 S. San Vicente Blvd., the sushi bar and Japanese spot is relatively new to Yelp, but has seen a surge of new reviews, while all businesses tagged "Sushi Bars" on Yelp saw an increase of 1% for new reviews in the past month.
Sushi Enya serves up nigiri, sushi rolls and sashimi. Over the past month, it's maintained an impressive five-star rating among Yelpers.
Sushi Enya is open from 5:30–11 p.m. on Monday-Thursday, 5:30 p.m.–1 a.m. on Friday-Saturday and 5–11 p.m. on Sunday.
RIKE
Downtown Los Angeles's RIKE is the city's buzziest Japanese spot by the numbers.
The Japanese spot, which has been open at 228 E. First St. since October 2019, is still relatively new to Yelp but has seen a surge of new reviews. Meanwhile, the median new review count for the Yelp category "Japanese" was up 1.1% over the past month.
"At Rike, we offer a new-age take on the long-time staple, onigiri," it states on it Yelp page. "With our conceptual approach to presentation and our highquality ingredients we offer an elevated experience for those looking for a new way to experience Japanese cuisine."
RIKE's menu features curry shrimp tempura, teriyaki chicken and nori seaweed plate.
RIKE is open from 10 a.m.–3 p.m. and 5–9 p.m. on Tuesday-Sunday. (It's closed on Monday.)
Qi Steam Kitchen
Mid-Wilshire's Qi Steam Kitchen is currently on the upswing in the Asian fusion category on Yelp.
While businesses categorized as "Asian Fusion" on Yelp saw a median 1.4% increase in new reviews over the past month, this Chinese and Asian fusion spot saw a surge in new reviews despite being relatively new to Yelp.
"Our mother company is a famous restaurant chain in China," it says on the history section of its Yelp page. "It was the first to bring this oldest, most primitive and authentic style of home-cooked steamed foods from the villages to the streets of Beijing and spread them all across china. Now, we hope to bring this cuisine to Los Angeles and spread this healthy, natural and delicious lifestyle."
Open for business at 5966 W. Olympic Blvd. since December 2019, Qi Steam Kitchen offers pearl pork balls, steamed egg custard with shrimp and crispy steamed beef bao. View the menu here.
Qi Steam Kitchen is open from 11 a.m.–9 p.m. daily.
This story was created automatically using local business data, then reviewed and augmented by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.
