Blossom

You’ll like Blossom for its food, but you’ll love it for its owner, Duc Pham. Duc is a Swiss knife at Blossom, bouncing from chef, bartender, interior designer and sommelier: ask for a table in the basement and you’ll see his glass-walled wine cellar. Start off with some Goi Cuon (shrimp and pork spring rolls with a side of peanut sauce), or spice it up with Bo Cuon (beef spring rolls with a hint of lemongrass in the beef marinade). Follow with any of the pho, although the Pho Tai (rare steak) is a must for meat-eaters. Pair it with Ca Phe Sua Da (Vietnamese iced coffee with condensed milk), a local beer or browse through Duc’s extensive wine list. Born in Vietnam as the youngest of nine siblings, Duc emigrated after the war in dangerous conditions, which went from a shipwreck to living on a Malaysian island’s beach until they were rescued the the US Navy. Duc Pham told LA Weekly: “It was the best time of my life on that island. Everything after that — everything now — is just a bonus.”

Style: Vietnamese

Addresses: 426 S Main St, Los Angeles, CA 90013 (Downtown) / 451 Gin Ling Way, Los Angeles, CA 90012 (Chinatown) / 2821 Ocean Park Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90405 (Santa Monica)

Hours: Monday-Friday 12-2.30PM and 6-10PM, Saturday 6-10PM

Menu: blossomrestaurant.com