Stellar places for takeout and outdoor dining

Oxtail stew. Butter chicken. Miso salmon. If anyone suggests that restaurants are fading, just point them in the direction of a new list of 12 terrific places that offer takeout and outdoor dining. The list, from restaurant critic Bill Addison (for whom I am subbing today), includes new pop-ups, cherished institutions and restaurants “that fall somewhere in the middle.� Their locations range from Hermosa Beach to El Monte, from Mid-Wilshire to Windsor Hills.

Here is some of what Bill has to say about Barsha (in Hermosa Beach): “In the seemingly infinite multiverse of Los Angeles dining, the galaxy of North African cuisines feels comparatively under-represented. Thinking this over led me to Barsha in Hermosa Beach.�

Owners Adnen and Lenora Marouani “opened the restaurant in late 2019 (they have a wine bar with the same name in Manhattan Beach), entwining Tunisian flavors into their Cal-Med menu.

“Subtle, dusky-sweet spice runs through mosli (seared chicken in a vegetable stew, here reimagined with quinoa); light-handed lamb meatballs float atop m’hamsa (Tunisian couscous) in tomato broth and a dollop of herbed labneh.�

Are you ready to order? We thought so.

If you need more restaurant news, Stephanie Breijo has the scoop on restaurant openings — and a Stop AAPI Hate fundraiser.

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If you’ve been dreaming of fried fish sandwiches, columnist Jenn Harris offers a list of some favorites. “Sometimes,� she writes, “it feels as if the forces of the universe are conspiring to create a food of the moment. That food, at this moment, is the fried fish sandwich.� Many of these sandwiches can trace their origins to two famous golden arches, but their creators have expanded the fried fish ecosphere to include Pacific striped bass, cod, sushi-grade albacore tuna and tilapia. Think of it as a dream lineup for pescatarians — and anyone else who loves fried fish.

The fried cod sandwich from Oui on Melrose is topped with dill pickles and a tangy tartar sauce.

(Mariah Tauger / Los Angeles Times)

If your future includes cooking, columnist Ben Mims has a compelling menu that acknowledges the rituals of spring, including Easter. “Lamb? An absolute must. New potatoes? Of course! And mint? The more, the better,� Ben writes, adding, “If my food doesn’t bring to mind visions of running through a lush field while flowers burst forth and songbirds alight on a branch, I’m not doing it right.� These dishes “commemorate everything bright and new about this time of year.�

This chewy coconut cake with milk chocolate glaze is more like a candy bar in cake form.

(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)