A (frankly psychotic) analysis of The LA Times 101 Best Restaurants list

It’s the most wonderful time of the year, dear listener, and I’m talking of course about the advent of The LA Times 101 Best Restaurants list.  Bill Addison and Jenn Harris dropped their picks at a highfalutin soiree earlier this week, and the reaction, as always, consists of everything from love to loathing. But what does it actually mean for Kato to earn the number 1 spot two years in a row, for restaurants like Bestia and Pijja Palace to fall off the list, and for new hot spots like Stella and Budonoki to be snubbed entirely? As you know, these kinds of questions eat Father Sal and I alive - so we decided to approach this year’s list with a frankly deranged level of in-depth analysis. So buckle up, dear listener, because we’ve combed through every 101 list since 2013 to determine what exactly this year’s list says about our city, its restaurants, and the people who write about them.  Helpful links: The LA Times 101 https://www.latimes.com/food/list/101-best-restaurants-los-angeles -- Go check out The Lonely Oyster in Echo Park! ⁠https://thelonelyoyster.com/⁠