David LeFevre—chef, brunch evangelist, and tailgating guru—is quickly assembling a Manhattan Beach restaurant empire. He has a trio of showstoppers in Fishing with Dynamite, M.B. Post, and The Arthur J, the last of which received three stars from critic Patric Kuh late last year. When he isn’t busy searing off dry-aged steaks or making that awesomely elaborate Koshihikari rice dish at FWD, where’s he eating? These are chef David LeFevre’s five favorite dishes in L.A.

1. Rigatoni with Chicken Liver Ragu at Sotto “It’s a really well balanced dish with earthy umami, a touch of sweetness, and a bit of acid.”

2. French Fries at The Bellwether “These are crunchy on the outside and creamy on the inside, and the house made hot sauce cuts through the beef fat they’re cooked in.”

3. Vietnamese Sunbathing Prawns at Cassia “The hot sauce is sweet and spicy and I found myself sucking on the heads first before eating the tails.”

4. Chicken Yakitori at Shin Sen Gumi “It’s so simple but done perfectly. The skin is cooked over charcoal, until it is slightly crisp but still has some of the soft fat texture.”

5. Chicken Milanese Sandwich at Alimento “Crunchy and tender chicken thighs with spicy pepperoncini slaw, Calabrian chili aioli, and salty prosciutto all wrapped up in an olive oil brioche bun.”