Hot in L.A.: Three glimmers of downtown’s future

The last few months have been “a boom time” for the Los Angeles dining scene, said Joshua Lurie inFoodRepublic.com. You might notice the surge in great food options even when you roll your bags through a remade LAX, but resurgent downtown remains the heart of the action. Below, three snapshots from Besha Rodell of LA Weekly:

L.A. Chapter “There’s a real sense of a future downtown L.A.” to be had by sitting at an outdoor table at the restaurant attached to the “absolutely stunning” new Ace Hotel—formerly the United Artists building. Licorice-rubbed duck breast is typical fare, and the house burger might be familiar to anyone who’s eaten at Brooklyn’s Five Leaves, the chef’s flagship. 927 S. Broadway, (213) 235-9660

Orsa & Winston Having made his name with a flatbread sandwich he calls the bäco, chef Josef Centeno is now reinventing fine dining. His pleasantly plain new place offers only tasting-menu options, all billed as Japanese/Italian omakase and served from an open kitchen. His satsuki rice with uni, geoduck, and a touch of tangerine “will bowl you over.” 122 W. 4th St., (213) 687-0300

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Factory Kitchen Fresh pasta is the main attraction at this repurposed industrial space at the Factory Place Arts Complex: The mandilli in a Ligurian pesto “thrums with soft delicacy.” But don’t overlook the starters. The beet casserole made with funky Asiago cheese represents “vegetable decadence at its best.” 1300 Factory Pl., (213) 996-6000