Amiguita is a modern Afro-Caribbean restaurant in the former Alegria space in Silver Lake. The restaurant is led by chef Alejandro Eusebio, known for Cascabel and Sweetsalt, who brings Dominican heritage flavors and training in Cuban and other Caribbean cooking. Mara Herbkersman remains as general manager and beverage director, continuing leadership from the Ruby Fruit era. The menu features guava-glazed chicken wings and yuca latkes as standout dishes. The dining experience is framed by a sense of familiarity and community, reflecting the value of supporting beloved local places as neighborhoods change over time.
"When I was a kid, I thought nothing seemed cooler than being a regular at a restaurant, except the way Ken Griffey Jr. swung a baseball bat. When I realized I was never going to casually mash 400-foot home runs with a backwards hat on (despite my best efforts that continue to this day), I resolved to do the next coolest thing. Every time the family went out to dinner, I pitched the casual, big-plate Mexican joint Alegria in Silver Lake. Before long, I walked in to a warm welcome from familiar faces who knew my usual order, my preferred agua fresca, the latest middle school drama, the fitness of the family dog. It felt good and served as a lesson in the value of supporting places that you love."
"That said, I did eventually fall out of regularity at Alegria: when it closed in 2015 I was nonetheless distraught. It was the loss of a cornerstone of my childhood and a flashing neon sign of the erosion of Silver Lake as it existed around the turn of the millennium. After Alegria's two-decade run, the restaurant space that housed it has changed hands several times in the last 11 years. It was Trois Familia, then Eszett, then Ruby Fruit, and now, as of March, it is the modern Afro-Caribbean restaurant Amiguita."
"Amiguita comes from chef Alejandro Eusebio, best known for Cascabel and Sweetsalt in Toluca Lake, two mainstays of the television production industry meal circuit. Here, however, Eusebio has the opportunity to explore the cuisine of his Dominican heritage and to incorporate his training in Cuban and other Caribbean cooking. Mara Herbkersman stays on from the Ruby Fruit days as general manager and beverage director."
"Head to Amiguita for guava-glazed chicken wings and yuca latkes"
Read at Eater LA
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