Baco Mercat

During my last few weeks of living in LA, I've become something of a "lady who lunches". I should move out of town more often! It's been a great way to catch up with friends before I leave town and also a way to cross off some more restaurants off the LA bucket list that resides in my head. Recently, I was able to dine at Baco Mercat. It's a newish restaurant in downtown LA helmed by chef Josef Centeno, formerly of Lazy Ox Canteen. Their signature dish is the baco which is a flatbread sandwich. The bread is really amazing here. It's kind of like a homemade pita, but a little thinner and slightly chewy. It compliments the ingredients inside rather than overpowers them.



To start, Ben and I shared the zataar and olive oil with lebni ($4). Both sauces are flavorful, but the lebni yogurt sauce was our favorite and we asked for more of the amazing flatbread to sop it up.



For this first visit, we both ordered the "Original" Baco ($8). It's stuffed with pork belly and beef carnitas, salbitxada (a tomato and almond sauce), and smoked aioli. At first glance, it's a bit overwhelming, but you just pick it up and eat like a sandwich. The carnitas are crisp, but tender. The sauce is fresh, and though it's meaty, you don't feel heavy after eating it.



Restaurants like this show the progress that Los Angeles has made in the ten years since I moved here. The food scene has improved so much and it will be interesting to see where it has yet to go after I leave.

Don't forget, you have through the weekend to enter my giveaway!!

Other bloggers enjoying Baco Mercat:
e*star LA
Amateur Gourmet
Consuming LA


Baco Mercat
403 S. Main St.
Los Angeles, CA 90013
(213) 687-8808
Website