Ortega's, A Mexican Bistro

For authentic Mexican cooking, not the California-Mexican stuff that's so abundant in Southern California, head to Ortega's. Owned by a former police officer and a restaurateur from Puerto Nuevo with decades of experience, the place has cornered the market on fresh, "gourmet" Mexican cuisine. The tableside guacamole preparation is fun to watch (and the resulting dip is as good as it gets); other good bets include ceviche, poblano-portobello filled corn tortillas with oaxaca cheese, black bean pumpkin soup, epazote-cilantro chicken, grilled plantain-crusted snapper with roasted tomato-arbol sauce, chicken mole, and the signature Baja-style lobster.