Bodega Malbec

There’s a lot to like about this Toluca Lake spot, like its large outdoor patio, solid wine list, and the wafting smell of wood-fired barbecue that’s tempting enough to win over just about anyone. The tabla de chorizo is usually a good place to start with its mix of morcilla, Argentinian chorizo, pimenton-heavy “red” chorizo, and the thinner parrillera sausage that has a similar smoky flavor but firmer texture. Once you’ve sampled your way through this tabla, upgrade to the tabla mixta for bigger cuts of meat like the rib eye, beef tenderloin, and New York strip. Everything here is served up family-style with salt and chimichurri for easy sharing, and you can taste the difference from the wood-fired smokiness seeping into the beef and tempting you to order a third round of chorizo.