Brad A. Johnson
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Brad A. Johnson

Food & Travel

Brad A Johnson
  • Blog
  • About
  • Photography
    • Food Photography
    • Travel Photography
    • Restaurant Photography
    • Hotel & Resort Photography
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Critic’s Notebook: Baco Mercat, Los Angeles

  • December 13, 2011
  • Brad A. Johnson

This is the best sandwich I’ve eaten all year. In fact, this is now my favorite new L.A. restaurant (in the bargain category, at least). The sandwich is not exactly a sandwich. It’s a bäco, which is a cross between a taco and a flatbread, an invention of one of my favorite chefs, Josef Centeno (formerly of Lazy Ox) at his new Bäco Mercat ( 408 S. Main St., L.A., 213.687.8808) downtown.

Just look at that sandwich! Now imagine the juices dripping down your chin, a big fat smile on your face. The original is stuffed with pork belly and beef “carnitas” with smoked aïoli and mixed greens. That one’s definitely my favorite, but the stuffed with thinly sliced homemade porchetta, eggplant and apple is almost equally, insanely addictive. Centeno is also serving some pretty damn good flatbreads (my favorite is the one with merguez (lamb) sausage, spicy Tunisian-style hot sauce and artisanal chevré) and his very own custom-bottled sodas (that remind me of Mexico’s popular Jarritos or Sidral Mundet). 

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Brad A. Johnson

Brad A. Johnson is a writer and photographer specializing in food and travel. His work has been honored by the Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism Awards, James Beard Awards, World Food Media Awards, Food Photographer of the Year Awards, Society of Features Journalism Awards and others. Based in Southern California, Brad currently serves as Editorial Director of the new luxury consumer travel magazine of the Global Travel Collection (launching Spring 2023).

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Hey, OC. FYI in case you missed it, @ryegoods has opened a new location on Red Hill in Tustin, just down the street from Flight/Mess Hall. Same incredible breads and pastries as the original on the peninsula. No lines here, plus a huge seating area. #sourdough #pastries #coffee #orangecounty 322 9
One more post from our lovely stay at @fstokyo. Delicious lunch at @maisonmarunouchi, the casual sibling to @sezannetokyo. Excellent all around. And clearly popular with Tokyo's ladies who lunch: the clientele during our visit, almost entirely women. Quite the see-and-be-seen crowd. 57 1
I’m not sure which I liked better about the @fstokyo, the valet greeter and escort from the train station, the view of the trains from our room, or the super comfy pajamas. Excellent service all around. #Tokyo #Japan #hoteljunkie 79 3
I think @sezannetokyo ⁠has a #footfetish, and I’m ok with that. Truly fantastic lunch. Impeccable service. ⁠ 63 1
We had a really fun "Lost in Translation" moment at @meatman_roppongi. Google Translate failed hilariously. Delicious meat/fat overload anyway. Great staff, charming hospitality. Lots of sake. Thank you, @fstokyo for securing the reservation! #Tokyo #Roppongi #sake 76 1
Well, that was interesting.  A toast to 2022. And looking forward to ‘23. Cheers, and safe travels to all. 81 1
Brad A. Johnson
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Writer. Photographer. Traveler. Restaurant Critic.

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