A Tí (Los Angeles, CA)
A Ti Restaurant
1498 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90026
213-290-3857
www.atilosangeles.com
Thu 09/25/2025, 08:25p-10:20p
You might remember that back in June, I reported on an experience I had at Shibumi. In that post, I mentioned that David Schlosser's Echo Park kushikatsu joint Kushiba had been replaced by A Tí (short for para ti, or "for you"), a contemporary-casual Mexican spot by Chef Andrew Ponce. I'd been wanting to try A Ti ever since its pop-up days, hence this recent visit.
About the Chef: A Southern California native, Andrew "Drew" Ponce was born in March 1990, the son of a Zacatecan father and a Michoacana mother, both of whom actually didn't expose him all that much to Mexican culture. He initially grew up in Culver City, though later on, his family moved to Covina. After finishing up at Northview High School in 2008, he eventually made his way to the Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Pasadena, training there from January 2010 to May 2012. Following completion of his AA degree, he secured employment at Ruth's Chris Steak House, where he stayed for roughly three years beginning at the start of 2013.
In August 2015, after an eye-opening meal at Animal, Ponce took on a second job at the original location of Jon & Vinny's, which had just opened that April. His next move came the following August, when he began cooking under mentor Ori Menashe at Bestia, eventually achieving the rank of Chef de Cuisine over the course of four-and-a-half years. This was followed by a stint at the short-lived Onda (which opened in October 2019 and closed in April 2020) as well as experience at Taco María. Working with Carlos Salgado is what inspired Ponce to cook Mexican professionally, and in support of that goal, he and girlfriend Anna Kawanishi (b. May 1995) founded the pop-up version of A Tí in 2021.
Around the same time, he also started working at Avner Lavi's Cento Pasta Bar, and would later move A Tí into a space behind the West Adams eatery. Plans for a permanent incarnation of A Tí began after the shutter of Kushiba in late summer 2024. Via an introduction by Kawanishi (who worked there), Kushiba's former beverage director Dave Fernie (of E Stretto fame) offered Ponce the space for an A Tí residency. Said residency commenced on September 25th (so yes, I happened to visit on the spot's one-year anniversary) and proved successful, thus allowing the team to remain in place.
Inside, things haven't changed much from the Kushiba days despite the place's radical shift in concept.
Here we see A Tí's pleasantly compact menu, featuring Chef Ponce's takes on LA-inflected Mexican, along with the restaurant's selection of cocktails (originally the creation of Fernie, though now it's more of a group effort), wine, beer, sake, mezcal, and amari. Note also the list of birthday-only specials. Click for larger versions.
Aguachile [$22.00] | hokkaido scallop, squid ink, fresno chili, cucumber
I got things going with an antojito, which seemed like the right thing to do. I appreciated how the depth of the squid ink bolstered the inherent brininess of those scallops, all while heat and herb were crucial for contrast. A promising start.
Los Angeleno Margarita [$9.00] | Angeleno amaro, shochu, sake
I was able to sample four cocktails tonight, and this first one did a commendable job capturing the essence of the classic margarita despite its nontraditional ingredients. I especially liked the savory, salty notes present, which worked swimmingly with the drink's generally sour, citrusy disposition.
Camarones [$5.00] | fried shrimp, cabbage slaw, tomato
In my first taco, the shrimp were not overcooked as I'd feared, but instead showed off a nice "snap" and salinity, and certainly made sense with the brighter nature of that slaw. Also very apropos was the tortilla, a properly maize-forward example that served as the consummate vessel for consumption.
Tostada [$18.00] | tuna, aioli, salsa negra
The tuna tostada was a favorite, largely due to how well the smokiness from the salsa melded with the oceany qualities of the fish. At the same time, I enjoyed this almost fruity sweetness underpinning the dish, while that creamy allioli helped tie everything together.
Atí-ni [$17.00] | empirical ayuuk pasilla, mezcal, japanese gin, vermouth, hoja santa oil
This was undoubtedly the most visually interesting cocktail of the night, but it delivered in the taste department, too. What stood out to me the most was the yerba santa, which lent a grassy, herbaceous, oily element that really complemented the drink's savory, earthy, multifaceted booziness.
Oyster Mushroom [$6.00] | cheese crust, oyster mushroom, urfa, salsa aguacate, salsa negra
The mushroom taco combined its considerable amounts of umami with a healthy dose of cheesiness, while a bevy of zippy, piquant flavors helped even things out.
Tomato Salad [$19.00] | Munak Ranch tomatoes, nopales, whipped feta, salsa negra
The tomato salad managed to be a surprise standout. The key really was the back-and-forth between the tomatoes and the cactus, both in terms of taste and texture. Simultaneously, the salsa proffered an overarching smoky heat, and that base of creamy, salty feta really brought it all together.
Paloma [$15.00] | espadín mezcal, plum, lime, grapefruit soda
Unsurprisingly, this was the most easy-going cocktail of the quartet, and I quite enjoyed its interplay between the mezcal's smokiness and the sweet, fruity weight of the plum.
Mole [$27.00] | crispy duck confit, 700-day old date mole, lime crema, pickles
Obviously, I had to try Chef Ponce's signature dish, which reportedly incorporates a Pujol-esque mole madre. Said mole was initially on the sweeter side, really showcasing the character of the advertised date. However, its fruitiness was kept in check by the sauce's nuttier, spicier nuances. Meanwhile, the duck leg was spot-on, arriving as juicy and falling-off-the-bone tender as I was hoping for, with a delightfully crispy skin to boot. The bird paired well with both the bright, zesty notes from the crema and the acidity from the pickles, especially when wrapped up in one of those blue corn tortillas, apparently house-made using masa from Kernel of Truth Organics.
Sweet Potato [$5.00] | satsumaimo, lime crema, chile morita, herbs
I'm generally not a huge fan of sweet potato, often finding the root veggie overly sugary. Fortunately, said sugariness never got overwhelming in this taco thanks to the contributions from the herbs, lime-boosted cream, and especially the nutty heat from that salsa morita.
Old Fashioned [$17.00] | bourbon, piloncillo, orange peel
My final cocktail met the mark as well, playing the caramel-like, brown sugar-y qualities of piloncillo against a plethora of boozy, bitter, and herbaceous notes.
Coppa [$49.00] | iberico pork, creamy beans, charred cabbage, epazote
Last up was ibérico pork shoulder, a tender, fatty, juicy cut served on the rarer side, with a nice bit of char. Given the heft of the meat, I appreciated the moderating effect of those beans, while even more crucial was the crunch and bitterness provided by the cabbage.
At the end of the night, I was presented with a complimentary slice of chocolate cake, which someone had brought in celebration of the restaurant's first birthday.
I was bummed that Kushiba closed before I could try it (didn't even last five months), but A Tí is a worthy replacement. What Ponce is doing here is pretty compelling, offering up his personal interpretation of Mexican cookery, rendered through a modern-leaning, Angeleno-influenced lens. The end result is food that's in many ways familiar, yet somehow a bit unexpected. A strong addition to the Echo Park dining scene that will hopefully continue to evolve.
1498 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90026
213-290-3857
www.atilosangeles.com
Thu 09/25/2025, 08:25p-10:20p
You might remember that back in June, I reported on an experience I had at Shibumi. In that post, I mentioned that David Schlosser's Echo Park kushikatsu joint Kushiba had been replaced by A Tí (short for para ti, or "for you"), a contemporary-casual Mexican spot by Chef Andrew Ponce. I'd been wanting to try A Ti ever since its pop-up days, hence this recent visit.
About the Chef: A Southern California native, Andrew "Drew" Ponce was born in March 1990, the son of a Zacatecan father and a Michoacana mother, both of whom actually didn't expose him all that much to Mexican culture. He initially grew up in Culver City, though later on, his family moved to Covina. After finishing up at Northview High School in 2008, he eventually made his way to the Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Pasadena, training there from January 2010 to May 2012. Following completion of his AA degree, he secured employment at Ruth's Chris Steak House, where he stayed for roughly three years beginning at the start of 2013.
In August 2015, after an eye-opening meal at Animal, Ponce took on a second job at the original location of Jon & Vinny's, which had just opened that April. His next move came the following August, when he began cooking under mentor Ori Menashe at Bestia, eventually achieving the rank of Chef de Cuisine over the course of four-and-a-half years. This was followed by a stint at the short-lived Onda (which opened in October 2019 and closed in April 2020) as well as experience at Taco María. Working with Carlos Salgado is what inspired Ponce to cook Mexican professionally, and in support of that goal, he and girlfriend Anna Kawanishi (b. May 1995) founded the pop-up version of A Tí in 2021.
Around the same time, he also started working at Avner Lavi's Cento Pasta Bar, and would later move A Tí into a space behind the West Adams eatery. Plans for a permanent incarnation of A Tí began after the shutter of Kushiba in late summer 2024. Via an introduction by Kawanishi (who worked there), Kushiba's former beverage director Dave Fernie (of E Stretto fame) offered Ponce the space for an A Tí residency. Said residency commenced on September 25th (so yes, I happened to visit on the spot's one-year anniversary) and proved successful, thus allowing the team to remain in place.
Inside, things haven't changed much from the Kushiba days despite the place's radical shift in concept.
Here we see A Tí's pleasantly compact menu, featuring Chef Ponce's takes on LA-inflected Mexican, along with the restaurant's selection of cocktails (originally the creation of Fernie, though now it's more of a group effort), wine, beer, sake, mezcal, and amari. Note also the list of birthday-only specials. Click for larger versions.
Aguachile [$22.00] | hokkaido scallop, squid ink, fresno chili, cucumber
I got things going with an antojito, which seemed like the right thing to do. I appreciated how the depth of the squid ink bolstered the inherent brininess of those scallops, all while heat and herb were crucial for contrast. A promising start.
Los Angeleno Margarita [$9.00] | Angeleno amaro, shochu, sake
I was able to sample four cocktails tonight, and this first one did a commendable job capturing the essence of the classic margarita despite its nontraditional ingredients. I especially liked the savory, salty notes present, which worked swimmingly with the drink's generally sour, citrusy disposition.
Camarones [$5.00] | fried shrimp, cabbage slaw, tomato
In my first taco, the shrimp were not overcooked as I'd feared, but instead showed off a nice "snap" and salinity, and certainly made sense with the brighter nature of that slaw. Also very apropos was the tortilla, a properly maize-forward example that served as the consummate vessel for consumption.
Tostada [$18.00] | tuna, aioli, salsa negra
The tuna tostada was a favorite, largely due to how well the smokiness from the salsa melded with the oceany qualities of the fish. At the same time, I enjoyed this almost fruity sweetness underpinning the dish, while that creamy allioli helped tie everything together.
Atí-ni [$17.00] | empirical ayuuk pasilla, mezcal, japanese gin, vermouth, hoja santa oil
This was undoubtedly the most visually interesting cocktail of the night, but it delivered in the taste department, too. What stood out to me the most was the yerba santa, which lent a grassy, herbaceous, oily element that really complemented the drink's savory, earthy, multifaceted booziness.
Oyster Mushroom [$6.00] | cheese crust, oyster mushroom, urfa, salsa aguacate, salsa negra
The mushroom taco combined its considerable amounts of umami with a healthy dose of cheesiness, while a bevy of zippy, piquant flavors helped even things out.
Tomato Salad [$19.00] | Munak Ranch tomatoes, nopales, whipped feta, salsa negra
The tomato salad managed to be a surprise standout. The key really was the back-and-forth between the tomatoes and the cactus, both in terms of taste and texture. Simultaneously, the salsa proffered an overarching smoky heat, and that base of creamy, salty feta really brought it all together.
Paloma [$15.00] | espadín mezcal, plum, lime, grapefruit soda
Unsurprisingly, this was the most easy-going cocktail of the quartet, and I quite enjoyed its interplay between the mezcal's smokiness and the sweet, fruity weight of the plum.
Mole [$27.00] | crispy duck confit, 700-day old date mole, lime crema, pickles
Obviously, I had to try Chef Ponce's signature dish, which reportedly incorporates a Pujol-esque mole madre. Said mole was initially on the sweeter side, really showcasing the character of the advertised date. However, its fruitiness was kept in check by the sauce's nuttier, spicier nuances. Meanwhile, the duck leg was spot-on, arriving as juicy and falling-off-the-bone tender as I was hoping for, with a delightfully crispy skin to boot. The bird paired well with both the bright, zesty notes from the crema and the acidity from the pickles, especially when wrapped up in one of those blue corn tortillas, apparently house-made using masa from Kernel of Truth Organics.
Sweet Potato [$5.00] | satsumaimo, lime crema, chile morita, herbs
I'm generally not a huge fan of sweet potato, often finding the root veggie overly sugary. Fortunately, said sugariness never got overwhelming in this taco thanks to the contributions from the herbs, lime-boosted cream, and especially the nutty heat from that salsa morita.
Old Fashioned [$17.00] | bourbon, piloncillo, orange peel
My final cocktail met the mark as well, playing the caramel-like, brown sugar-y qualities of piloncillo against a plethora of boozy, bitter, and herbaceous notes.
Coppa [$49.00] | iberico pork, creamy beans, charred cabbage, epazote
Last up was ibérico pork shoulder, a tender, fatty, juicy cut served on the rarer side, with a nice bit of char. Given the heft of the meat, I appreciated the moderating effect of those beans, while even more crucial was the crunch and bitterness provided by the cabbage.
At the end of the night, I was presented with a complimentary slice of chocolate cake, which someone had brought in celebration of the restaurant's first birthday.
I was bummed that Kushiba closed before I could try it (didn't even last five months), but A Tí is a worthy replacement. What Ponce is doing here is pretty compelling, offering up his personal interpretation of Mexican cookery, rendered through a modern-leaning, Angeleno-influenced lens. The end result is food that's in many ways familiar, yet somehow a bit unexpected. A strong addition to the Echo Park dining scene that will hopefully continue to evolve.
posted by kevinEats at
8:25 PM
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