Holbox (Los Angeles, CA) [2]
Holbox Tasting Menu
3655 S Grand Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90007
213-986-9972
www.holboxla.com
Wed 04/01/2026, 08:00p-09:30p
I first reported on Chef Gilberto Cetina Jr.'s Holbox (pronounced hole-bosh by the way--took me far too long to realize that) back in early 2018, not long after the place opened. I was quite happy with my meal at the Yucatán-inspired marisquería, and I haven't been the only one. Over the years, the restaurant's fame and acclaim have continued to grow, and we can even chart Holbox's ascendancy via its climb up the LA Times' annual "101 Best Restaurants" ranking:
Given all this praise, which I imagine was largely driven by Cetina's omakase-esque mariscos degustación, I felt compelled to return, try the tasting menu, and file another dining report.
Holbox is situated inside Mercado La Paloma, a "cultural hub and food hall" in Historic South Central, just as it has always been. However, its home at stall #C9 has seen its footprint grow, as a six-week expansion ending in early May 2023 resulted in the addition of more ceviche counter seats (it now accommodates 16) and more kitchen space, along with a prominently-displayed seafood dry-aging case.
Pictured above is the view from my seat at the counter, fourth position from the end. Note that the section of the kitchen to the right was dedicated to the tasting menu (served to ten people tonight), while standard à la carte dishes were still being prepared in the rest of the space.
Tonight's 10-course tasting menu was priced at a prepaid $130 a head, plus 11.5% tax and 18% service, making for a grand total of $168.36. Unfortunately, your beverage options are limited to water and lemonade; no alcohol is sold, and BYOB isn't allowed. Click for larger versions.
1: Conchas | oysters, geoduck ceviche
Up first was a trio from the raw bar:
The complimentary Acqua Panna awaiting me at my seat was a nice gesture.
2: Ceviche de Erizo con Sheephead | Live Santa Barbara sea urchin and local line caught sheephead
California sheephead is a local species that Cetina views as underutilized on restaurant menus, hence its appearance tonight. This particular example was line-caught around the Channel Islands, and was paired with its typical prey of red sea urchin. It showed off a tender, yet slightly chewy texture that I found satisfying, while its taste was on the sweeter side, and almost crab-esque at times. In fact, the sheephead was actually sweeter than the urchin, which possessed a restrained minerality that actually served as a smart counterpoint to the fish. At the same time, elements of citrus and herb worked effectively to tie the two components together.
Chef Cetina showing off his sheephead.
3: Tostada de Atun | Baja bluefin tuna tartar, sinaloa style salsa negra, charcoal seared belly
Next up was the first of two tostadas raspadas. Cetina made sure to draw attention to the tostada itself, which was made by first cooking a housemade tortilla on only one side a la plancha; the resultant raw masa layer is then scraped off, and the remaining tortilla dehydrated and fried, giving it an almost chicharrón-like consistency--crunchy for sure, but with a smidge of softness and chew. This tostada acted as a base for a delightfully sweet-n-savory bluefin tartare prepared with a Sinaloan-y salsa negra, on top of which was a slice of binchotan-seared belly from the same fish. That charred belly was crucial, since it offered a smokiness that overarched the entire dish, in essence functioning as a cohesive force while also serving as a contrast to the tostada's undercurrents of heat and maíz.
4: Raspada de Pate con Camaron | Kanpachi head pate, Santa Barbara spot prawn, roasted prawn head fat emulsion
As delicious as that first tostada raspada was, this second one might've been even better. In this case, the tortilla was made with blue corn, and showed off a more overtly crispy texture. Placed on top of it was a pâté of kanpachi head and chunks of raw New Caledonian prawns marinated in an emulsion of roasted shrimp head fat, lime juice, and chili oil. The key here really was that head fat, with its remarkable depth and intensity, which played off the softer qualities of the amberjack in expert fashion, perked up by just the right amount of heat.
A Mason jar of sparkling lemonade was also provided gratis. Think classic lemonade flavors, but with a pleasant fizziness that perks up the palate.
5: Sopa de Calabaza | butternut squash, dungeness crab and purple sea urchin
Purple sea urchin occupies the same habitat as the red sea urchin above, and is generally considered less desirable, but Cetina made good use the ingredient tonight. The erizo conveyed an earthy salinity that melded surprisingly deftly with the sweet, nutty characteristics of that crab stock-braised butternut purée. Meanwhile, a mound of Dungeness meat with uni and crab butter folded in served as a light, oceany element that really completed the dish.
6: Tlapique | Local rockfish cooked in corn husk, hoja santa, squash blossom, white ayocote beans, epazote oil
A standout for me was this nod to pre-Hispanic cookery, a sort of tamal-like creation, but one made without any masa. What we had was citrus zest-cured vermilion rockfish (one of the Chef's favorite fishes and one of the most abundant in SoCal) with hoja santa, tomato, onion, and squash blossom, wrapped in a corn husk and cooked in ashes, accompanied by stewed black ayocote beans and finished with epazote. I think the crux here was the one-two punch of yerba santa and epazote, which resulted in a mélange of spicy, pungent, herbaceous nuances that complemented the fish in a beguiling, multifaceted manner that really spoke to me. Simultaneously, the long-cooked runner beans worked as a hefty, homey element, and I liked the dish's tingly touch of heat to boot.
7: Tamal de Abulon | Baja california abalone, yucatan style masa colada, abalone liver mole, sesame seed, fennel
This is ostensibly the Chef's favorite course, and it just might be mine as well. It was an homage to the tamales de masa colada of Cetina's childhood, wherein his mother would make a very soft masa by combining the dough with chicken stock; this would then be run through a sieve, hardened on the stove top, and turned into a tamal. In that spirit, tonight we had masa prepared with seafood broth, poured into an abalone shell, wrapped in banana leaves, then steamed. The corn thus possessed a finer-than-usual consistency, while flavors were familiar and cozy, expertly juxtaposing with tender, toothsome slices of abalone and a wonderfully nutty, chocolatey mole incorporating the abalone's liver as well as plantains. Nice bit of brightness from the shaved fennel, too.
8: Taco de Jaiba | dungeness crab, house smoked yellowtail, oaxaca cheese, crab butter salsa macha
This rather fetching blue corn taco dorado came stuffed with steamed Dungeness and smoked yellowtail, along with locally-made queso Oaxaca. The sweetness of the crab was well conveyed, augmented just a tad by the yellowtail and cheese, all while that dollop of salsa cruda brightened up the dish. However, my favorite thing here was that crab fat-enriched salsa macha, with its nutty, prickly heat and oceany funk--I really could've used some bread to mop up.
9: Camaron a la Talla | Grilled Santa Barbara spot prawn, scallop & crab stuffed prawn head
Our final savory course featured an ingredient that's both the Chef's favorite as well as arguably the most iconic to come out of Southern California. Spot prawns were prepared simply--basted with a little butter, salted, and barbecued over charcoal--resulting in a some delectably sweet, smoky flavors accented by a discernable butteriness. Stuffed with a diver scallop-Dungeness mousse and cooked separately, the shrimps' heads were even tastier, arriving teeming with that deep, sweet, saline goodness I was looking for.
Given the messy nature of the dish above, moistened napkins were subsequently provided--a thoughtful touch.
10: Elote & Maracuya | corn custard and passion fruit sauce
Dessert consisted of a sweet, delicately maize-y custard with a topping of super tangy passion fruit.
Having tried the regular dishes at Holbox before, I had some idea of what to expect with the tasting menu, but I'm glad to report that said expectations were well exceeded. Cetina's cooking does a great job highlighting local seafood, presenting it in ways that mash up the traditional and the classic with the innovative and the creative, resulting in cuisine that boasts a palpable vibrancy, joy, and panache. I have to imagine that this is the quintessential mariscos experience in the Southland--it's certainly the best I've had.
3655 S Grand Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90007
213-986-9972
www.holboxla.com
Wed 04/01/2026, 08:00p-09:30p
I first reported on Chef Gilberto Cetina Jr.'s Holbox (pronounced hole-bosh by the way--took me far too long to realize that) back in early 2018, not long after the place opened. I was quite happy with my meal at the Yucatán-inspired marisquería, and I haven't been the only one. Over the years, the restaurant's fame and acclaim have continued to grow, and we can even chart Holbox's ascendancy via its climb up the LA Times' annual "101 Best Restaurants" ranking:
- 2017: #39 (combined with Chichen Itza, which I didn't, and don't agree with)
- 2018: Included, but unranked due to Jonathan Gold's passing (again combined with Chichen Itza)
- 2019: #36 (once again combined with Chichen Itza)
- 2020: Included, but unranked due to the pandemic (combined with Chichen Itza for the last time, finally)
- 2021: Included, but unranked due to the pandemic
- 2022: #13
- 2023: #5
- 2024: #5
- 2025: #1 (but under the banner of Mercado La Paloma, which seems like a bit of a cop out)
Given all this praise, which I imagine was largely driven by Cetina's omakase-esque mariscos degustación, I felt compelled to return, try the tasting menu, and file another dining report.
Holbox is situated inside Mercado La Paloma, a "cultural hub and food hall" in Historic South Central, just as it has always been. However, its home at stall #C9 has seen its footprint grow, as a six-week expansion ending in early May 2023 resulted in the addition of more ceviche counter seats (it now accommodates 16) and more kitchen space, along with a prominently-displayed seafood dry-aging case.
Pictured above is the view from my seat at the counter, fourth position from the end. Note that the section of the kitchen to the right was dedicated to the tasting menu (served to ten people tonight), while standard à la carte dishes were still being prepared in the rest of the space.
Tonight's 10-course tasting menu was priced at a prepaid $130 a head, plus 11.5% tax and 18% service, making for a grand total of $168.36. Unfortunately, your beverage options are limited to water and lemonade; no alcohol is sold, and BYOB isn't allowed. Click for larger versions.
1: Conchas | oysters, geoduck ceviche
Up first was a trio from the raw bar:
- I began with a ceviche of Pacific Northwest geoduck. I was a fan of the clam's combination of suppleness and snap, while its subtle, saline-sweetness worked like a charm with the fruity heat of a chile de árbol salsa, while dots of avocado purée contributed a moderating creaminess. I quite liked the contributions from the red onion and tomato, too. A strong start.
- An Oishi oyster highlighted the back-and-forth between a refreshing cucumber aguachile and smoked trout roe, all layered over the milder flavor profile of the bivalve.
- The Grassy Bar from Morro Bay is apparently the Chef's favorite ostra, and tonight he presented it with a lump of kaluga caviar, which managed to boost the bite's salinity factor while still letting the oyster shine.
The complimentary Acqua Panna awaiting me at my seat was a nice gesture.
2: Ceviche de Erizo con Sheephead | Live Santa Barbara sea urchin and local line caught sheephead
California sheephead is a local species that Cetina views as underutilized on restaurant menus, hence its appearance tonight. This particular example was line-caught around the Channel Islands, and was paired with its typical prey of red sea urchin. It showed off a tender, yet slightly chewy texture that I found satisfying, while its taste was on the sweeter side, and almost crab-esque at times. In fact, the sheephead was actually sweeter than the urchin, which possessed a restrained minerality that actually served as a smart counterpoint to the fish. At the same time, elements of citrus and herb worked effectively to tie the two components together.
Chef Cetina showing off his sheephead.
3: Tostada de Atun | Baja bluefin tuna tartar, sinaloa style salsa negra, charcoal seared belly
Next up was the first of two tostadas raspadas. Cetina made sure to draw attention to the tostada itself, which was made by first cooking a housemade tortilla on only one side a la plancha; the resultant raw masa layer is then scraped off, and the remaining tortilla dehydrated and fried, giving it an almost chicharrón-like consistency--crunchy for sure, but with a smidge of softness and chew. This tostada acted as a base for a delightfully sweet-n-savory bluefin tartare prepared with a Sinaloan-y salsa negra, on top of which was a slice of binchotan-seared belly from the same fish. That charred belly was crucial, since it offered a smokiness that overarched the entire dish, in essence functioning as a cohesive force while also serving as a contrast to the tostada's undercurrents of heat and maíz.
4: Raspada de Pate con Camaron | Kanpachi head pate, Santa Barbara spot prawn, roasted prawn head fat emulsion
As delicious as that first tostada raspada was, this second one might've been even better. In this case, the tortilla was made with blue corn, and showed off a more overtly crispy texture. Placed on top of it was a pâté of kanpachi head and chunks of raw New Caledonian prawns marinated in an emulsion of roasted shrimp head fat, lime juice, and chili oil. The key here really was that head fat, with its remarkable depth and intensity, which played off the softer qualities of the amberjack in expert fashion, perked up by just the right amount of heat.
A Mason jar of sparkling lemonade was also provided gratis. Think classic lemonade flavors, but with a pleasant fizziness that perks up the palate.
5: Sopa de Calabaza | butternut squash, dungeness crab and purple sea urchin
Purple sea urchin occupies the same habitat as the red sea urchin above, and is generally considered less desirable, but Cetina made good use the ingredient tonight. The erizo conveyed an earthy salinity that melded surprisingly deftly with the sweet, nutty characteristics of that crab stock-braised butternut purée. Meanwhile, a mound of Dungeness meat with uni and crab butter folded in served as a light, oceany element that really completed the dish.
6: Tlapique | Local rockfish cooked in corn husk, hoja santa, squash blossom, white ayocote beans, epazote oil
A standout for me was this nod to pre-Hispanic cookery, a sort of tamal-like creation, but one made without any masa. What we had was citrus zest-cured vermilion rockfish (one of the Chef's favorite fishes and one of the most abundant in SoCal) with hoja santa, tomato, onion, and squash blossom, wrapped in a corn husk and cooked in ashes, accompanied by stewed black ayocote beans and finished with epazote. I think the crux here was the one-two punch of yerba santa and epazote, which resulted in a mélange of spicy, pungent, herbaceous nuances that complemented the fish in a beguiling, multifaceted manner that really spoke to me. Simultaneously, the long-cooked runner beans worked as a hefty, homey element, and I liked the dish's tingly touch of heat to boot.
7: Tamal de Abulon | Baja california abalone, yucatan style masa colada, abalone liver mole, sesame seed, fennel
This is ostensibly the Chef's favorite course, and it just might be mine as well. It was an homage to the tamales de masa colada of Cetina's childhood, wherein his mother would make a very soft masa by combining the dough with chicken stock; this would then be run through a sieve, hardened on the stove top, and turned into a tamal. In that spirit, tonight we had masa prepared with seafood broth, poured into an abalone shell, wrapped in banana leaves, then steamed. The corn thus possessed a finer-than-usual consistency, while flavors were familiar and cozy, expertly juxtaposing with tender, toothsome slices of abalone and a wonderfully nutty, chocolatey mole incorporating the abalone's liver as well as plantains. Nice bit of brightness from the shaved fennel, too.
8: Taco de Jaiba | dungeness crab, house smoked yellowtail, oaxaca cheese, crab butter salsa macha
This rather fetching blue corn taco dorado came stuffed with steamed Dungeness and smoked yellowtail, along with locally-made queso Oaxaca. The sweetness of the crab was well conveyed, augmented just a tad by the yellowtail and cheese, all while that dollop of salsa cruda brightened up the dish. However, my favorite thing here was that crab fat-enriched salsa macha, with its nutty, prickly heat and oceany funk--I really could've used some bread to mop up.
9: Camaron a la Talla | Grilled Santa Barbara spot prawn, scallop & crab stuffed prawn head
Our final savory course featured an ingredient that's both the Chef's favorite as well as arguably the most iconic to come out of Southern California. Spot prawns were prepared simply--basted with a little butter, salted, and barbecued over charcoal--resulting in a some delectably sweet, smoky flavors accented by a discernable butteriness. Stuffed with a diver scallop-Dungeness mousse and cooked separately, the shrimps' heads were even tastier, arriving teeming with that deep, sweet, saline goodness I was looking for.
Given the messy nature of the dish above, moistened napkins were subsequently provided--a thoughtful touch.
10: Elote & Maracuya | corn custard and passion fruit sauce
Dessert consisted of a sweet, delicately maize-y custard with a topping of super tangy passion fruit.
Having tried the regular dishes at Holbox before, I had some idea of what to expect with the tasting menu, but I'm glad to report that said expectations were well exceeded. Cetina's cooking does a great job highlighting local seafood, presenting it in ways that mash up the traditional and the classic with the innovative and the creative, resulting in cuisine that boasts a palpable vibrancy, joy, and panache. I have to imagine that this is the quintessential mariscos experience in the Southland--it's certainly the best I've had.
posted by kevinEats at
8:00 PM
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