🥳 8 Years of Jamie's List

From Jamie’s Desk:

Eight years ago, I started sending an email to a handful of friends that just started like this: “I am trying something new. Because of my true love of food, I am going to be starting an email that pulls together all of my food recommendations all around the world.” The first restaurant I shared was Gymkhana, an Indian restaurant in London (still considered one of the best in the world). That was the whole plan. I had no idea what it was going to be. I wasn’t trying to do much but remember which spot had the best Sichuan and which one I'd promised myself I'd never go back to.

However at some point over the years, that changed. 

It turned into something entirely different. As the newsletter grew, I grew with it. The topics kept expanding — first restaurants, then films, then podcasts and books, then sports and culture, and eventually politics. It turned out I just wanted to share all of it. Whatever I was thinking about, eating, watching, or talking about — it ended up here.

Lately, politics dominates more of the conversation than I ever planned for. Some weeks it feels like every issue has to grapple with it — Trump's second term, ICE, the Supreme Court, the Bad Bunny halftime show backlash, it's hard to ignore and just write about my favorite dumpling. I'm not going to pretend I don't have opinions or that I'm going to hold them back. But I miss the version of this newsletter where I could write a thousand words on king cake and not feel like I was dodging something more important. Hopefully we get back to a time where every conversation doesn't somehow circle back to that topic. We're not there yet.

This week, I went back through every issue I've ever sent. I figured it'd be a fun exercise. First, I was surprised at how many of them there were. How many awkward photos I shared (like the one above), how many iterations there have been and how many random topics I discussed.

But the number that actually stopped me wasn't about restaurants, it was about the meals I have had. From the kitchen table to the restaurants, meals are where it all begins. Breaking bread is one of the most important parts of our society. If COVID taught us anything, it was that humans are social people, and we need to be out in the world, socializing and sharing meals. It is a way to get past our differences, and find common ground, a way to explore new cultures and meet new people. There was a time when my newsletter and my podcast were separate, as I felt like social issues and politics didn’t mix with food.

But I quickly realized that was exactly what was missing. These topics used to be discussed around a table, and now they are discussed through DMs and on social media. We need to all get back to the table with our friends and just as importantly, those we don’t see eye to eye with. I can guarantee you one thing: you might not agree on your political beliefs, but you will agree on the cornbread at Dunsmoor or the rice noodles at Yi Ji Shi Mo. 

Thank you to every subscriber, you are what makes this newsletter work. Thank you for the thousands of recs, and thank you for the support. To the readers who've been around since I was sending this to fifty people in 2018, and to those who are just getting their first issue today. Eight years in, I'm more excited about Jamie's List than I've ever been.

On this 8th anniversary, that is what I am asking of you: to keep sharing what is getting you excited. Whether it is a new book you couldn't put down, a burger joint you feel is underrated, or a new politician who inspired you. But I also have one more request. If you are not a paying member, become one. There is more to come from food events to books to reviews – but I can only do that with paying subscribers. You’ll get full access to my Zoom conversations, additional write-ups, and curated guides.

Plus, to commemorate the 8th year, if you sign up 8 friends – you’ll get a one year paid subscription for free.

Year nine starts now. Same plan as year one: tell you where to eat, who's worth eating with — and whatever else seems worth saying.

Discussed in this issue: Jamie’s List top 8 to celebrate 8 years, and my California candidate forum.

Have a restaurant rec, cultural gem, can’t-miss event, or a hot sauce that changed your life? Send it my way: [email protected]

🎧 Lunch With Jamie is available as a podcast—perfect for easy, on-the-go listening. Follow along on Apple, Spotify, or Amazon Podcasts, and don’t forget to like, subscribe, share, and comment. We want to hear from you!

🍴 Top 8 Restaurants Covered by Jamie’s List
This doesn’t mean they’re the best – but there were a few places that I just had to feature more than once. If you’ve been to these cities but haven't eaten at these places yet, that means you are not reading carefully enough. 

Anajak Thai (Los Angeles)
Justin Pichetrungsi transformed his parents' 40-year-old Sherman Oaks Thai spot into one of LA's most important restaurants, serving everything from perfect pad thai to weekend omakase dinners in the back alley. "TTT" Thai Taco Tuesday is what you want to try and come for, although reservations are next to impossible. But good luck finding a better wine list at any Thai restaurant in America.

Holbox (Los Angeles)
The L.A. Times named this the city's Restaurant of the Year, and they're not wrong — Gilberto Cetina and his family have been making some of the best Mexican food in L.A. for over two decades now. You order at the counter in Mercado de Paloma and hunt for a table, which might scare off your precious friends, but that's exactly what makes it so good.

Via Carota (New York City)
One of my favorite spots in NYC and as good as Italian food gets in America. Even the vegetables here are perfect — fresh ingredients, simply cooked, no fuss. The must-orders are the insalata verde and the Svizzerina, which is really just a chopped steak but might be one of the top 5 dishes in the world.

Torrisi (New York City)
An endeavor from Major Food Group, Torrisi sits somewhere else entirely. It’s more refined, more grown up, less theater. This is them flexing in a quieter, more serious way. The room is ridiculous, in a good way. It’s a sophisticated, adult restaurant – something I would personally like to see a little bit more of in LA. And of course, the food is worth writing about.

Gymkhana (London)
This place is so good that it inspired me to send an email about it — and thus, Jamie’s List was born. Gymkhana is inspired by the elite clubs of India where members of high society socialize, eat, drink, celebrate and play sport. The food is incredible and they have two Michelin Stars. A must-hit.

Em Sherif (London)
I’ve written about this spot recently, nestled inside of Harrods department store is some of the best Lebanese food I’ve ever had. Don’t skip their rice pudding, and if you’re in a rush check out the to-go offerings at the Harrods Fresh Market Hall.

Saba (New Orleans)
Situated on a corner uptown, this place is the setting for a perfect night. They have a great patio and a beautiful dining room, so you can’t go wrong in either place. Alon Shaya is the genius who has been making some of the best Israeli food anywhere in the US for almost a decade, with the help of his business partner and wife Emily (one of the best red bean and rice chefs in New Orleans).

Mandolin Aegean Bistro (Miami)
The courtyard here genuinely transports you to a Greek island—complete with midday wine flowing even on weekdays. The food delivers on every level, from exceptional grilled octopus to lamb and beef meatballs that actually taste like something your Greek grandmother would make. Plus you're in the Design District, so you can browse around before or after without feeling like you need to rush back to your car.

This week, Lunch With Jamie was a bit different. As we rapidly approach the California primary, with ballots due on Tuesday, I decided to host a virtual candidates forum. I want to give a special shoutout to Matt Littman, who helped me pull this off in just a few days, and to all of the candidates who participated. 

Our turnout was great, both in terms of audience and those vying for elected positions. We sent out invitations to most of the Democratic candidates for each race, and while some could not make it, we had a robust group.

So much so that the livestream went for 2.5 hours – giving each candidate 10 minutes to make their case to voters. Tom Steyer kicked us off by discussing his vision for California if he is elected Governor. He spoke candidly about the negativity associated with his billionaire status, and what he’d do to help the film industry flourish in the state. We then got the chance to hear from two candidates for Lt. Governor – Michael Tubbs and Josh Fryday. They both explained, in their own words, what the role even entails – and their goals should they be elected. 

And for those unsure of who to vote for in the State Insurance Commissioner race, we had two candidates: Jane Kim and Ben Allen. We also had some Congressional candidates join us. In CA-40, Esther Kim Varet joined to discuss why she’s the only person who can flip her red district to blue, and exciting newcomer Jake Levine explained why it’s time someone replaced Congressman Brad Sherman. For state Senate, Brian Goldsmith stopped by to explain his ambitious goals and why he left journalism to pursue politics. 

On a local level, we heard from LA city controller candidate Zach Sokoloff, mayoral candidates Mayor Karen Bass and Adam Miller (Nithya Raman was scheduled, but had to pull out at the last minute due to a personal emergency). We were also joined by Faizah Malik, who is running in city council district 11. 

This was a great forum, and I feel much better prepared to fill out my ballot now after hearing from the candidates. Thank you to all who joined, and if you missed it – you can listen to it as a podcast, or watch it on Youtube. 

You can listen to the full conversation on Youtube, or as a podcast on Apple, Spotify and Amazon.

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Today’s email was brought to you by: Jamie Patricof and Michaela Sullivan