Brite Spot's New Pie Regime - L.A.

The Echo Park mainstay Brite Spot is in the midst of a significant overhaul by its owner, Dana Hollister.

Hollister has added an outdoor patio and hired a new chef, Darby Aldaco, who used to work at Animal. And while we're all for eating Aldaco's Italianate pulled-pork sandwich ($11.50) outdoors in the company of man's best friend, we're most excited about the pie-related developments.

Darby Aldaco's pies are grand, somewhat messy confections. The banana cream pie is haphazardly crisscrossed with lines of chocolate and caramel, and dusted with crumbled Oreos; the sharp filling of the key-lime pie hides under a mussed cap of whipped cream. The latter is our current favorite. From the tart bite of the filling to that fluffy top of cream and a finely gritty graham cracker crust, it's a great diner pie.

When you eat a slice ($5 each) of either, it is quickly apparent that this is practiced sloppiness, an aesthetic that matches the shamelessly loud flavors. These aren't pies that ask you to examine the delicate laminate structure of their crust, or to consider the impeccable provenance of the fruit they're filled with; these are pies to gleefully stuff into your face. 

The Brite Spot, 1918 W. Sunset Blvd., Echo Park; 213-484-9800 or facebook.com/thebritespot