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LOS ANGELES RESTAURANT NEWS |
OPENINGS
Kitchen 24 on Cahuenga Boulevard is opening a second location in West Hollywood. Expect a similar menu of gourmet diner grub. Kitchen 24, 8575 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood, CA 90069, 424-777-0959.
Downtown seafood destination Water Grill has re-opened after a month-long renovation. In addition to the new look, there's a new menu featuring dishes such as Mediterranean loup de mer along with signatures like Crisfield Maryland jumbo blue crab cakes. Water Grill, 544 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90071, 213-891-0900.
The new signature restaurant at L'Ermitage Beverly Hills, Livello, features the haute Italian-Asian cooking of executive chef Joseph Elevado, formerly of Nobu Los Angeles and Nobu Las Vegas. Some creations at this luxe venue include sea urchin and fluke sashimi, a 62-degree egg and black truffle, snow crab tempura, free-form oxtail ravioli, and seared Wagyu flatiron steak. Livello, L’Ermitage Beverly Hills, 9291 Burton Way, Beverly Hills, CA 90210, 310-278-3344.
From the fine folks at The Oaks Gourmet, a new neighborhood gastropub, Franklin & Company Tavern, has hit the Eastside. For libations, expect seasonal cocktails, rotating wines on tap, and rarer craft beers. Bar food features duckfat fries with black cherry ketchup, Scotch eggs, fried oysters Rockefeller and ale-braised clams; also find gourmet sandwiches --- pulled bourbon chicken and a lobster roll --- and entrees featuring lump crab cakes, steak frites, and mesquite-smoked baby back ribs. There's a bourbon-based Old Fashioned milkshake for dessert, too. Lunch & Dinner daily. Franklin & Company Tavern, 5923 Franklin Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90028, 323-463-1552.
A new Indian fast-casual spot, Urban Masala, has landed on Hollywood Boulevard. Expect wraps, bowls and plates featuring classics like chicken tikka masala, lamb curry, aaloo gobhi, and saag paneer, alongside samosas and naan. Beverages include lassis, chai and Indian sodas; a liquor license is on the way. Lunch & Dinner daily. Urban Masala, 6554 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, CA 90028, 323-957-9999 .
800 Degrees is a new pizza spot in Westwood that cooks Neopolitan pies in 60 seconds. The restaurant's name reflects the oven that can accomplish this at that temperature, offering pizzas ranging from a simple $5 Margherita to specialty pies sporting truffle cheese, rock shrimp, pine nuts and Scamorza (smoked provolone.) Also, expect salads, small bites like meatballs and roasted broccolini, a fresh burrata bar, and gelato from L.A. Creamery. Night owls take note: it's open until 2 a.m. Lunch & Dinner daily. 800 Degrees, 10889 Lindbrook Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90024, 424-239-5010.
In the former Royal Claytons space downtown, Ryan Sweeney (The Surly Goat) and Andre Guerrero (Oinkster, Maximiliano) have opened a Belgian-style pub called Little Bear. A long list of Belgian brews accompanies some haute pub grub like moules frites, a faro burger, chicken Waterzooi (the classic stew of Flanders), duck confit with dry cherry chutney, and cassoulet with white beans, pork belly and duck breast. Little Bear, 1855 Industrial St., Los Angeles, CA 90021, 213-622-8100.
Short Cake, the companion bakery to Nancy Silverton and the late Amy Pressman's burger spot, Short Order, is now open at The Original Farmer's Market. Sweet and savory items at the stall include twice-baked brioche with almond cream, a Comté and thyme croissant, feta scallion scones, Anson Mills corn muffins with cheddar and Hatch chiles, and chocolate cardamom cream cake. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner daily. Short Cake, 6333 W 3rd St., Los Angeles, CA 90036, 323-761-7976.
Chef Ludovic Lefebvre is bringing back his Los Angeles pop-up restaurant, LudoBites 8. This time he will be taking over the kitchen at Lemon Moon the evenings of January 18-20, 23-27, 30-31, February 1-3, 6-10, 13-15, 17, 20-22. Reservations are being assigned according to a lottery on Urbanspoon.com. There will also be a few walk-in seats available each night. For more information, visit www.ludolefebvre.com/ludo-bites. Chef Ludo has also teamed up with Bugaboo on a series of Ludo Baby Bites videos featuring healthy recipes for families. For more information, visit www.bugaboo.com/ludobabybites. LudoBites 8, 12200 W. Olympic Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90064, no phone.
Wild Thyme Bakery & Café, a South Pasadena favorite for 22 years, is being replaced by The Canoe House, slated for an early 2012 opening. The new restaurant will be a casual Hawaiian-fusion concept with a menu dominated by burgers, sausages and tropically inspired plates, plus a list of craft beers. The Canoe House, 805 Fair Oaks Ave., South Pasadena, California 91030, no phone.
U-Sushi, a quick-service concept where diners custom-design their own rolls, has opened in Beverly Hills. Customers select from about 40 fresh ingredients, including various fish, vegetables and sauces, which are then machine-pressed into a personalized sushi roll. U-Sushi is open for lunch and dinner daily. Lunch & Dinner daily. U-Sushi, 168 S. Beverly Dr., Beverly Hills, CA 90212, 310-777-7655.
Caulfield's, named after The Catcher in the Rye's famous protagonist, has opened on the lobby level of the Thompson Beverly Hills. Executive chef Cody Diegel has composed a menu of American bistro fare, featuring dishes such as tomahawk chop steak for two with homemade steak sauce. Caulfield's, Thompson Beverly Hills, 9360 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, CA 90212, 310-388-6860.
In West L.A., Freddy Smalls has opened with former Ubuntu chef Jeremy Fox and San Francisco's Plum alum Charlie Parker helming the stoves. This haute neighborhood bar and kitchen offers grub like steak tartare with smoked egg yolk, grilled Monterey squid, and house-made charcuterie including oxtail terrine and duck rillettes. Hailing from Seven Grand, David Fleisher has created a sophisticated handcrafted cocktail program. Dinner nightly. Freddy Smalls, 11520 Pico Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90064, 310-479-3000.
Brasserie/gastropub 3rd Street Station, with a design inspired by the great train stations of Europe, will open shortly on West 3rd Street. Proprietors Dion Rottman and dining/nightlife veteran Sky Reiss offer a menu that includes beer-battered fish and chips, New York strip with bordelaise sauce, house-made brats, and duck fat fries, all served in a space conceived by designer John Sofrio (Built, Inc.). The chef is Greg DeMichiel. The restaurant will be open 11 a.m.-2 a.m. daily. 3rd Street Station, 8486 W. 3rd St., Los Angeles, CA 90048, 323-782-8466.
Club owners/restaurateurs Guy Starkman and Darren Dzienciol (The Beverly, Jerry's Famous Deli) have opened Sherbourne in West Hollywood. Executive chef Keven Alan Lee (Lutece, Las Vegas) has created an haute classic American menu including savory onion funnel cakes, a grilled bone-in prime rib Tomahawk steak for two, plank-roasted salmon and barbecued prawns. Start off dinner with a "spud mixologist" offering choices from the gourmet rolling mashed potato cart. Artisan cocktails involve lots of muddling and infused liquors. Dinner Tues.-Sat. Sherbourne, 327 N. Sherbourne Dr., West Hollywood, CA 90048, 310-289-5942.
The folks behind Rustic Canyon Wine Bar & Seasonal Kitchen and Huckleberry Cafe & Bakery, Josh Loeb and Zoe Nathan, have opened Milo & Olive in Santa Monica. Morning breakfast includes baked eggs with roasted tomato and braised greens, in addition to a plethora of gourmet baked goods ranging from a cheesy rye biscuit to sweet cream brioche. Lunch and dinner feature fried local squid, braised beef short ribs, and artisan pizzas with house-made pork belly sausage, butternut squash and sage, and roasted potato with rosemary cream. Coffee is from Verve, and the boutique wine and beer list is short and select. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner daily. Milo & Olive, 2723 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica, CA 90403, 310-453-6776.
Frida Mexican Cuisine owner Vicente Del Rio has opened Casa Azul Cantina in the former Tengu space in Westwood Village. The concept offers a regional Mexican menu, but at a lower price point than Frida, plus a wide selection of tequilas. Some of the signature design elements --- including a massive, contemporary mural like the ones found in both the Beverly Hills and Glendale Frida restaurants --- are present. Casa Azul Cantina, 10853 Lindbrook Dr., Los Angeles, CA 90024, 310-209-0666.
Chef Govind Armstrong (Table 8 and 8 oz. Burger Bar) and Brad Johnson (BLT Steak, the original Roxbury, and Georgia) opened Post & Beam on January 10th in Baldwin Hills. The restaurant adds to the Crenshaw district's culinary offerings with dishes from a wood-burning oven and ingredients sourced from the chef's on-site garden. Some specialties include house-made pizzas and dishes like grilled octopus with green garbanzo, preserved lemon and cracked olive. Post & Beam, Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza, 3767 Santa Rosalia Dr., Los Angeles, CA 90008, 323-299-5599.
NEWS BYTES
Winter Cocktails at Ray's & Stark Bar
Ray's & Stark Bar has unveiled its winter cocktail menu. Standouts include Mike's Medicine from the "On the Rocks" section, featuring Tariquet Armagnac, Licor 43, lime and egg white. From the "hot cocktails," opt for Bobbin' for Bourbon (pictured), which is made with housemade apple-infused bourbon, raspberry rooibos tea, lemon and spiced simple syrup, then topped with freshly whipped cream and grated cinnamon. Ray's & Stark Bar, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 5905 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90036, 323-857-6180.
Tasting Menus Now Offered at ink.
The format at chef/owner Michael Voltaggio's ink. has been tweaked slightly, as of the new year. Instead of a standard small plates format, diners now have a choice between creating their own menus through an à la carte selection or having the chef create a tasting menu for them, similar to an omakase meal at a Japanese restaurant. A four-course tasting menu is available for $70, with an optional add-on of $45 for beverages. ink., 8360 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90069, 323-651-5866.
M.B. Post Adds Brunch
Chef David LeFevre is adding brunch service on the weekends at M.B. Post. The menu includes dishes like french toast stuffed with quince and ricotta, as well as the restaurant's popular bacon cheddar buttermilk biscuits. M.B. Post, 1142 Manhattan Ave., Manhattan Beach, CA 90266, 310-545-5405.
Major Culinary Prohibitions Begin in 2012
The arrival of 2012 brings two significant culinary prohibitions in the State of California, starting with shark's fin---shark's fin soup is a coveted, big-ticket item in Chinese restaurants---effective January 1, 2012. Foie gras, meanwhile, becomes contraband July 1, 2012.
CHEF SHUFFLE
Chef Brendan Collins (Waterloo & City) is once again overseeing the menu at the restaurant at Palihouse Holloway. One of his recent changes was adding a British-influenced prix-fixe brunch offered on Sundays. Palihouse Courtyard Brasserie, Palihouse Holloway, 8465 Holloway Dr., West Hollywood, CA 90069, 323-656-4100.
CLOSINGS
Salute Wine Bar in Santa Monica is closing at the end of January for renovation and retooling of the concept and name. The space is scheduled to re-open in mid-February. Salute Wine Bar, 2435 Main St., Santa Monica, CA 90405, 310-450-3434.
The Beachcomber at Malibu Pier has shuttered. However, its sister restaurant in Orange County, The Beachcomber at Crystal Cove, remains open. The Beachcomber at Malibu Pier, 23000 Pacific Coast Hwy., Malibu, CA 90265, no phone.
After fifteen years of preparing French fine dining at La Cachette in Century City, chef Jean-François Meteigner made the move to bistro cuisine in 2009. Unfortunately, La Cachette Bistro in Santa Monica has also closed as of January 1, 2012. La Cachette Bistro, 1733 Ocean Ave., Santa Monica, CA 90401, no phone.
Sai Sai, the modern Asian restaurant at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel downtown, is temporarily closed for renovations. Sai Sai, Millennium Biltmore Hotel Los Angeles, 501 S. Olive St., Los Angeles, CA 90013, 213-624-1100.
WeHo's Hamburger Hamlet flagship on Sunset Boulevard has closed after more than 60 years of service due to rising rents. There are future plans to reopen in Hollywood; meanwhile locations in Sherman Oaks and Pasadena remain open. Hamburger Hamlet, 9201 West Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90069, no phone.
After more than two decades of service, Celestino Drago has closed Drago in Santa Monica. The restaurateur, whose other establishments include DRAGO Centro and Enoteca Drago, decided not to renew the lease. Read more on GAYOT.com's blog. Drago, 2628 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica, CA 90403, 310-828-1585.
The West L.A. and Sherman Oaks branches of Mr. Cecil's California Ribs have closed with plans to re-open in new locations. The Manhattan Beach Mr. Cecil's remains open, and catering is also still available. Mr. Cecil's California Ribs, 1209 Highland Ave., Manhattan Beach, CA 90266, 310-546-5400.
Chef Evan Kleiman has closed her restaurant Angeli Caffe. The last day of service was January 13, 2012. Angeli Caffe, 7274 Melrose Ave., West Hollywood, CA 90046, no phone.
Chef Roy Choi (Kogi Korean BBQ-To-Go, Chego, A-Frame) has replaced Beechwood with a new dining concept called Sunny Spot. Beechwood, 822 Washington Blvd., Venice, CA 90292, no phone.
Typhoon's Pan Am Room at the Santa Monica airport has closed. It will now be used as a private space or as a quieter seating option when there are live jazz nights at sister restaurant Typhoon, which is located downtstairs and remains open. Typhoon's Pan Am Room, 3221 Donald Douglas Loop S., Third Fl., Santa Monica, CA 90405, no phone.
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Splurging at top-rated restaurants is fun for special events, but where can you go for a good quality meal that won't break the bank? Gather the change out of your piggy bank and sofa cushions and take it to one of our selections for the best cheap eats in your area. Also, check out our picks for the Top 40 Cheap Eats in the U.S.
