News for Restaurants in Los Angeles
February 2017 Archive

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LOS ANGELES RESTAURANT NEWS - FEBRUARY 2017 Archive

OPENINGS

Copenhagen-based brewer Mikkel Borg Bjergsø and business partner Chuck Stilphen have already delivered ambitious taprooms/restaurants to cities like Reykjavik, San Francisco and Seoul. The duo took over a 100-year-old, 7,600-square-foot building in downtown L.A. to open Mikkeller Bar. Mikkeller Bar, 330 W Olympic Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90015, 213-596-9005.

Baja California’s renowned chef Diego Hernandez (Corazon de Tierra) will soon open a contemporary Mexican restaurant, Verlaine, in West Hollywood in the former Dominick’s space on Beverly Boulevard. Verlaine, 8715 Beverly Blvd., West Hollywood, CA 90048, 424-288-4621.

Friends & Family Hospitality (Horse Thief BBQ, Café Birdie) have opened the Sunset Junction-adjacent Bar Angeles. Look for a menu of seasonal casual plates from chef Joey Booterbaugh (Café Birdie) and a fairly serious cocktail list alongside craft beers and wine. Bar Angeles, 4330 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90029, 323-741-8371.

Sherman Oaks now has its very own chicken and waffles experience at Donny’s Breakfast Spot on Ventura Boulevard. Expect generous breakfast plates with many Southern comfort food iterations of fried chicken with waffles, eggs and pancakes, as well as catfish, salmon croquettes, omelets and burgers. Breakfast & Lunch daily. Donny's Breakfast Spot, 13701 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks, CA 91423, 818-510-0686.

Krimsey’s Cajun Kitchen has opened in North Hollywood, serving authentic vegan Cajun food made by chef/owner Kristen “Krimsey” Ramsey, a native of Baton Rouge. All items are 100 percent free of cholesterol, soy, nuts, dairy, meat and eggs. Look for dishes such as gumbo, jambalaya, po’ boys, hushpuppies and beignets. Krimsey’s Cajun Kitchen, 12906 Victory Blvd., North Hollywood, CA 91606, 818-308-6166.

In Spring 2017, chef Jordan Kahn (Red Medicine) will open Vespertine, a fine dining destination in Culver City’s Hayden Tract across from his current breakfast/lunch spot, Destroyer. Collaborating with the new building’s architect, Eric Owen Moss, Kahn is inspired by ideas of architecture and the music of John Cage in his upcoming tasting menu that will be priced at $250 per person. Vespertine, 3599 Hayden Ave., Culver City, CA 90232, no phone.

A new location of Jimmy’s Famous American Tavern (JFAT) has opened in Santa Monica. Expect regional American cuisine with an artisanal touch for lunch, brunch and dinner. Featured dishes include whiskey shrimp; sirloin & black bean chili; the Cowboy burger with onion fritters, bacon and cheddar; fried chicken; baby-back ribs and grilled rib-eye. Also find a wide selection of beer in bottles and on tap, wine and cocktails like the Cucumber Cooler and Gin Gin Mule. Jimmy’s Famous American Tavern, 1733 Ocean Ave., Santa Monica, CA 90401, 424-292-5222.

Oasis Mediterranean Cuisine has opened on La Cienega Boulevard offering signature, house-special mixed grills, mezze and kebabs. After dinner look for hookah, mint tea and an array of desserts including baklava, osmalieh and ishtah with honey. Lunch & Dinner daily. Oasis Mediterranean Cuisine, 1663 S. La Cienega Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90035, 310-276-2747.

The first American outpost of Chengdu Impression has opened in Arcadia, bringing authentic Sichuan cuisine and an expansive, airy, modern dining room to Angelenos. This 37th branch of the restaurant features six chefs straight from Chengdu, China. Look for a $45, 11-course Chef’s Tasting Meal that includes mapo tofu, wheat buns with spicy beef, chicken with Sichuan green peppercorn sauce and the signature eight-hour pork belly. Upstairs is a special Sichuan tea room. Lunch & Dinner daily. Chengdu Impression, 21 E. Huntington Dr., Arcadia, CA 91006, no phone.

Wanderlust Creamery will open in spring 2017 in Atwater Village. Expect gourmet, handcrafted ice cream nodding to global palates in cones and cups. Flavors will range from seasonal (mascarpone + blueberry elderflower, apple wasabi sorbet, violet marshmallow) to signature, like sticky rice + mango, ube malted crunch, honey lavender and Earl Grey. Coffee and tea will also be offered. Wanderlust Creamery, 3134 Glendale Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90039, no phone.

Bacari GDL has opened in Glendale at The Americana at Brand. Look for fire-roasted and Mediterranean dishes from executive chef/owner Lior Hillel. Small plates range from oxtail with doah spice, toasted buckwheat and shaved radish to banana prawns with pipel chuma, farro and parsley salad. Handcrafted pastas and pizzas include the likes of foie gras Cresto de Gallo pasta with shaved terrine, onion jam, house-made ricotta, chervil and bacon, and double cream Brie pizza with organic tomato sauce and fresh jalapeño. Expect craft cocktails alongside a curated selection of beer and wine. This is the third location of the Venetian tavern concept; the others are Bacari PDR and Bacaro L.A. Lunch & Dinner daily. Bacari GDL, The Americana at Brand, 757 Americana Way, Glendale, CA 91210, 818-696-1460.

The folks behind Peruvian favorite Los Balcones in Hollywood have opened The Parker Room in the former space of Chavela Comida y Sangria. This cozy cocktail lounge pays tribute to the site's history as a jazz club where legends like Charlie Parker and Miles Davis once played. The Parker Room, 1358 Vine St., Hollywood, CA 90028, 323-745-0041.

Farmer Boys has opened on Hollywood Boulevard, offering high-quality made-to-order burgers, salads and hearty breakfasts. The fast-casual franchise, which sources many ingredients from local farmers, is growing throughout California and Nevada. This airy, modern eatery offers up several new cult-favorite burgers for Hollywood locals --- particularly the “Farmer’s Burger”: two beef patties topped with bacon, cheese, lettuce, tomato and fresh guacamole. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner daily. Farmer Boys, 5519 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, CA 90028, 323-466-0073.

Drink Houz is a new wellness-inspired café in Westlake (near Silver Lake) featuring a seasonal menu of mostly vegan and vegetarian offerings. Look for salads like the winter special with quinoa, kale, butternut squash and rosemary maple dressing; bowls with creamy polenta, pesto and runny egg; and sandwiches such as a green melt with roasted radicchio, pear, spinach and Havarti. Breakfast & Lunch daily. Drink Houz, 3231 W. Temple St., Los Angeles, CA 90026, 213-378-0529.

Dominique Ansel will open a bakery and restaurant in Los Angeles

French pastry chef Dominique Ansel, chef/owner of Dominique Ansel Bakery and Dominique Ansel Kitchen, announced he'll be opening a bakery and full-service restaurant in Los Angeles. (The address has not yet been confirmed.) Patrons routinely line up for his famous invention the "Cronut," a half croissant-half doughnut. His other signature creations include "Frozen S'mores" and "Cookie Shots."

Restaurateur Stéphane Bombet and chef Scott Conant opened The Ponte

Restaurateur Stéphane Bombet (Faith & Flower, Hanjip) and chef Scott Conant (Scarpetta) have opened The Ponte, a modern Italian restaurant in the former space of Terrine. Conant's famous spaghetti pomodoro is, of course, on the menu, alongside charcuterie, antipasti, wood-fired pizzas and dishes like roasted lamb neck with raisins, smoked eggplant, goat cheese and pine nut crumble. The Ponte, 8265 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90048, no phone.

Bone Kettle brings the flavors of Southeast Asia to Pasadena. Chef Erwin Tjahyadi’s (Komodo) long-simmering soup recipe uses beef tendon, knuckles and marrow along with spices, and cooks for 36 hours. It’s served with Temoni ramen noodles, condiments, vegetables and choices of oxtail, pork belly, chicken breast and brisket. Other dishes from Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore include gado gado, fried chicken and warm cassava cake with avocado ice cream and coconut. Bone Kettle, 67 N. Raymond Ave., Pasadena, CA 91103, 626-795-5702.

Tower 12 is the new beach-town casual kitchen and bar from chef Brendan Collins (Birch), opening in February 2017. The space will feature vintage relics, furnishings and artwork that reflect the neighborhood’s laid-back surf and beach culture and history. A California-inspired menu looks to update American classics including shareable bar bites, wood-fired pizzas, sandwiches, salads and entrées. Located on a second story deck with ocean views, the restaurant will have a wraparound, wooden outdoor balcony. Tower 12, Hermosa Pier, 53 Pier Ave., Hermosa Beach, CA 90254, no phone.

Chef Phillip Frankland Lee (Scratch Bar & Kitchen) will open Frankland's Crab & Co. in the space that was intended for Oh Man! Ramen. Frankland's Crab & Co., Encino Place, 16101 Ventura Blvd., #250, Encino, CA 91436, no phone.

NEWS BYTES

Yamashiro Announces New Late Night Happy Hour
Yamashiro in Hollywood is debuting a new late night happy hour --- the "Lucky 7" --- offering handcrafted cocktails, sushi and light Asian-fusion dishes all priced at $7 each. This special menu is available in the restaurant's indoor lounge Monday through Thursday from 9 p.m. to closing. Bites range from ahi poke, crispy chicken and salt and pepper fried calamari to banana leaf baked pork spring rolls. Sushi lovers can enjoy selections including truffle hamachi, spicy tuna crispy rice, pistachio salmon and the "Reclining Buddha." Specialty cocktails feature the "Japanese Slipper" and "100 Year Mai Tai," and there’s red and white wine, Prosecco and draft beer. Yamashiro, 1999 N. Sycamore Ave., Hollywood, CA 90068, 323-466-5125.

The Federal Bar’s New Cocktail Hideaway
In the NoHo Arts District The Federal Bar has launched its new upstairs cocktail hideaway, “The Salon.” The cocktail menu is the brainchild of mixologist Damian Windsor (The Roger Room), offering classics and signature variations. Look for the Horse’s Neck, a version of a mule with Laird’s applejack, ginger beer, Angostura bitters and citrus oil, and the Suissesse, an old New Orleans-style cocktail that combines absinthe, crème de menthe, cream, egg white, grated almond and mint. Lush décor features velour wallpaper and brick walls, lounge seating in a library with red velvet drapes, a baby grand piano, Edison lighting and a wood bar that adjoins an island bar. Call ahead to make sure the lounge is open, since performances in the adjacent showroom sometimes take priority. Guests can generally count on cocktails Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nights from 8 p.m. until late hours. The Salon at The Federal Bar, 5303 Lankershim Blvd., North Hollywood, CA 91601, 818-980-2555.

The Los Angeles Times Launches Food Bowl
The Los Angeles Times has launched Food Bowl, which will celebrate L.A.’s food scene throughout the month of May and promote social awareness about food waste and hunger. From May 1-31, hundreds of events will be on the schedule via programs with restaurants, chefs, bars, coffee shops, food trucks, hotels and markets. Night Market, happening May 10-14, will bring an outdoor dining experience to Grand Park that will include 50 restaurants and food trucks, drinks and live entertainment each evening. The Times Food staff, including Jonathan Gold, will host events during the festival. The lineup of events and charity partners will be announced on April 1. Visit the official site for updates on the L.A. Times Food Bowl.

The James Beard Foundation will announce the 2017 awards nominees at a.o.c.

James Beard Foundation to Announce 2017 Awards Nominees at a.o.c.
The James Beard Foundation will announce the 2017 James Beard Foundation Awards nominees at a live press conference at a.o.c., the wine bar/restaurant from Suzanne Goin and Caroline Styne, on March 15, 2017. The event will take place at 9 a.m. and will be streamed via the James Beard Foundation's Facebook Live channel. The 2017 James Beard Awards Gala will take place on May 1, 2017, at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. For more information, visit the official website. a.o.c., 8700 W. Third St., Los Angeles, CA 90048, 310-859-9859.

CHEF SHUFFLE

Check back soon for more news.

CLOSINGS

After 62 years, the iconic Trader Vic’s has sadly said aloha at The Beverly Hilton hotel in Beverly Hills. The space will be revamped into a new, yet unannounced, concept. There are still 18 other Trader Vic’s locations around the world to visit, though the closest one to LA is in Emeryville, Calif. Trader Vic's, The Beverly Hilton, 9876 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, CA 90210, no phone.

Spanish-styled Bar Moruno closed at the Grand Central Market on February 26, 2017. Bar Moruno, Grand Central Market, 317 S. Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90013, no phone.

In Santa Monica, Joe Miller's Bar Pintxo closed in February 2017 following a decade-long run. Bar Pintxo, 109 Santa Monica Blvd., Santa Monica, CA 90401, no phone.

Atwater Village is losing longtime favorite Canelé in May 2017 due to rising rents. It’s reported that Gjelina duo David Wilcox and Guy Tabibian will open their restaurant Journeymen in the space, focusing on seasonal vegetable dishes. Canelé, 3219 Glendale Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90039, 323-666-7133.

Eagle Rock’s beloved brunch and bakery spot, Auntie Em’s Kitchen, closed after 15 years. Owner Terri Wahl will focus exclusively on her catering business, The Spotted Hen Catering, and teaching cooking classes in South Pasadena at Urban Kitchen. Auntie Em's Kitchen, 4616 Eagle Rock Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90041, 323-255-0800.

CULINARY EVENTS
Want to learn to cook? Try new dishes? Meet a foodie friend for fun? Check out our compilation of culinary events in your area.

View our calendar of Wine Dinners & Tastings in Los Angeles

Discover the top restaurants in Los Angeles for various cuisines and categories like sushi, steakhouses, pizza, happy hours, romantic dining and even gourmet food trucks. Find the best restaurants in LA here!

BEYONCE INSPIRED LIBATIONS

Try these whiskey cocktails inspired by Beyoncé's Cowboy Carter album.

Check the recipes.

BOURBON IN YOUR AIOLI

This cashew aioli recipe gets a kick with bourbon.

Get the recipe.

GAYOT'S RESTAURANT AWARDS

Over the years, we have been electing restaurants to be on GAYOT's Yearly Restaurant Awards.

Check the list.

News for Restaurants in Los Angeles February 2017 Archive

News for Restaurants in Los Angeles
February 2017 Archive