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News for Restaurants in Los Angeles
November 2013 Archive

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LOS ANGELES RESTAURANT NEWS - NOVEMBER 2013 Archive


OPENINGS

Sushi purist Hiroyuki Naruke hails from Tokyo, and his new omakase-only spot is now open in downtown LA, called Q. A modern dining room offset with Japanese antiques holds 26 seats, including the sushi bar. Naruke’s Edo-style 20-course omakase menu features sashimi and nigiri sushi including bonito, scorpion fish, fresh abalone and whatever is most pristine that day. Dinner starts at $165 per person. A curated selection of sake, craft beer and wine is also available. Q, 521 W. 7th St., Los Angeles, CA 90014, 213-225-6285.
 
A new full-service restaurant/bar in Nordstrom at The Grove, Bar Verde, is now open. The farm-to-table menu features wild mushroom flatbread pizza, saké-marinated black cod and oven-roasted salmon. There’s a full bar, and a kids' menu with turkey sliders and a grilled cheese sandwich. Lunch & Dinner daily. Bar Verde, The Grove, 189 The Grove Dr., Los Angeles, CA 90036, 323-900-1610.
 
Brickworks Roasthouse & Grill has opened in Manhattan Beach Brickworks Roasthouse & Grill has opened in the South Bay shopping destination of Manhattan Village Mall. Chef Scott Raczek (Mr. Stox, OC) utilizes a cherry wood-burning smoker, a mesquite wood-burning wheel grill, and an almond wood-burning oven for his menu of meats, seafood and vegetables. Dishes include woodfire-roasted oysters, espresso-cured roasted brisket, roasted duck with plum sauce and Szechuan pancakes, and Mongolian lamb sirloin with ratatouille. Also find salads, sandwiches and burgers, a large bourbon menu, and an outdoor bar with a fire pit. Lunch & Dinner daily. Brickworks Roasthouse & Grill, Manhattan Village Mall, 3212 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Manhattan Beach, CA 90266, 310-545-9600.
 
Coming to Pasadena this winter is the second edition of restaurateur Steven Arroyo’s Escuela Taqueria concept, currently a favorite on Beverly Boulevard. The innovative Mexican eatery will be located at the One Colorado complex in Pasadena, where Sushi Roku, Il Fornaio and aka An American Bistro are situated around a central courtyard. The menu will feature tacos stuffed with intriguing fillings like responsibly raised duck, lobster, pork belly or branzino, accompanied by pickled nopales, habanero coleslaw and pumpkin seed gremolata. Exotic-flavored aguas frescas will be offered to wash down the tacos, and for dessert, churros. Escuela Taqueria, 24 E. Union St., Pasadena, CA 91003, no phone.
 
A new Lebanese spot, Open Sesame, which has two other Long Beach locations, has landed on Beverly Boulevard in the former Eva space. Expect Lebanese pizza, shawarma, falafel and soups and salads, in addition to specials like okra and lamb, baby squash stuffed with rice and ground beef, and Molokhia (garden mallow leaves) simmered with garlic, lemon juice, roasted chili and shredded chicken. Lunch & Dinner daily. Open Sesame, 7458 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90036, 323-525-1698.
 
Highland Park boasts a new French café and creperie, Chez Antoine. It was opened by former Café Figaro chef Guillaume Sabbadin, who hails from Toulon, France. Expect authentic savory crepes filled with ham and cheese, sunny-side-up eggs, seafood and mushrooms, as well as sweet versions with nutella and fruit. Other classics include onion soup, escargots, boeuf Bourguignon and profiteroles. A liquor license is in the works, but for now find imported French fruit ciders. Break, Lunch & Dinner Sat.-Sun., Dinner Tues.-Sun. Chez Antoine, 5511 N. Figueroa St., Los Angeles, CA 90042, 323-982-9480.
 
Echo Park Lake’s multi-million dollar rehab includes new lotus beds, paddleboats and the cute new café Square One at the Boathouse, an offshoot of East Hollywood favorite Square One Dining. Offering breakfast and lunch daily, menu items feature a breakfast sandwich with bacon on brioche, a breakfast burrito with squash blossoms, assorted baked goods, salads, burgers and sandwiches. Breakfast & Lunch daily. Square One at the Boathouse, 751 Echo Park Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90026, no phone.
 
A modern Asian nose-to-tail restaurant in Little Tokyo has opened, called B.o.s. (pronounced "boss" --- which comes from the Latin word bos, meaning cow, ox or bull). Co-owner Jun Isogai (Men Oh Tokushima Ramen) and chef David Bartnes express a mélange of Asian influences in dishes that range from roasted bone marrow with gochujang, crispy curried calves brain and back cheek risotto to Thai beef tataki, Hunan short rib and bone-in rib eye. Look for a small six-seat chef’s counter and a five-course omakase menu priced at $55. Dinner Tues.-Sat. B.o.s., 424 E. Second St., Los Angeles, CA 90012, 213-700-7834.
 
Restaurateur Bill Chait (Rivera, Bestia) and chef Walter Manzke (Bastide, Church & State, Petty Cash Taqueria) have opened their new bistro Republique in the former Campanile space. Manzke also plans to open a bakery-cafe with his pastry chef wife in the connected storefront, which was Nancy Silverton’s original flagship La Brea Bakery. Republique, 624 S. La Brea Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90036, 310-362-6115.
 
Restaurateur Matteo Ferdinandi has opened The Factory Kitchen in the Arts District. The stoves at this regionally inspired trattoria are helmed by chef Angelo Auriana (Valentino). His upscale traditional Italian fare is complemented by a wine list created by sommelier Francine Diamond-Ferdinandi. The Factory Kitchen, 1300 Factory Place, Los Angeles, CA 90013, 213-996-6000.
 
In Griffith Park, the Autry National Center of the American West has launched Crossroads West Cafe, offering an upscale, moderately priced dining experience that pays homage to some of the dishes of the American West. Specialties include a Baja California salad, fry bread tacos, chicken lettuce wraps and cowboy chili, alongside a full breakfast menu of eggs, pancakes, sandwiches and soups. In partnership with the cafe, the Autry is developing several new programs, including "Cowboy Lunch at the Autry" every third Wednesday at 12:30 p.m., in which Autry members and visitors can participate in casual discussions with Western filmmakers and stars. Breakfast & Lunch Tues.-Sun. Crossroads West Cafe, Autry National Center, 4700 Western Heritage Wy., Los Angeles, CA 90027, 323-495-4370.
 
Fin has opened on Washington Boulevard in Culver City, serving up craft cocktails and Asian-inspired cuisine. Expect yuzu yellowtail sashimi with diced jalapeño; baked crab hand rolls; seared steak carpaccio with Japanese vinaigrette; seared scallops with kiwi; and rock shrimp tempura in ponzu. Cocktails include the "Empire of the Sun," made with plum wine, sake and yuzu. Dinner nightly. Fin, 12223 Washington Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90066, 310-398-8611.
 
Former food truck breakfast fave Eggslut has opened a brick-and-mortar location in downtown L.A. at the Grand Central Market. The long counter space serves up gourmet egg sandwiches on a fresh-baked brioche bun, featuring the likes of the “Fairfax,” with soft scrambled eggs, chives, cheddar, caramelized onions and Sriracha mayo; also look for the signature specialty of a coddled egg on potato purée in a glass jar. Breakfast & Lunch daily. Eggslut, Grand Central Market, 317 Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90013, no phone.
 
Taiwanese dumpling legend Din Tai Fung has opened a large branch of its global franchise in the Americana at Brand. Expect the trademark soup dumplings, steamed dumplings, potstickers and noodles that are much beloved at the American flagship Arcadia location, along with a pricey set of truffle dumplings found only here, as well as a full bar. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner daily. Din Tai Fung, The Americana at Brand, 171 Caruso Ave., Glendale, CA 91210, 818-637-8982.
 
Former "Top Chef" contestant Alex Reznik (La Seine, FigOly) opened a contemporary American restaurant, Ditmas Kitchen & Cocktail. It is located at Pico and Robertson in the old Bocca Steakhouse space. Ditmas Kitchen & Cocktail, 8731 W. Pico Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90035, 310-271-9300.
 
Chef and restaurateur Dean James Max has opened James Republic, the new hotel restaurant at the Courtyard Long Beach Downtown serving “modern coastal California cuisine.” Expect a farm-to-table menu that changes daily, featuring dishes like wahoo poke and kimchi-braised pork with radish and Fuji apple. The bar program takes a seasonal approach with hand-crafted cocktails, house-made bitters and syrups, small-batch and locally distilled spirits. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner daily. James Republic, Courtyard Long Beach Downtown, 500 E. First St., Long Beach, CA 90802, 562-901-0235.
 
"Top Chef" contestant Antonia Lofaso (Black Market Liquor Bar) has opened a new restaurant called Scopa Italian Roots in Marina del Rey, CA. Scopa Italian Roots, 2905 Washington Blvd., Marina del Rey, CA 90292, 310-821-1100.
 

NEWS BYTES

W Los Angeles in Westwood Offers a Taste Of Switzerland in Los Angeles
The W Los Angeles in Westwood kicks off the 2013 winter season with Après, the new annual fête with winter chalet décor, fire pits, s’mores and fondue stations. Taking place at the transformed WET deck, the hotel poolside has been transformed into a Veuve Clicquot Après Ski Chalet, featuring specialty Veuve Champagne cocktails. Guests may reserve an Après cabana ($100) for a holiday gathering, and can also snap pictures at the on-site photo booth, and play foosball on the Veuve table. Après, 930 Hilgard Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90024, 310-208-8765, 877-946-8357.
 
Road Trip? Ricardo Zarate to Open Restaurant in Santa Barbara
Chef Ricardo Zarate (Mo-Chica, Picca, Paiche) and business partner Stephane Bombet are branching out beyond the Los Angeles area with Blue Tavern in Santa Barbara. This restaurant will open in November 2013 at the Hotel Indigo Santa Barbara at the State House and feature a Peruvian spin on California cuisine. Blue Tavern, Hotel Indigo Santa Barbara at the State House, 121 State St., Santa Barbara, CA 93101, 805-845-0989.
 

CHEF SHUFFLE

Waterfront favorite Cafe Del Rey welcomes new executive chef Chuck Abair (formerly of Water Grill and Morels French Steakhouse & Bistro). His just-launched, Mediterranean-inspired menus utilize ingredients from local artisans, farmers and seafood sourced daily from purveyors at the nearby Marina del Rey docks. Cafe Del Rey, 4451 Admiralty Way, Marina del Rey, CA 90292, 310-823-6395.
 

CLOSINGS

Chef Bernhard Mairinger's BierBeisl in Beverly Hills hosted its last night of regular dinner service on November 9, 2013. After a few months on hiatus, he intends to return with a new concept and new Westside location. BierBeisl, 9669 Santa Monica Blvd., Beverly Hills, CA 90210, no phone.
 
The aerospace-themed The Proud Bird near LAX, where watching approaching 747s is part of the ambiance, has announced it will be shutting its doors, unable to negotiate a new lease. The Proud Bird, 11022 Aviation Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90045, 310-670-3093.
 

CULINARY EVENTS
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