News for Restaurants in Los Angeles
April 2012 Archive

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LOS ANGELES RESTAURANT NEWS - APRIL 2012 Archive

OPENINGS

Scheduled to open early summer is FiOLA, a new restaurant at the Luxe City Center Hotel, across the street from L.A. Live. Former "Top Chef" contestant Alex Reznik will be the executive chef, offering California seasonal cuisine with Northern Italian influences. The second-floor restaurant will include a dining room, a bar/lounge, as well as an outdoor patio with fire pit, water feature and skyline views. Mixologist Matt Biancaniello, from The Hollywood Roosevelt's Library Bar, is creating a garden-to-glass cocktail program. Breakfast, lunch and dinner will be served daily. FiOLA, 1020 S. Figueroa St., Los Angeles, CA 90015, 213-748-1291, 888-336-3745.

Los Angeles International Airport from above

The dining options at Los Angeles International Airport will significantly improve with the opening of several new restaurants at LAX Terminal 4 later this year. These include locations of chef Mark Peel's Campanile, French dip sandwich spot Cole's, and La Provence Patisserie & Café. Los Angeles International Airport, Terminal 4, Los Angeles, CA 90045, no phone.

Silver Lake's new neighborhood Italian spot is Lago D'Argento Pizzeria on Hyperion Boulevard. Executive chef Jay Mendoza (former a pastry chef at The Churchill and Ortolan) offers house-made pizza dough for 13 kinds of signature pies, including the vegetarian with braised fennel, caramelized leeks, mushrooms, red onion and sweet basil. Also expect salads, meatballs, homemade pasta and desserts like butterscotch budino and white chocolate bread pudding. There's a full bar with artisan beers and select wines. Dinner nightly. Lago D’Argento Pizzeria, 2611 N. Hyperion Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90027, 323-300-5500.

Seasons 52, which bills itself as a "fresh grill and wine bar restaurant," has announced plans to open two Los Angeles area branches this fall. They will be located at Westfield Century City and the Palisades Promenade in Santa Monica. The menus will offer seasonally inspired items such as steak and cremini mushroom flatbread and cedar plank salmon. As at the other locations, no dish will exceed 475 calories. Seasons 52, Palisades Promenade, 120 Broadway, Santa Monica, CA 90401. Seasons 52, Westfield Century City, 10250 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90067, no phone.

Celebrity chef Jet Tila is partner and food and beverage director at Santa Monica's new nightlife venue The Charleston. The lounge-style space sports 1930's décor and features live entertainment nightly from burlesque to bands, DJs, and dueling pianos. The culinary scene spotlights pop-up restaurants with special menus from guest chefs and Tila himself. From the regular menu, expect small plates of haute American comfort food like bacon-wrapped dates; short rib tacos; flatbread with Nueske's bacon, quail egg and smoked cheese; grilled salmon; and orange-buttermilk panna cotta. Specialty cocktails range from classic Sazeracs to the Cucumber Cooler and Poison Rose. Dinner nightly. The Charleston, 2460 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica, CA 90403, 310-828-2115.

Simmzy's, the popular Manhattan Beach gastropub, will open its second location later this month in the Belmont Shore area of Long Beach. The menu features salads, a variety of burgers and other sandwiches, wood-fired pizzas and more, plus 30 rotating beer taps. Lunch and dinner will be served daily, with brunch on weekends. Lunch & Dinner daily, Brunch Sat.-Sun. Simmzy’s, 5271 E. Second St., Long Beach, CA 90803, 562-439-5590.

On Sunset, the former and beloved bar Ye Coach and Horses has been transformed into a new gastropub, The Pikey, by the creators of Il Covo and Roger Room. Ralph Johnson, formerly of NYC's The Spotted Pig, helms the stoves and offers a menu of snacks, small and large plates and desserts. Expect items including crispy pig's ear salad, fish and chips, braised bacon, vinegar chicken and grilled flat iron steak. Specialty cocktails are created by Damian Windsor (Roger Room). Dinner nightly. The Pikey, 7617 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90046, 323-850-5400.

Western-themed Hollywood saloon Outpost is now open on Cahuenga, replete with cowskulls, fireplaces, mason jar glasses and a slew of LCD TVs. Expect a menu of American comfort food under $10, featuring pulled pork fries, sweet whiskey wings, roast beef hamburger, BLT salad, and fried chicken. Specialty drinks include Texas Tea, Southern Lemonade and an 84-ounce beer tower for $15.95. Outpost, 1624 N. Cahuenga Blvd., Hollywood, CA 90028, 323-464-7678.

Following hot on the heels of his new A1 Cucina, Giacomino Drago has just opened Yojisan Sushi on North Beverly Drive. This new sister restaurant of Bel Air's Sushi House Unico (SHU) is named after Drago's partner and sushi chef, Yoji Tajima. The space features clean lines and light; expect a full sushi menu and contemporary Japanese cuisine including Nabeyaki udon, miso black cod tacos, shitake tempura, hamachi and burrata, baby abalone and uni, Kobe beef tobanyaki and lobster escabeche. Lunch Mon.-Sat., Dinner Nightly. Yojisan Sushi, 260 N.Beverly Dr., Beverly Hills, CA 90210, 424-245-3799.

In Beverly Hills, Danilo Terribili (Alto Palato) has become managing partner with Giacomino Drago at the former Il Buco Ristorante on Robertson, which has now morphed into A1 Cucina Italiana. It's named for the famous autostrada linking Naples and Milan via Rome. Former Alto Palato chef Fredy Escobar helms the stoves and has created a traditional Italian menu drawing on different regional specialties. Expect dishes such as trippa alla Romana, slow-stewed oxtail, sautéed veal kidney and artichokes, pan-seared Mediterranean dorade and handmade pastas. The wine list is from Italy and California. Lunch Mon.-Fri., Dinner nightly. A1 Cucina Italiana, 107 No. Robertson Blvd., Beverly Hills, CA 90211, 310-657-6028.

Planet Dailies at The Original Farmers Market

Planet Dailies, a spinoff concept from Planet Hollywood, is now open at The Original Farmers Market at Third and Fairfax. The modern eatery updates classic fare with dishes ranging from Caprese sliders, Tex-Mex egg rolls and crab and lobster cakes, to entrees like spinach and peaches salad, and ham and fig pizza. Mixology101 is the restaurant's lounge, which features artisan cocktails from mixologist Salvatore Calabrese like the Velvet Rosa, made with Bacardi Superior, peach schnapps, cranberry juice, fresh white peach puree and champagne, then garnished with a rose petal. Planet Dailies & Mixology101, The Original Farmers Market, 6333 West 3rd St., Los Angeles, CA 90036, 323-370-6560.

Palms' newest Japanese hot spot is Chef Niki Nakayama's tiny, refined n/naka. The former chef/owner of the all-female Azami creates an artful 13-course modern kaiseki tasting menu, as well as a nine-course chef's tasting menu and a 10-course vegetarian tasting menu. Seasonal sashimi and cooked dishes include Maine lobster tartare with uni butter, English pea soup with a pan-seared Hokkaido scallop, and oysters "shinjo" with radish broth. Dinner is by reservation only, and reservations are requested one week in advance. n/naka, 3455 Overland Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90034, 310-836-6252.

The former Salute Wine Bar in Santa Monica has re-opened as Brick + Mortar with a new design and gastropub menu. Dishes range from a cheeseburger with balsamic onions to salmon with curried lentils and kale to pizzas topped with short ribs, blue cheese and arugula. Brick + Mortar, 2435 Main St., Santa Monica, CA 90405, 310-450-3434.

NEWS BYTES

David Myers’ Next Project
Chef David Myers (Comme Ca) is creating a new restaurant for The Century luxury condominium building in Century City. The menu will take inspiration from the Silk Road, a historical trade route that stretched from Europe to Southeast Asia. Comme Ca, 8479 Melrose Ave., West Hollywood, CA 90069, 323-782-1104.

International Bento Boxes Offered at STREET This Summer
Chefs Susan Feniger and Kajsa Alger will offer international bento boxes at Susan Feniger's STREET this summer, ideal for events like concerts, parades and picnics. Each World Flavor Bento Box consists of a tasting of the following items: Burmese melon salad with coconut, lentils and peanut; Japanese potato salad with edamame, cucumber and shiso dressing; deviled egg with red Sriracha, green Sriracha and Indian reshampatti; Roman Broccoli with white beans, garlic and pecorino cheese; and garden tomatoes with black garlic and basil vinaigrette. There will also be entrée such as Malaysian stir-fry noodles with shrimp and baby bok choy; Japanese mustard spinach and marinated tofu; or Ethiopian beef stew with sweet potato, as well as dessert. Each box serves one person and costs $30. The boxes begin opening night of the Hollywood Bowl and conclude at the end of the season. Susan Feniger's STREET, 742 N. Highland Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90038, 323-203-0500.

New Desserts at NINETHIRTY
Executive chef Dakota Weiss has introduced a new dessert menu at NINETHIRTY. These "Something Sweet" options include stout sticky toffee pudding with milk chocolate stout ice cream and toffee sauce; lemon basil ricotta beignets with black pepper chocolate dip and balsamic strawberry dip; and Meyer lemon-pineapple panna cotta with vanilla phyllo crisp and Serrano pepper syrup. NINETHIRTY, W Los Angeles Westwood, 930 Hilgard Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90024, 310-443-8211.

Small Plates, Big Pours at Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar
Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar is offering a Small Plates, Big Pours promotion in the bar area through May 10, 2012. For $24.95, guests can select a small plate (sliced filet mignon, seared ahi tuna, lobster tempura, etc.) paired with an oversized wine pour. The selections range from Cakebread Sauvignon Blanc from Napa Valley to Penley Estate Gryphon Merlot from Australia. Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar, 6373 Topanga Canyon Blvd., Woodland Hills, CA 91367, 818-346-1005.

More Mo-Chica
Chef Ricardo Zarate (Picca) is opening a second location of Mo-Chica in downtown Los Angeles on Seventh Street. The restaurant will be called Mo-Chica on 7 and, unlike the original Mercado La Paloma branch, will have a full liquor license. Mo-Chica, Mercado La Paloma, 3655 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90007, 213-747-2141.

Wolfgang Puck Launches iPhone App
Chef Wolfgang Puck (Spago Beverly Hills, CUT, etc.) has launched an app for iPhone and iPod touch that's available for free from the App Store. The Wolfgang Puck - Live Love Eat! app features new recipes, cooking and technique video demonstrations, one-touch calling for restaurant reservations and more. For more information, visit itunes.apple.com. Spago Beverly Hills, 176 N. Canon Dr., Beverly Hills, CA 90210, 310-385-0880.

Fig & Olive Branches Out to Orange County
West Hollywood's Fig & Olive is branching out to Orange County. A location of the Mediterranean restaurant will open at Newport Beach's Fashion Island in 2013. It will occupy its own structure with a terra cotta ceiling, limestone stucco walls, and rosemary and olive trees. As at its sister establishments, the menu will feature shareable small plates (e.g. fig-Gorgonzola tartlet, zucchini carpaccio) and dinner entrées such as seared sea scallops with truffle artichoke tapenade. Fig & Olive, 8490 Melrose Place, West Hollywood, CA 90069, 310-360-9100.

Coriander crusted foie gras at Melisse (photo by Matt Kiefer)

“Foie for All” Tasting Menu at Melisse
Melisse chef/owner Josiah Citrin is presenting a multi-course "Foie for All" tasting menu until the ban on foie gras goes into effect in California July 1, 2012. After a foie gras pre-amuse and amuse-bouche, foie gras torchon and crispy foie gras are served with red beets, asparagus and aged balsamic, followed by truffled foie gras agnolotti with chicken oysters and its consommé. The third course is dayboat scallop "Rossini," then Dover sole and poached foie gras with fava beans, Vidalia onions and morels. Next, Citrin serves prime rib-eye and braised beef cheek with cured foie gras, leeks, mushrooms, and a foie gras parfait. Even desserts are made with foie gras. The "Foie for All" menu is offered nightly Tuesday through Saturday until the dark day of July 1, when foie gras becomes illegal in the Golden State. The cost is $185 per person, not including tax and gratuity. For reservations, call 310-395-0881. Melisse, 1104 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica, CA 90401, 310-395-0881.

CHEF SHUFFLE

Chef Christophe Émé, who in early 2011 shuttered his fine French restaurant Ortolan, has announced tentative plans for his next dining venture. He intends to open a casual restaurant serving charcuterie, salads, sandwiches and pizza.

Jean-Pierre Bosc has been named the new executive chef at Kendall's Brasserie & Bar, the Patina Restaurant Group's venue at the Music Center. For more than a decade, Bosc was owner and executive chef of Mimosa, on Beverly Boulevard, and Café des Artistes, in Hollywood. His experience cooking with French legends like Michel Rostang lends a degree of sophistication to Bosc's unpretentious bistro dishes. Kendall’s Brasserie & Bar, The Music Center, 135 N. Grand Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90012, 213-972-7322.

Young (and talented) chef Ari Taymor, most recently of Saluté Wine Bar (now Brick + Mortar), can be found at a pop-up called Alma at Millie's in Silver Lake. It will operate Thursday through Sunday nights until early May 2012. The tasting menu, comprising around seven courses, costs $55. There are also future plans to relocate Alma to a permanent space. For more information, visit alma-la.com. Alma at Millie's, 3524 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90026, [email protected].

STK welcomes David Gussin, most recently of Mercato di Vetro, as executive chef. His culinary influences include Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Latin and Caribbean cuisines, so expect some new recipes with global flavors. STK, 755 N. La Cienega Blvd., West Hollywood, CA 90069, 310-659-3535.

CLOSINGS

Gonpachi in Beverly Hills closed at the end of January. The Torrance location of Gonpachi in the Miyako Hybrid Hotel remains open. Gonpachi, 134 N. La Cienega Blvd., Beverly Hills, CA 90211, 310-659-8887.

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

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News for Restaurants in Los Angeles April 2012 Archive

News for Restaurants in Los Angeles
April 2012 Archive