News for Restaurants in Los Angeles
August 2015 Archive

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LOS ANGELES RESTAURANT NEWS - AUGUST 2015 Archive

OPENINGS

Portland chef Andy Ricker’s anticipated Thai restaurant Pok Pok LA has opened in Chinatown. The 200-seat restaurant spans two stories of Mandarin Plaza, and includes a bar/lounge and courtyard patio. Expect Ricker’s signature Northern Thai specialties featured on the Pok Pok PDX menu, and dishes from his Whiskey Soda Lounge on the bar menu. Pok Pok LA, 978 N. Broadway Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90012, 213-613-1831.

WeHo’s hit spot Salt’s Cure will be relocating to Highland Avenue in Hollywood this fall, taking over the former Ammo space. Chef/owners Zak Walters and Chris Phelps will serve the same California-sourced menu at their twice-as-big new restaurant, which will include a patio and a full bar. It will serve breakfast, lunch, dinner and weekend brunch. The West Hollywood location will remain open until the new restaurant debuts. Ammo, meanwhile, is moving to a new Melrose location. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner daily, Brunch Sun. Salt's Cure, 1155 Highland Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90038, no phone.

Look for a new giant brewpub arriving from Cedd Moses (Seven Grand, Cole’s) and Brian Lenzo (Blue Palms Brewhouse), the Arts District Brewing Company, located on Traction Avenue. Beer-maker Devon Randall with be on board creating distinctive brews for the bar/restaurant, which will also feature a rooftop area and Skee-Ball. Arts District Brewing Company, 830 Traction Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90013, No phone.

The sprawling new Le Petit Paris, set in a historic 1913 hotel lobby on Spring Street in DTLA, offers multi-level seating, an outdoor patio, a coffee lounge and a boutique marketplace dishing up all things French. The venue is from Cannes restaurateurs David and Fanny Rolland. Le Petit Paris, El Dorado Building, 418-420 S. Spring St., Los Angeles, CA 90013, 213-217-4445.

Sausal in El Segundo serves early California rancho recipes reimagined by chef Anne Conness

Expect early California rancho recipes reimagined by chef Anne Conness (Tin Roof Bistro) at El Segundo’s new Sausal. The restaurant is named after Rancho Sausal Redondo (Round Willow Ranch), the vast farmstead that once encompassed El Segundo and most of the South Bay. The “nuevo rancho cuisine” blends traditional Hispanic ingredients with local farmers market fare. Dinner nightly. Sausal, 219 Main St., El Segundo, CA 90245, 310-322-2721.

Gardner Junction inhabits a former Red Car trolley stop location, reimagined by Spacecraft designers with a nostalgic nod to mid-century train travel. In the dining room, bar and outdoor patio, chef/owner Steve Brown (Inn of the Seventh Ray, Monsieur Marcel) offers an American farm-to-table menu of small plates like foie gras and squid ink waffles, and 72-hour braised short ribs. Expect a boutique Califonia wine list by the glass, craft beers and 10 artisanal cocktails. Gardner Junction, 1451 N. Gardner St., West Hollywood, CA 90046, 323-450-9021.

Alexander's Steakhouse has taken over the former McCormick & Schmick's space in Pasadena. The restaurant, which also has locations in San Francisco and Cupertino, features certified Angus beef as well as imported Wagyu. Alexander's Steakhouse, 111 N. Los Robles Ave., Pasadena, CA 91101, 626-486-1111.

Steak frites as served at Relais de Paris in Beverly Hills

Relais de Paris has opened in Beverly Hills. Expect bistro dishes such as steak frites, mussels and pan-roasted duck. Relais de Paris, 8635 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, CA 93101, 310-289-8500.

L.A. restaurateurs Josh Loeb and Zoe Nathan (Rustic Canyon Wine Bar & Seasonal Kitchen, Huckleberry Café & Bakery, Milo & Olive) have opened the fourth location of Sweet Rose Creamery in Pacific Palisades. Admire the hand-painted mural by artist Kris Chau while enjoying flavors such as chocolate mint or summer corn. Sweet Rose Creamery, 970 Monument St., Ste. 103, Los Angeles, CA 90272, 310-260-2663.

Musician/DJ Moby will open Little Pine, an organic, vegan bistro in Silver Lake. It is scheduled to open on November 19, 2015. Little Pine, 2870 Rowena Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90039, 323-741-8148.

Entrepreneur Andrew Meieran (The Edison) is resurrecting Clifton's Cafeteria in downtown Los Angeles. The opening is planned for October 1, 2015. Clifton's, 648 S. Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90014, 213-627-1673.

The Rustic Canyon family of restaurants has debuted Esters, a new wine shop, bar and marketplace in downtown Santa Monica. Housed in the historic 1937 Art Deco Telephone Building, Esters is located across the hall from the restaurant group’s newly opened Cassia, where co-owner Kathryn Coker also curates the wine program. A marketplace offers a wide variety of artisanal items including cheeses and cured meats from boutique salumerias. Dishes from Rustic Canyon chef Jeremy Fox include smoked California fish in a jar with pickled ramps, Cook Pigs Ranch pork terrine with grape mustard, and cucumber panzanella with dill and house-cultured yogurt. Esters, 1314 7th St., Santa Monica, CA 90401, 310-899-6900.

In Sherman Oaks, the former Senor Fred space is now an Italian restaurant, Marlin & Ono. Expect Southern Italian cuisine including squid ink linguine; prawns grilled with basil, artichoke hearts, prosciutto and pistou; sea scallops wrapped in pancetta; and Prime sirloin tagliata. Craft cocktails include the “Thyme Machine” made with Nolet Gin, Solerno blood orange liqueur, lemon, thyme and fresh cantaloupe. Dinner nightly. Marlin & Ono Grille, 13730 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks, CA 91423, 818-849-5585.

Adam Cole (ink.) has opened Maple Block Meat Company in Culver City. The menu spotlights Texas barbecue. Maple Block Meat Company, 3973 Sepulveda Blvd., Culver City, CA 90230, 310-313-6328.

Moruno will open in the former Short Order space. It will be a full-service Spanish restaurant from chef Chris Feldmeier and front of house partner David Rosoff, who worked together at Osteria Mozza and Campanile, along with the Sprout LA restaurant group. The ground floor will center on the pintxo Moruno, a Moorish-influenced kebab cooked over wood. Upstairs, guests will find Bar Vermut, devoted to Spain's spirit of choice, vermouth, plus drink-friendly conservas --- small bites built with preserved or canned ingredients. A sister establishment, Bar Maruno, will open in downtown's Grand Central Market. Moruno, The Original Farmers Market, 6333 W. Third St., 110, Los Angeles, CA 90036, no phone.

Chef Steven Fretz, currently with The Church Key and a Top Round co-founder, has teamed with Moscow-based Ginza Project on the seafood-focused Fin and Fire. It is projected to debut in the downtown L.A.'s Arts District in 2016. Fretz predicts a wide-ranging seafood menu that will include lobster rolls, crab cakes, tartares and cataplanas, all presented with modern twists. The design will include a rooftop dining room, with turquoise and copper accents. Fin and Fire, 2140 E. Seventh Pl., Los Angeles, CA 90021, no phone.

Chef Brian Dunsmoor and front-of-house counterpart Jonathan Strader, who found success with the Wolf in Sheep's Clothing pop-up, The Hart & the Hunter and Ladies' Gunboat Society at Flores, partnered with Louie Ryan and his wife, Netty, on this rustic American restaurant in Culver City. Hatchet Hall features a patio framed by cast iron, a granite oyster bar, and the "Old Man Bar" in the back. Dunsmoor presides over a white oak grill and sources from farmers' markets to produce dishes like bay scallops with brown butter and creamed corn; pork chop with Madeira, chanterelles and sweetbreads; and rib eye with bone marrow butter. Cappy Sorentino oversees the cocktail program. Dinner nightly. Hatchet Hall, 12517 W Washington Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90066, 310-391-4222.

The Garland celebrates a $20 million renovation and redesign with the opening of The Front Yard, featuring an al fresco lounge, rattan furniture and globe lanterns. The Front Yard is open for three meals daily, plus weekend brunch. Chef Chris Turano showcases share-friendly, L.A.-inspired cooking. Each morning, expect a breakfast menu that's heavy on egg dishes and also includes a buffet for indecisive (or especially hungry) diners. Lunch brings salads, sandwiches and flatbreads. Dinner consists of heartier, more composed fare, including wild halibut with romanesco; linguine with Dungeness crab and fava beans; and dry-aged rib eye with shishito peppers, fingerling potatoes and maitake mushrooms. A full bar serves craft cocktails and beer, as well as 18 wines by the glass. The Front Yard, The Garland, 4222 Vineland Ave., North Hollywood, CA 91602, 818-255-7290.

NEWS BYTES

The Lucques Group Partners with the Hollywood Bowl
Starting in the 2016 summer season, the Hollywood Bowl’s food and restaurant services will be overseen by chef Suzanne Goin and restaurateur/wine director Caroline Styne. The Lucques Group (a.o.c., Lucques, Tavern and The Larder) will partner with Sodexo Leisure to offer seasonal fare specially designed for this beloved music venue.

Venice's Whole Foods Market Expanding with Restaurant
Whole Foods Market in Venice will take over the adjacent laundromat and turn it into a 60-seat restaurant. It will be under the direction of chef Derek Harrison. Stay tuned for more details. Whole Foods Market, 225 Lincoln Blvd., Venice, CA 90291, 310-566-9480.

The Los Angeles Public Library presents highlights from its menu collection in special exhibition

Special Menu Exhibition from Los Angeles Public Library
The Los Angeles Public Library presents highlights from its extensive collection of menus in the special exhibition “To Live and Dine in L.A.” On display are menus from famous Los Angeles restaurants such as The Brown Derby, along with photos, artist installations and short films. USC Annenberg professor Josh Kun curated the exhibition and also authored the companion book To Live and Dine in L.A.: Menus and the Making of the Modern City. The exhibition can be viewed at the Central Library (630 W. 5th Street, Los Angeles, 90071) through November 15, 2015. For more information, visit the Los Angeles Public Library’s website

CHEF SHUFFLE

Cheese and house-cured charcuterie at Spare Tire Kitchen & Tavern

Executive chef Isaias Peña is taking over the reins in the kitchen at Spare Tire Kitchen & Tavern. The new menu features dishes such as house-cured charcuterie, bahn mi pork belly pizza, chicken and waffle sliders, stout beer-braised short rib gnocchi and coffee-ancho ahi. Spare Tire Kitchen & Tavern, 5370 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90036, 323-525-2618.

CLOSINGS

After more than 20 years in business, House of Blues on the Sunset Strip has closed. House of Blues, 8430 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, CA 90069, no phone.

Piccolo Ristorante in Venice announced on Facebook that the restaurant is closed. Piccolo Ristorante, 5 Dudley Ave., Venice, CA 90291, no phone.

The charming Italian restaurant Al Bacio Ristorante, located on the Sunset Strip, has closed. Al Bacio Ristorante, 8741 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, CA 90069, no phone.

In Venice, Primitivo Wine Bistro is closing August 30, 2015. A new concept form its owners will be forthcoming. Primitivo Wine Bistro, 1025 Abbot Kinney Blvd., Venice, CA 90291, 310-396-5353.

Pasadena's Beckham Grill, a longtime favorite for British grub, closed August 8, 2015 to make way for an apartment complex. Beckham Grill, 77 W. Walnut St., Pasadena, CA 91103, 626-796-3399.

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.

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News for Restaurants in Los Angeles August 2015 Archive

News for Restaurants in Los Angeles
August 2015 Archive