Burger Day at Smorgasburg is happening Sunday and more restaurant news

Openings

Pit perfect

The Barbakush food truck recently opened a restaurant in Boyle Heights. Led by Petra Zavaleta, a specialist in pit-roasted, Puebla-style lamb barbacoa and lamb menudo, the business once operated from the family home. In addition to barbacoa, the menu includes picaditas, cemitas and squash blossom quesadillas.

2635 Whittier Blvd., Los Angeles, (323) 685-5535, facebook.com/Barbakush

Chris Crary’s beehive

1 Kitchen by Chris Crary opened May 20 at the new 1 Hotel West Hollywood. The restaurant utilizes an on-property organic garden and beehive for a menu of California cooking with Italian influences. Crary, formerly the chef at Hyde, also has a new café in the lobby called Juniper Tree.

8490 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, (310) 424-1600, 1hotels.com/west-hollywood/taste/1-kitchen

Shrimp my ride

Bocho Camarón is a new mariscos trailer on Lincoln Boulevard in Venice. Shrimp rules the menu, in ceviches and beyond.

1400 Lincoln Blvd., Venice, (310) 913-7593, instagram.com/bochocamaron

Tijuana-style adobada in the Valley

Sheko’s Tacos debuted this month with three locations. The streetside taco shop serves tacos al carbón, burritos, mulitas and quesatacos with a focus on Tijuana-style adobada.

12711 Sherman Way, North Hollywood; 3027 N. San Fernando Valley Rd., Los Angeles; 14429 Van Nuys Blvd., Pacoima, (323) 508-6939, instagram.com/shekos_tacos

Mariachis and ceviche towers

Chapala Restaurant Bar & Grill is open in Ontario. The restaurant serves Mexican dishes, including tortas ahogadas, ceviche towers, birria de res and tacos on handmade tortillas. Live mariachis play on Fridays and Sundays.

1542 W. Holt Blvd., Ontario, (909) 781-5202, instagram.com/chapalabarandgrill

The cat comes back

Miao Miao Xian has a new location in Monterey Park. The feline-themed Sichuan restaurant is known for its paper-wrapped fish and seafood pots served with a shovel, as well as zebra-striped dumplings.

220 W. Garvey Ave., Unit Q, Monterey Park, (626) 288-8383, miaomiaoxianla.com/

A sports bar with chow mein and burritos

Brewz Sports Café and Grill is open in Canoga Park. The neighborhood restaurant has 26 beers on tap, in addition to breakfast burritos, cheesesteaks, burgers, chow mein and cheesesteaks.

7921 Canoga Ave., Canoga Park, (818) 887-3721, brewzcanogapark.com

Friend with benefits

A music-and-art-themed bar called the Little Friend is open behind Sunny Spot in Venice. Cocktails include the Hustler, made with mezcal, habanero, vanilla, agave and lime.

822 Washington Blvd., Los Angeles, (310) 747-6969, thelittlefriendbar.com

KTown’s Baby Blues

Baby Blues BBQ will open in Koreatown on Thursday in partnership with the owners of nearby Mama Lion. The plan is to offer takeout and delivery while the restaurant’s interiors are completed over the next two months.

607 S. Western Ave., Los Angeles, babybluesbbq.com

Extras

Sunday is Burger Day at the Smorgasburg Sunday market downtown. The market’s regular vendors, including Love Hour, will make burgers alongside Goldburger, Heyday from Palm Springs and burger expert George Motz.

777 S. Alameda St., Los Angeles, la.smorgasburg.com

Tacotopia opens Friday in Santa Monica. The Cholula-organized exhibit offers over 25 taco-themed installations, including a lime wedge swing, a mechanical taco ride and an oversize bowl of guacamole that you’ll probably start seeing on Instagram soon.

May 24-July 7, $20-$30, 1254 3rd St., Santa Monica, (310) 920-9000, atacotopia.com

Lucky Rice Night Market of the Future is coming to Grand Central Market on May 30. The tasting event highlights Asian street food in L.A. along with cocktails, beer and wine. Participating chefs include Jenee Kim of Park’s BBQ, Tin Vuong of Little Sister and Pok Pok chef Andy Ricker.

May 30, $125, 317 S. Broadway, Los Angeles, luckyrice.com/events/2019/los-angeles