Farmers Market to Harvest New Look

Farmers Market Update: The 65-plus-year-old Farmers Market on 3rd Street has been undergoing massive renovations this year while the Grove at Farmers Market, a shopping and movie complex, is being built next door. The Grove and all of the new buildings for the Farmers Market (which will house a Marmalade Cafe, Cost Plus World Market and Gilmore Bank) will be completed by next March, but the northwest corner of the market opens Saturday with a 1950s theme party from 6-9 p.m. In addition to new restrooms and a new entrance, the northwest corner has a Johnny Rockets in a fresh building that echoes the design of the old market structure.

Bigger than most Johnny Rockets (it seats about 150), this one also has the largest breakfast menu and the lowest prices in the chain. Next door will be Alan Shuman’s Favorites, a barbecue place with lots of side dishes and international comfort foods.

Peking Kitchen has renovated digs and will reopen Saturday as well. The remainder of the restaurants in the northwest corner, such as the Gumbo Pot and the Pretzel Pantry, are unchanged but will have menu specials in honor of the reopening party. In the center of the market, Francisco Carvalho, the owner of Phil’s Deli, and his partner, Cezar Vrelaz, are opening the Pampas Grill. Both men are Brazilian, so Pampas will be a Brazilian steakhouse or churrascaria . It should be ready for business by July 1.* The Farmers Market, 6333 W. 3rd St., L.A.; (323) 933-9211. Patio Play: La Loggia’s chef and owner Frank Leon has remodeled his restaurant after 15 years of business in Studio City. Taking over the art gallery and driveway next door, he’s built a Tuscan patio that seats 60. The entrance was moved to the front so you see the waterfall and patio as you walk in. “I’m really happy with how everything turned out,” Leon says. (Another thing that makes him happy: getting a full bar license at last.) La Loggia is open for lunch Monday through Friday and for dinner nightly. La Loggia, 11814 Ventura Blvd., Studio City; (818) 985-9222 .... Temple, the modern Korean restaurant in Beverly Hills, has converted half of its outdoor patio into a lounge by putting up a shoji screen and adding a stainless steel bar, low-slung couches, cubes, coffee tables and lounge chairs. It’s all in tea rose and white with stainless steel accents, and the new floor is chocolate brown. Drinks and appetizers are served in the lounge after 6 nightly. Temple, 14 N. La Cienega Blvd., Beverly Hills; (310) 360-9460. Menu Action: Sunday through Thursday, Carafe (the French restaurant formerly known as Le Chardonnay) offers a three-course menu for $15: soup or salad, a choice of bratwurst, roasted pork loin, Cornish game hen, beef Bourguignon, veal cannelloni, grilled salmon, rabbit fricassee or mussels with fries, followed by bread pudding, profiteroles or apple tart. Carafe, 8284 Melrose Ave., L.A.; (323) 655-8880....The three Cafe Bizous restaurants (in Sherman Oaks, Pasadena and Santa Monica) are now serving brunch from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. The a la carte dishes (which cost between $8.75-$14.95) include Belgian waffles, eggs Benedict, grilled salmon salad and blue-nosed sea bass. Cafe Bizou, 14016 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks; (818) 788-3536, and 91 N. Raymond Ave., Pasadena; (626) 792-9923 and at 2450 Colorado Blvd., Santa Monica; (310) 582-8203.

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Angela Pettera can be reached at pettera@prodigy.net