BLD it and they will come

I’VE been watching the construction for weeks as the space at the southwest corner of Beverly Boulevard and Vista Street is dismantled and put back together for yet another restaurant. It’s been Red. It’s been Opaline. And for a very short while, it was Cafe Capo. Now the redesigned space has just debuted as BLD -- which stands for Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner -- from the team at Neal Fraser’s Grace up the street.

Somehow, I think this one is going to stick around.

With tall windows open to the daylight, a clean functional design, sidewalk tables out front and a menu that should appeal to just about everybody, BLD steps into the role of updated coffee shop. The vibe is friendly and inviting, so much so that the two friends I brought one night came back a few days later with their entire extended family. I know some other people who’ve already been four times.

What’s to eat? American comfort food made with top-notch ingredients. Start with the lovely butter lettuce salad in a buttermilk blue cheese dressing adorned with smoky bacon. Gotta have a Caesar on the menu in this town. Here it comes with pickled Spanish white anchovies instead of the salted ones and, if you want to turn the salad into supper, topped with chicken confit, grilled shrimp or grilled hanger steak.

The core of the menu, though, is devoted to substantial sandwiches. There’s an excellent braised beef short rib one with horseradish-spiked cole slaw, another that features braised pork shank with sweet and sour onions, and a fancy crab salad sandwich with pickled cucumbers and dill aioli. All of them come with either hot, golden fries or a simple green salad.

Fraser and team are into burgers too. The basic is a grilled Wagyu beef burger with house-made pickles and a choice of cheeses. Or you can get a Berkshire pork burger, which is quite tasty, the obligatory turkey burger or, not to leave anybody out, a garden burger for the aficionados.

All these are on the lunch menu too, but at dinner, the kitchen also proposes a “self constructive” dinner: a choice of either grilled half chicken, grilled hanger steak or grilled salmon with two sides and one sauce.

The wine list is pretty savvy too. If you like, you can play wine bar, ordering glasses of wines and a plate of Spanish-influenced charcuterie and/or cheese. Once things are up and running, you’ll also be able to buy cheese and charcuterie to take home from the tiny gourmet grocery selection in one corner of the restaurant.

Need somewhere to find solace -- and a scramble -- at 8 a.m.? Or someplace to take an early meeting? BLD opens that early, and serves breakfast items all morning and through lunch. I could be a very happy camper that early in the morning with a bowl of farmers market berries or some ricotta blueberry pancakes drizzled with Berkshire maple syrup.

Some people have already developed a crush on the cream cheese and chive biscuits, as well as the home fries embellished with Spanish lomo (dry-cured pork loin) and chorizo. This is breakfast with some substance and style.

BLD’s chef de cuisine is Michael Garber, who worked with executive chef and owner Fraser and his partners at Grace. They tried to have what’s called a “soft opening” -- that is, slow and easy -- but customers were having none of it. Just on word of mouth, the place has been packed since day one and the staffers, pleasant one and all, haven’t had the time to get their act completely together. Patience.

The neighborhood is more than ready for something like this. And for the rest of us, BLD will be just the place to pop in for some sustenance after browsing the design and furniture shops along Beverly Boulevard. And yes, they’re open late enough that you could stop in for a bite after a movie.

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BLD

Where: 7450 Beverly Blvd., L.A.

When: 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily

Price: Breakfast items, $3.50 to $16; lunch and dinner salads, $8 to $19; lunch sandwiches, $12 to $19; dinner sandwiches, $12 to $21; pastas, $14 to $19; “self constructive” dinner, $18 to $26.

Info: (323) 930-9744, www.bldrestaurant.com