Small bites

The 16-year-old downtown (Arts District) Japanese restaurant R23 has expanded from its single, brick-walled room under new owners Marissa Kim and Ellie Chang, who took over in the summer. They’ve turned the gallery space next door into a dining room and added two private dining rooms and a sake bar.

The tiny, railroad track-adjacent restaurant in a converted warehouse has a new wine list too, but the opening chefs (executive chef Tobi-san and sushi chef Toshi-san) remain, as do those Frank Gehry cardboard chairs.

R23, 923 E. 2nd St., Los Angeles, (213) 687-7178, www.r23.com.

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After helming Matteo’s for about a year, chef Don Dickman has left the restaurant. The former Rocca chef leaves behind not only Matteo’s, but also his long-time sous chef, Armando Parada, who is now executive chef. The restaurant also inherits his new and improved recipe for Chicken Beckerman, the fabled dish that Dickman took off the menu when he first arrived, but later reworked. Dickman, who says his time there “just ran its course,” is currently consulting, considering a move to Napa (“I’m a wine collector”) and enjoying “not making pasta for a couple of days.” Meanwhile, Matteo’s Tuesday porchetta (roast pig) nights, and Sunday prime-rib nights, which Dickman instituted, will continue.

Matteo’s Italian Restaurant, 2321 Westwood Blvd., Los Angeles, (310) 475-4521, matteosla.com.

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Come spring in Burbank, you’ll see Gingergrass sprouting on Magnolia Boulevard. Silver Lake’s lively Vietnamese cafe will open a somewhat smaller branch down the street from Porto’s Bakery, between Hollywood Way and Buena Vista Street. Owner John Himelstein says the new spot will feature a slightly trimmed version of chef-partner Mako Trinidad Scott’s menu, and the emphasis will be on takeout (studio workers take note).

Construction begins in the next few weeks. Meanwhile, the new Gingergrass catering kitchen opens this week, just a few doors down from the cafe (party planners take note).

Gingergrass, 2396 Glendale Blvd., Silver Lake, (323) 644-1600; www.gingergrass.com.