Critic’s Preview
5-for-5 Wine Socials at NeoMeze NeoMeze in Old Town Pasadena offers a contemporary take on the Middle Eastern custom of meze. Tuesday through Thursday from 6 to 8 p.m., sommelier David Haskell (late of Bin 8945 in WeHo) selects five wines for $25 and pairs them with small dishes at $5 each. NeoMeze, 20 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena; (626) 793-3010; www.neomeze.com
Father’s Office Los Angeles It’s finally open -- the newer, bigger, L.A.-Culver City outpost of the diminutive Father’s Office in Santa Monica. This one boasts an outdoor patio and, of course, chef-owner Sang Yoon’s messy and beloved Office burgers made from dry-aged beef (no ketchup allowed) and frites served in a miniature shopping cart, plus a bar with some 36 handcrafted beers on tap. Just in time for summer. Father’s Office Los Angeles, Helms Bakery Complex, 3229 Helms Ave., L.A. (Culver City adjacent); (310) 736-2224; www.fathersoffice.com
Tuesday night crudo at Il Grano Sal Marino, the chef-owner of Il Grano, is smitten with crudo, the Italian version of sashimi. And on Tuesday nights, he celebrates the freshest seafood he can find with a special crudo menu to appeal to fish lovers of all varieties. Il Grano, 11359 Santa Monica Blvd., West L.A.; (310) 477-7886