A former Mozza chef is making tacos at Bee Taqueria in West Adams
Openings
Bee Taqueria opened Tuesday in West Adams from Osteria Mozza veteran Alex Carrasco. A takeaway window serves items such as beet tinga on fresh tortillas, shrimp and scallop taquitos, ceviche frito and barbacoa de borrego. In addition to a few outdoor tables, there is also a four-seat, reservation-only “taco omakase” experience next to the kitchen.
5754 W. Adams Blvd., Los Angeles, (323) 452-9575, instagram.com/beetaqueria
Swine of duty
Porchetta Republic is now open in Westlake for pork-laden Italian sandwiches. Options include focaccia sandwiches with house-made porchetta, meatball marinara on ciabatta and the “Arlecchino” with porchetta, pecorino cream and red-wine-braised onions.
1220 W. 7th St., Los Angeles, (213) 372-5022, porchettarepublic.com/home
Restaurant critic Bill Addison pinpoints seven recent reviews, from a carnitas food truck to a tiny Japanese wonder, that illustrate the city’s amazing dining culture.
Fried chicken, meet crinkle fries
Firebirds L.A. is now open in Northridge on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. The street stand’s menu includes fried chicken with four levels of heat, available in brioche sandwiches, in tacos with flour tortillas or served over crinkle fries.
10324 Zelzah Ave., Northridge, (818) 800-5898, firebirdsla.com
Lobster hand rolls and Wagyu nigiri
Seaweed Handroll Bar is now open in Koreatown. The menu includes 10 hand rolls, with ingredients such as spicy lobster, blue crab and seared scallops, along with Miyazaki A5 Wagyu nigiri, octopus sashimi and salmon nigiri topped with black caviar.
3450 W. 6th St., Los Angeles, (213) 674-7996, seaweedsushibar.com
Birria or beef cheeks? You no longer have to choose
L.A. Autentica Birrieria is now open in North Hollywood. The orange truck serves meats including birria de res, birria de chivo, beef cheek, beef lip and chicken on handmade tortillas in tacos suaves, tacos dorados, quesatacos, mulitas and vampiros.
11117 Victory Blvd., North Hollywood, (323) 690-0987, instagram.com/l.aautenticabirrieria
In 2019, Los Angeles’ bowls runneth over with birria, the Mexican confederation of recipes involving meat rubbed, roasted or slowly stewed in an alloy of chilies, herbs and spices.
Ale to the chief
Washington Ale House is now open in Marina del Rey in the former Sports Harbour location. There are 40 beers on tap, in addition to menu items such as carnitas-topped nachos, garlic fries, New York steak and clam chowder.
13484 W. Washington Blvd., Marina del Rey, washingtonalehouse.com
Home Bologna
Emilia is now open in Beverly Grove from Amici chef-owner Tancredi DeLuca. You’ll find fresh pastries and avocado toast with ricotta and lemon zest in the morning, and dishes including wild Scottish salmon and grilled pappardelle with Leoncini ham for dinner.
8500 Burton Way, Los Angeles, (424) 999-4755
Dagu Rice Noodle arrives in the SGV
The first L.A. franchise of China’s Dagu Rice Noodle chain is now open in Arcadia. The specialties are rice noodle soup with braised bone-in pork or beef in a 250-degree clay pot, and Yunnan’s “crossing the bridge” noodles. Both come with add-on options such as lamb slices, whole shrimp and stuffed meatballs.
1108 S. Baldwin Ave., Arcadia, (626) 461-5356, daguricenoodle.com
Yuk Dae Jang expands
Korean restaurant Yuk Dae Jang recently opened its third L.A. location in San Gabriel. Expect the same menu of spicy brisket stew, cold buckwheat noodles, braised beef ribs and “army-style” hot pot.
704 W. Las Tunas Drive, San Gabriel, (626) 782-7610, facebook.com/yukdaejangusa
Croissant creations
La Croi Croissant Coffee & Bakery is now open in Tarzana for breakfast pastries, organic Central and South American coffee, salads and sandwiches on croissants or baguettes.
18663 Ventura Blvd., Tarzana, (818) 599-2656, instagram.com/lacroi_store
Closings
South City Fried Chicken at Corporation Food Hall in downtown has closed. The same menu of fried chicken sandwiches will now be available Monday through Saturday at the New Orleans-inspired restaurant Preux & Proper, which has the same owners.
840 S. Spring St., Los Angeles, (213) 896-0090, preuxandproper.com
Lenny’s Deli has closed after 23 years in Westwood.
Little Next Door has ended dinner service while continuing to serve weekend brunch. An announcement on the website calls the decision “temporary.”
Slaw Dogs has closed in Woodland Hills, the last location for the 9-year-old hot dog chain.
Extras
Tickets are now on sale for the Valle Food & Wine Fest, taking place Oct. 5 in Baja Norte’s Valle de Guadalupe. Nancy Silverton, Eduardo García, Wolfgang Puck and Javier Plascencia are among participating chefs.
Diep Tran, chef and owner of the recently closed Good Girl Dinette in Highland Park, will pop up Aug. 11 and Sept. 15 at the Hollywood Farmers Market, selling her doner banh mi and fish-sauce-spiked citrus soda.
Ivar and Selma avenues, Hollywood, hollywoodfarmersmarket.net
Da Lat Rose will open above Crustacean in Beverly Hills in October. The 40-seat modern Vietnamese restaurant comes from Helene An, who plans to retire after one year and turn over the restaurant’s operations to chef Tony Nguyen.
468 N. Bedford Drive, Beverly Hills, crustaceanbh.com
Keith Corbin, the executive chef at Alta Adams, will open Louella’s Cali Soul Kitchen this year. The restaurant, which will be at the forthcoming Citizen Public Market in Culver City, will focus on grain bowls with recipes inspired by his grandmother’s cooking.
9355 Culver Blvd., Culver City, citizenpublicmarket.com
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