Open-fire cooking at the Table; more ramen from Jimin Kim in Koreatown
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Openings
Miles Thompson is returning to his pop-up roots, launching a new weekend dinner series Friday called the Table at Valerie in Echo Park. The chef, whose first solo venture was a 2012 pop-up called the Vagrancy Project, will cook “contemporary Angeleno cuisine” on an open fire while Valerie Confections serves cake and pie.
1665 Echo Park Ave., Los Angeles, (213) 250-9365, valerieconfections.com/pages/valerie-echo-park
Another serving of ramen
Saikai Ramen Bar is now open in Koreatown from former Ramen Joint chef Jimin Kim. The menu includes veggie croquettes, pork chasu rice bowls, shoyu tonkotsu and mazemen ramen.
209 N. Western Ave., Los Angeles, (323) 378-6518, saikairamenbar.com
A little La Scala
La Scala To-Go is now open in Santa Monica. The restaurant is a fast-casual outpost of 61-year-old La Scala in Beverly Hills. The menu includes chopped salads, steak panini, chicken parmesan and penne a la vodka.
3001 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica, (310) 315-3300, lascalabeverlyhills.com
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.
Sip service
Bar Flores opened Aug. 10 in Echo Park from Karla Flores-Mercado, founder of the roaming speakeasy known as Sip. In addition to bright, seasonal cocktails, expect live music and a back patio lined with cactuses and flowers.
1542 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, (213) 266-8006, instagram.com/barflores_la
Wood-fired tacos and craft beer
Corazón L.A. is popping up every Tuesday from 4:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at Boomtown Brewery in downtown. Tacos and quesadillas are made with wood-grilled portobello mushrooms, chicken and carne asada on handmade tortillas.
700 Jackson St., Los Angeles, (213) 617-8497, instagram.com/corazonla
A congee specialist from Guangzhou
Yin Ji Chang Fen is now open in San Gabriel. A prominent chain from Guangzhou, China, the Cantonese restaurant specializes in varieties of jyu cheung fan and congee.
227 W. Valley Blvd., San Gabriel, yinjichangfenusa.com
The congee at Mei Lin’s downtown restaurant Nightshade is not the plain congee I ate growing up in the San Gabriel Valley.
Tora and the lost city of West Hollywood
Izakaya Tora is now open in West Hollywood. The menu includes sushi, sashimi, okonomiyaki, blue crab donabe hot pots, housemade tamago and a section devoted to kushiyaki.
8908 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood, (424) 777-0745, instagram.com/izakayatora
Mega force
Mega Hot Chicken is now open in Santa Clarita. The restaurant serves Nashville-style hot chicken in sliders and tenders, as well as loaded fries, onion rings and mac and cheese.
23460 Cinema Drive, Santa Clarita, (661) 425-7764, facebook.com/Megahotchicken
Brotherly birria
Birrieria Hermanos Castro is now open in North Hollywood for Zacatecas-style birria de res in taquitos, tacos, burritos, quesadillas and vampiros served from a red trailer.
11755 Victory Blvd., North Hollywood, instagram.com/birrieria_hermanos_castro
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.
Cookie butter lattes: They exist
Feen Coffee is now open in Huntington Beach. You’ll find cookie butter lattes, pink furniture, salmon toast, neon, horchata cold brew and untold selfie opportunities.
7451 Edinger Ave., Huntington Beach, (714) 373-1900, instagram.com/feencoffee
More Tartine
Elisabeth Prueitt and Chad Robertson have opened Tartine Sycamore, a Hollywood location of their celebrated San Francisco bakery and cafe. The restaurant is serving breakfast, lunch and brunch, along with the pastries and breads Tartine is known for. This is their second Los Angeles location. The Manufactory opened at the Row in downtown in January.
911 N. Sycamore Ave., Los Angeles, www.tartinebakery.com/los-angeles/sycamore.
Closings
Canal Club is closed after 20 years in Venice, although its owners plan to open Friday and Saturday nights through August to say goodbye. The restaurant’s grape-and-brie quesadillas will now be served at sister restaurant James Beach, while a Facebook post says that Jame Enoteca owner Jackson Kalb is taking over the space.
Shanghai cuisine mainstay Mei Long Village is closed after more than 20 years in San Gabriel.
Barragan’s will close Aug. 15 after 38 years in Glendale. The Burbank location is still open.
Extras
Brandon Boudet and Warner Ebbink are opening a location of Little Dom’s in Carpinteria. The opening is expected later this year.
686 Linden Ave., Carpinteria, littledoms.com
Eat your way across L.A.
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