Modern Korean fare — crispy pork belly and soon tofu ramen — in a mall
Openings
Korean dumplings and soon tofu ramen
Bibigo Kitchen (an elevated sister concept of the fast-casual Bibigo chain) is now open at Westfield Century City. The menu at the modern Korean restaurant includes mandu dumplings, sous-vide crispy pork belly, honey soy fried chicken and soon tofu ramen. This location joins the San Diego branch.
10250 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, (310) 277-3898, bibigousa.com/bibigokitchen
1 is the magic number
L.A. Number 1 Chueotang is now open in Koreatown. The menu includes ground mudfish soup with abalone, braised pork trotters, ginseng whole chicken, shrimp tempura and stir-fried brisket with bean sprouts.
4251 W. 3rd St., Los Angeles, (213) 915-0007, lanumber1chueotang.business.site
Sociale club
After a soft opening over the weekend, Pizza Sociale — from a husband-and-wife team from Brooklyn —plans to open this week in downtown Los Angeles. Pizzas include the Carciofo with artichokes, the Biancaneve with sweet corn, and a vodka-sauce pizza with smoked mozzarella.
448 W. Olympic Blvd., Los Angeles, (213) 634-5444, pizzasociale.com
An exploration into the rich and complex flavors of Los Angeles.
Bondi Harvest rises again
Bondi Harvest opened a second location last week at Platform Culver City. Unlike the Santa Monica original, the new outpost serves dinner, with a menu that includes grilled prawns with salsa verde butter, peri peri chicken and an Australian Wagyu tomahawk steak.
8820 Washington Blvd., Culver City, (310) 586-7419, bondiharvest.com
New Peru
Yapa is now open in downtown L.A. The restaurant serves dishes Nikkei-style (think Peruvian-Japanese hybrids), made with herbs and produce grown on site, including shrimp causa, tacu tacu, beef heart anticucho and yellowtail tiradito.
236 S. Los Angeles St., Los Angeles, (213) 947-3399, yapa.la
Michoacán-style birria de chivo in Compton
Birria Don Chuy is now open Saturday and Sunday mornings in Compton. The Michoacán-style birria de chivo stand comes from the owner of the now-closed Birrieria Los Torres in East L.A.
466 S. Atlantic Blvd., Los Angeles, instagram.com/birriadonchuy
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.
El Doctor is in
Mariscos el Doctor Del Valle has opened a second location at Ritchie Valens Park in Pacoima. The Sinaloan seafood truck sells marlin tacos, tacos gobernador, aguachile, campechanas and cevicheladas.
13917 Paxton St., Pacoima, instagram.com/oscar.eldoctordelvallejr
Have a cow
The Smokey Cow is popping up Friday nights in a Van Nuys front yard. The barbecue stand sells smoked brisket, pulled pork and ribs, as well as sandwiches.
13956 Cantlay St., Van Nuys, facebook.com/pages/category/Food-Stand/The-Smokey-Cow-2638225479582110/
Jerk in progress
The Jerk Alert is now out on the streets. The truck uses both a pimento-wood-fueled smoker and a grill to make jerk chicken and fish.
Needle drop
Needle is now open in Silver Lake. The Hong Kong-influenced menu includes pork loin on milk bread, honey-glazed char siu with hot mustard, and pea shoots with garlic, lily bulb and goji berry.
3827 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, needlela.com
Tooth be told
SourTooth opened earlier this month in the Sunset Room at Yamashiro in Hollywood. The lounge serves nonalcoholic cocktails, such as the Blue Ball with blue butterfly pea flower tea, roasted barley, oak and cacao, and plant-based dishes from Umami Burger founder Adam Fleischman, including purple sweet potato balls and meat-free chicken sandwiches and burgers.
1999 N. Sycamore Ave., Los Angeles, (323) 300-4802, sourtooth.la
A plethora of pasta in Long Beach
La Tarantella Osteria is now open in Long Beach. The menu includes spaghetti puttanesca, gnocchi tricolore, tortellini al tartufo and chicken Parmesan.
2120 E. 4th St., Long Beach, (562) 343-5728, latarantella4stlb.com
Sushi on delivery
Sushi Snob is a new ghost kitchen offering sushi rolls and nigiri in individual orders and boxed sets. Delivery is available through platforms including Grubhub, Uber Eats and Postmates.
Truck-based teppanyaki
Aji Teppanyaki is open in Van Nuys. The truck serves plancha-griddled Japanese-style meats with rice, including lobster, New York steak, tuna, shrimp and chicken yakisoba.
17155 Baltar St., Van Nuys, (818) 515-6778, instagram.com/ajiteppanyaki
Tea with a side of churros
Hiccups Tea House and its sister concept, Churroholic, are now open in Santa Ana. The pan-Asian chain serves dishes such as brisket-and-meatball pho, pad see ew, bulgogi fries and popcorn chicken. And churros.
3390 S. Bristol St., Santa Ana, hiccupsteahouse.com
Extras
Disco Dining Club is teaming up with the Grim Wreather and chef Laurent Quenioux from Oct. 24 to 26 for a party and five-course Halloween-themed feast called “The Depraved Attic of Dorian Gray” in Hollywood.
Boo Ha Ha is a Halloween-themed beer event coming to the O.C. Fairgrounds on Oct. 25 and 26. The event will include 80-plus beers, Oktoberfest-inspired food, stein-holding and costume contests and live music, including Metallica-inspired mariachi band Metalachi.
General Lee’s is holding a tiki night on Oct. 26 with Steep L.A. and Lately restaurant. In addition to tropical cocktails, expect dishes such as pineapple ginger chicken wings, salt-and-vinegar popcorn and braised pork rice.
facebook.com/general.lees.chinatown
Mr. Menudo will pop up at Sara’s Market in East Los Angeles on the evening of Oct. 25 to sell menudo made from fresh, farm-sourced veal tripe.
3455 City Terrace Drive, Los Angeles, instagram.com/mr.menudoficial
Eat your way across L.A.
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