Taqueria on the move: Chicas Tacos sets up shop in Culver City
Here are some of the notable restaurant openings around Southern California:
Chicas Tacos
Chicas Tacos is open in Culver City. The taqueria, which first opened downtown in 2016 from chef Eduardo Ruiz, serves items such as tacos with jackfruit or with mushroom and cauliflower and burrito bowls and nachos with your choice of protein. The new, bigger location also sells beer, wine and margaritas.
9345 Culver Blvd., Culver City, (424) 321-8226, chicastacos.com
L.A. Mexican Pizza Co.
L.A. Mexican Pizza Co. is a new pop-up appearing regularly in front of Block Party in Highland Park. Expect handmade pizzas such as La Cochinita with carnitas, pineapple and pico de gallo and the York with vegan chorizo and grilled jalapeños. The stand also will pop up at Bar Eighty Two in downtown on Jan. 20.
5052 York Blvd., Los Angeles
The Bronze Quail
The Bronze Quail is open at the Fullerton Hotel, replacing Journeyman’s Food & Drink. The menu includes rib-eye beef with a beef fat confit Yukon potato trifle and Bordelaise; and seared scallops with chai-spiced apple purée. A six-course chef’s tasting menu is available.
1500 S. Raymond Ave., Fullerton, (714) 635-9025, thebronzequail.com
S Bar
S Bar will open Jan. 17 in Brentwood from restaurant and nightlife group SBE. The cocktail lounge, which adjoins Katsuya and also has a location in Miami, serves drinks named after contemporary movies and songs, as well as dishes such as sashimi tacos, sweet prawn shumai, caviar-topped crispy rice and Jidori chicken tsukune. A location of S Bar was closed in Hollywood in 2009 after neighbors’ grievances over noise led to litigation.
11777 San Vicente Blvd., Los Angeles, (310) 554-6550
Ijuu the Strange Beast
Ijuu the Strange Beast is a new delivery-only option offering Japanese sandos through Postmates and DoorDash. Sandos come with pork, chicken, soft-shell crab, beef or ham katsu on milk bread, as well as in a vegetarian version, with side dishes including potato salad and chilled noodles.
Met Him at a Bar
Met Him at a Bar is open in Mid-Wilshire. This sister spot to nearby Met Her at a Bar serves cocktails and house-made pasta, with a menu including calamari, paccheri alla Bolognese and spaghetti carbonara.
801 S. La Brea Ave., Los Angeles, instagram.com/methimatabarla
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CoCoYo Chicken
CoCoYo Chicken is open in Koreatown for fried chicken sandwiches made with a sweet rice batter, plus wings, tenders, beer and kimchi bacon fries.
4121 W. Olympic Blvd., Los Angeles, cocoyochicken.com
Pressed Pizza
Bento Mod has turned into Pressed Pizza in Santa Monica. The menu at this build-your-own-pizza concept includes the Meatatarian, a red-sauce pie with pepperoni, sausage, meatball and mozzarella, and a Produce Pie with artichokes, mushrooms and black olives.
3101 Ocean Park Blvd., Santa Monica, (310) 463-3247, pressedpizza.com
Rajas con Crema
Rajas con Crema is open in Maywood from the owners of Alicia’s Catering. In addition to its namesake dish, available in a few different recipes, the menu includes chicken in mole, chilorio-marinated pork, carne con chile rojo and a few pasta dishes such as lasagna with beef ragu.
3630 Slauson Ave., Maywood, (323) 342-5132, rajasconcrema.com
Beleaf Cafe
Beleaf Cafe is open at Westfield Century City with a plant-based menu that includes falafel, Impossible Meat sandwiches, tacos and avocado burgers.
10250 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, (424) 274-3552, beleafcafe.com
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Simply Salad
Simply Salad has a new location in Koreatown. The menu includes salads with grilled steak, seared tuna, roasted turkey and Buffalo chicken, as well as build-your-own options.
3660 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, (213) 674-7367, simplysalad.com
Pop’s Bagels
Pop’s Bagels is popping up Wednesdays through Sundays at Platform Culver City for made-to-order bagels with buttermilk cream cheese and cultured butter. The menu includes plain, everything and cinnamon-raisin bagels.
8850 Washington Blvd., Culver City, popsbagelsla.com
These restaurants have closed:
Bibigo is closed after a year on Sawtelle Boulevard.
My Little Dumpling is closed after 10 months on West 3rd Street.
Grom Gelateria is closed after two years in Century City.
Updates
4:06 p.m. Jan. 14, 2020: Chicas Tacos has changed some of its menu items. It has replaced mushroom chile verde and fried coconut tacos with jackfruit tacos and mushroom-and-cauliflower tacos.
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