You could be forgiven for thinking that there already was a branch of ubiquitous mall pizza chain Sbarro in the food court of Santa Monica Place. But there wasn’t… it was a branch of Stephano’s Pizza, the very same as is located on the corner of The Promenade and Arizona, just blocks away. Well, Stephano’s has quit the food court and in its place will shortly be a brand-spanking new branch of the aforementioned Sbarro that you can read about, if you must, here.
This Monday, May 20th at 7pm, Native Foods in Westwood is hosting a “Tour of Asia” cooking demo. Featuring vegan recipes from Korea, Vietnam, China, and Thailand, there will also be prizes and samples. Cost is free but space is limited… Secure your spot by clicking here.
With all the big “Taste of…” festivals in SoCal, it’s easy to overlook some of the smaller ones, but they’re often not without their charms… This weekend affords you the opportunity to go off the beaten path and discover a different world. Taste of Hawthorne is this Sunday, May 19th from 10am to 6pm at the Hawthorne Airport at 12101 S. Crenshaw in Hawthorne. A rather remarkable 40 plus Hawthorne and South Bay restaurants are represented, as well as food trucks, Food Network and Travel Network stars (i.e. local son Chris Cognac, the Food Network’s Hungry Detective), artisan beer and wine gardens, and entertainment headlined by local fave band Ozomatli. And with brand-spanking new Eureka! Tasting Kitchen on site, what more could you want? Another bonus? Admission free. Check out more at: tasteofhawthorne
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Nutrition and supplement experts LA Urban Fitness at 3015 Main Street in Santa Monica (corner of Marine) is currently remodeling a portion of their store to install a brand-spanking new cafe to be called, surprisingly, LA Urban Fitness Cafe. The new cafe will feature bar, table, and outdoor seating and offer a menu of smoothies, cold-pressed juices, coffee, and “snacks”. They’re shooting for a June opening. laurbanfitness.com.
Dust off your seersucker sports coat… On Sunday, May 26th, Coast Beach Cafe just steps from the beach in the swanky Shutters Hotel in Santa Monica is hosting a very civilized viewing party for the Monaco Grand Prix racing event. Now here’s the genius part: Due to the time difference in Monaco, Coast is opening their doors at 4:00AM and luring guests in with promises of a continental breakfast and unlimited champagne! Quelle bonne idée! Secure yourself a table here.
Those succulent little heralds of Spring, white asparagus, have arrived from Provence in all their plump, sweet glory and are currently featured as the stars of the menu at Josiah Citrin’s Melisse in Santa Monica. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to try them in their signature dish, White Asparagus “Cocotte” with Morel Mushrooms and Yellow Wine Sauce as well as other preparations. Time is extremely limited so move fast… melisse.com
Purveyors of all things tea, Birdpick has flown the coop in Santa Monica. Their ground floor Santa Monica Place location is now closed. If you find yourself desperately in need of a good cuppa, they still have tea shops in Pasadena and Culver City. Read more at: birdpick.com.
