Here’s What’s Going On In Century City…

As you know, I’ve been carefully watching the developments during the renovation of the Westfield Century City Shopping Center.  As we get closer to the unveiling of the glitzy new dining and shopping destination, here are the latest developments.  While much of this has already been reported, this is what you can actually see:

What’s Now Closed:

Coral Tree Express finally closed in the mostly boarded up food court.

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Tenacious Breadbar vacated its first floor location.

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The Hillstone Restaurant Group’s Gulfstream is now gone.

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What’s Coming:

California Pizza Kitchen has an ABC license posted on the second floor.

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Manhattan Beach’s Petros Benekos will be bringing his Greek/Californian cooking north with an outpost of Petros Speakeasy on the second floor.

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Signs have gone up confirming that Orange County’s wildly popular Mexican restaurant Javier’s is indeed moving into the old Season’s 52 space.

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And if you look carefully at the Gulfstream photo above, you’ll see mentioned that Taiwanese noodle and dumpling experts Din Tai Fung is coming along with the wildly-anticipated and oft reported Eataly.

What’s now open:

LA’s latest branch of New York’s popular Shake Shack opened last week to long lines.

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Bow Truss Runs Into A Spot Of Trouble In Beverly Hills

Chicago coffee experts Bow Truss vied for the attention of fickle LA coffee drinkers back in 2015.  Things may not have worked out as they had hoped…  Two notices have been taped to the front door of their tiny boite at 340 N Camden Dr.  One handwritten notice indicates that they are now “closed until further notice”.  The other explains perhaps why:  It is an official three day notice to pay rent or quit.  I’m not sure if the closure is permanent, but things don’t look good.  I’ll keep watching…

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Tocaya Organica Expanding Into Santa Monica

Ever since short-lived Aestus vacated their space at 507 Wilshire Blvd. in Santa Monica, I’ve been carefully watching to see what would move in.  Well, now we know…  The windows were recently papered over informing us that the good people of Santa Monica will soon be able to partake of “modern organic Mexican” at an upcoming branch of Tocaya Organica.  With branches in West Hollywood, Venice, and Miami, it looks like in they will also be expanding to Westwood and Hollywood as well, according to their website.

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Caffe Luxxe Moves Locations In Brentwood

I only just recently noticed that artisanal coffee experts Caffe Luxxe has boarded up its location at 11975 San Vicente Blvd. in Brentwood.  I think the closure wasn’t unexpected as the entire shopping complex that this branch anchored has also boarded up in anticipation of an upcoming project.  But if you count yourself among the legions of devoted fans of the popular purveyor of caffeinated drinks, don’t worry that you’ll have to drive to Santa Monica to get your fix:  According to their website, they are planning on moving just a little east to a new location at 11640 San Vicente.  I’ll keep watching to see what develops.

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9021Pho Quits Beverly Hills…

I didn’t see this coming…  It appears that Beverly Hills’ long-standing purveyor of Southeast Asian food has pulled up stakes.  A for lease has gone up on the front of cleverly named 9021Pho indicating that they are vacating their location at 490 N. Beverly Dr.  Yelp confirms that they are indeed closed.  No word on what happened or what may be taking their place, but I’ll keep watching…

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Ladurée Opens In Beverly Hills: You’re Welcome.

To the great many of you who have been carefully tracking the progress of LA’s second branch of Paris’ cult macaron shop comes this welcome news:  Ladurée threw open its doors at 311 N. Beverly Dr. on Saturday.  While I haven’t seen the recently opened outpost at The Grove, this one has a different look and feel than the branches I’ve visited in Paris, London, or New York.  The tiny jewel box space is bright and airy with large flowers and lattice on the walls, not paneled and heavily Gallic in theme like many of the others.  A cursory glance at the menu shows many of my old favorites, including the Club Champs-Elysees (tomato, eggplant, zucchini, mozzarella, parmesan, and basil on wholemeal bread).  And the pastries, cakes, and macarons are as gorgeous as always, and prettily displayed in glass cases, beckoning you to forget all about that New Year’s resolution you recently made…

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Correction:  I originally reported that the Club Champs-Elysees was on the menu.  It is not.  That sandwich is apparently only served in Paris and New York.  Tofu sliders are this locations meat-free sandwich option.

Boozy Shopping At Santa Monica’s New Whole Foods

Santa Monica is about to get its fourth Whole Foods.  But this one has a difference…  According to the notice of pending requested applications attached to the fencing at the front of the new Whole Foods Market complex being built on the corner of Cloverleaf and Pico, not only with they be selling alcohol, but they will also be having “instructional tasting”, and “beer and wine on premise consumption”.  Organic shopping in Santa Monica is about to get a whole lot more interesting.

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J & T Deli Closed In Santa Monica

Local institution J & T Gourmet Deli has apparently vacated their 1128 Wilshire Blvd. space.   Long a favorite  among the Polish and Eastern European communities, I had been hearing whispers that the quality had changed somewhat after a recent ownership change.  Not sure what will replace the deli, but I’ll keep watching…

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Vanilla Bake Shop Finally Closes In Century City

One of the last holdouts in the rapidly developing Westfield Century City Shopping Center, Vanilla Bake Shop has finally closed.  Apparently, they may not be returning to the glitzy new mall once it opens sometime later this year.  The website states that the upcoming Pasadena location is where they are relocating.

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H B Daisy Closed In Santa Monica?

The shop that replaced Santa Monica’s dubious branch of Joan’s on Third appears to have closed at 1705 Ocean Ave.  While there are no obvious signs, the shelves have been stripped and there is no activity at H B Daisy, and I when I called their phone number, I received a message that the number is unassigned.  Please let me know if you have any further information, but until then I’ll keep my eye on the troubled corner space at Ocean and Olympic…

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