I’ve been watching the diminutive space at 13050 San Vicente Blvd. suite 108 (corner of 26th) in Brentwood ever since Starbucks closed up shop there earlier in the year. Signs recently went up on the façade informing us that expanding über-hip roasters Blue Bottle Coffee will soon be inhabiting the address. And sooner than you think: According to their website, they’ll be handing out free coffee this Saturday for their pre-opening sneak peak “community day” starting at 9am.
You could be forgiven for not seeing much happening in this photo. But looks can be deceiving… Hiding behind this humble and signless façade, at 2821 Ocean Park Blvd. in Santa Monica, is the Westside’s newest and much-anticipated Vietnamese restaurant Blossom, that I first told you about back in April. You’ll be pleased to know that they are now open and dishing noodles Monday through Saturday for lunch and dinner. 
Well that certainly didn’t take long… It was only just a couple of weeks ago that I told you about the disappearance of short-lived Couscous A Gogo at 9533 S. Santa Monica Blvd. in Beverly Hills. Wasting no time whatsoever, a branch of LA’s Soom Soom Fresh Mediterranean has taken up residence and is currently in soft opening. Expect a menu of falafel, shawarma, kebob, and hummus plates.
I’d thought that we’d begun to see a slowdown in world poke domination, but maybe not… A window notice at 8338 Lincoln Blvd. in Westchester informs us that Northridge’s Fishbowl Poke Co. is quickly setting up housekeeping. I’ll keep watching to see when they begin dishing fish.
International lifestyle brand Joe & The Juice continues its inexorable conquest of the hip juice scene in LA. First came news back in April that a location was landing on Melrose. Then I noticed window paper in Beverly Hills. And recently, yet more window paper has popped up on the corner spot of San Vicente and Montana in Brentwood, right next to Alfred Coffee at 11906 San Vicente Blvd., announcing the Danish company’s impending arrival. When will the “hunky guys” start pouring? We’ll have to watch and see…
Well this was a bit of a surprise… After 20 years, consistently popular Blue Plate has quit their busy location at 1415 Montana Ave. as of last week. Not sure what happened, but nearby Blue Plate Taco and Blue Plate Oysterette remain open. Read their goodbye message here, and I’ll keep watching to see what develops.
The strip mall on the corner of Lincoln and Pico in Santa Monica is a popular one: It sits close to SaMo High. Many of the restaurants vacated their spaces as the complex closed for a major remodel. Now the fast food is beginning to trickle back in. It looks like the burger chain about to release its IPO, Fatburger, is diving in, as is Buffalo’s World Famous Wings, and Firehouse Subs.
It wasn’t that long age that I first told you about a new North African-influenced restaurant going into the space at 9533 S. Santa Monica Blvd. in Beverly Hills. Lasting a little over a year, it sadly appears that Couscous A Gogo has vacated the location. The awnings have been pulled down, their phone number no longer works, and the space is being gutted. This is a tough stretch of Santa Monica Blvd: puffy meringue people Bo Nuage recently quit their space, and remember Beverly Hills Beignet? I’ll keep watching to see what develops.
I’ve been watching the build-out on the corner space of 10959 Kinross Ave. in Westwood since May of last year, when I learned that something called D1 Café was moving in. After an extensive remodel of the location, they are now up and running. Look for a menu of kabobs, pizzas, and salads.
I recently noticed that something called simply The Seafood Bar is landing on the second floor of the South Bay Galleria in Redondo Beach, which by the way is looking forward to a major remodel. Not much information out there on this, but I’ll take a wild stab in guessing that fish will be on the menu. I’ll keep watching as more develops…
Those of you looking for a quick sandwich fix in Brentwood might have to go a bit farther afield. It looks like quotidian sandwich chain Subway has vacated the space at 11762 San Vicente Blvd. Not sure what happened or what may take over the location, but I’ll keep watching…
Recently I noticed plywood covering a smallish space at 4410 Sepulveda Blvd. in Culver City, and a banner announcing the impending arrival of something called Harujuku Taproom. As it turns out, this modest beginning will be a branch of a popular Tokyo chain of craft beer izakaya restaurants featuring Baird Beer. According to the website, we can expect a menu of “traditional light izakaya fare and an assortment of meat & vegetable skewers (kushiyaki) grilled right before your eyes”. No word on an opening date, but until then, you can get a glimpse of what the finished product will look like on their Facebook page…
Since I first told you about the mysterious ABC license posted on the tony space at 408 N. Rodeo Dr. in Beverly Hills, a great many of you have been checking for details, so here you go… I recently heard from a spokesperson from the Napa Valley winery listed on the application, St. Supéry Estate Vineyards and Winery. She informed me that the winery is opening an elegant tasting salon at this location that will showcase their white and red varietals of Bordeaux. I’m told the space will evoke a “modern French parlor complimented by Napa Valley chic” with bistro tables, a palette of black, gold, and white, and a custom bar that will serve flights, glasses, and bottles of wine. They’ll be running their salon through August of next year. Look for the opening soon. You’re welcome.
Well that took a long time… Well over a year ago, I first noticed that food truck folks Bobaritto were finally putting down roots at 1321 Third Street Promenade in Downtown Santa Monica. I’m not sure what the hold up was, but they have recently thrown open their doors and are dispensing sushi burritos, poke, and boba tea to the good people of Santa Monica.
Could the stumbling food scene in Santa Monica Place be recovering? Z Pastabar recently opened, The Curious Palate jumped locations but not the ship, and The Cheesecake Factory appears constantly busy. Yet there are still four cavernous restaurant spaces that remain idle. But soon you can make that three. Signs are up on the front of the space that used to house Pizza Antica informing us that Torrance’s craft beer specialists The Dudes’ Brewing Company will soon be moving in. We wish them the best of luck.
Toddrickallen 