Signs have gone up in the window at 9622 Brighton in Beverly Hills at what was once the Le Croissant coffee shop. Judging from the name and the kitschy window posters, the new shop will be an Italian market and specialty store by the name of Ferrarini. Apparently, the brand operates two locations in the valley and is branching out into the westside.
Mozza is offering a $50 discount to Food and Wine Magazine’s Taste of Beverly Hills over labor day weekend (Sept. 2-5). Sounds like an exciting weekend with unlimited sampling of over 40 local restaurants, unlimited tastings of wine and beer, entertainment, Ludo, Voltaggio, Ted Allen, Evan Kleiman, and even Nancy Silverton. But you only have until August 22nd to take advantage of Mozza’s offer. Go to www.thetasteofbeverlyhills.com and use promo code “Rest50”.
It looks as though the final flurry of activity may guarantee the promised August opening of Fitfood, the casual take-away and delivery place at 7998C Santa Monica Blvd in West Hollywood. The website describes a menu of healthier choices; low sodium, sugar, gluten-free and dairy-free choices, no added oil. The food looks to be Mediterranean and Asian inspired. Expect such things as pastas, sandwiches, salads, spring rolls, curry, and brown rice pudding.
Check out more at http://fitfoodla.com/
Long gone is the Wolfgang Puck restaurant that inhabited the space where R&D now sits on Montana Ave. in Santa Monica. But I remember if fondly: The servers who knew us by name and remembered our favorite wines, the lovely manager who occasionally showed us racy photos of herself for a laugh, and the pizzas. Always perfectly crispy, masterfully made, divinely delicious. Of course you can still find a close facsimile to those pies at the Wolfgang Puck Express in the 3rd Street Promenade or at Gelson’s, but the lack of human interaction at assembly line-styled restaurants does not re-create the experience. How pleasantly surprised I was to discover, on a recent lay-over, the Wolfgang Puck Express at the Minneapolis Airport and its wise-cracking server, Jackie. Jackie’s deadpan jokes and “You think you got problems” sense of humor was comedy gold and kept us thoroughly entertained in the otherwise unremarkable airport. How nice to be reminded, in this unusual place, how memorable dinner can be when the right combination of good food and good people come together. Hats off to you and the others, Jackie. Oh, and the pizzas were as good as I remember.
Check out the new ‘secret recipe’ waffle joint, Bru’s Wiffle currently renovating the space at 2408 Wilshire Blvd. in Santa Monica. The website boasts a selection of breakfast and lunch items made with waffles including dessert waffles, savory pizza waffles, meatball marinara waffles, and chicken curry salad waffles! Sounds interesting…
Bru’s Wiffle
Brentwood Country Mart madness continues! I noticed that the paper had been taken off the windows and things are looking complete at Yummy Cupcakes across from the Brentwood Country Mart on 26th in Brentwood. And there’s a sign in the window announcing the Santa Monica bakery’s impending opening.
With all the activity centered around the Brentwood Country Mart lately, it looks like one more contender is jumping into the mix. What used to be Mimi’s at 246 26th Street is being transformed into a new eatery named Villetta. It looks as though they have a way to go as the old building is essentially torn down.
Before
After
I noticed this ‘change of ownership’ sign at the run-down and pufferfish-less restaurant space that was Luau restaurant at 369 N. Bedford in Beverly Hills. The sign states that a new restaurant named Taberna will be taking over. The sign describes it as an “on-sale general eating place”. Can’t get much more descriptive than that. I wish them well, that space has not been kind to many other previous inhabitants…
Toddrickallen got a glimpse inside the brand spanking new Bloomingdale’s inside the glitzy Santa Monica Place at their pre-opening event on Thursday night. Needless to say the look of the store is ultra fab. I was surprised to see a frozen yogurt/coffee shop on the top floor. The name of the shop is Forty Carrots and, it was explained to me, is a house brand for Bloomie’s (just in case you’re stricken with a sweet tooth while shopping for David Yurman). They were certainly doing a brisk business handing out samples…
Here’s the line-up…
Josiah Citrin’s Melisse has announced the last chef in their popular summer guest chef series. The program concludes on Monday August 23rd with James Beard award-winning chef, David Kinch from the Michelin two-starred Manresa in Los Gatos, CA. They also have Ray Garcia from Fig preparing the amuse bouche. A portion of the $150 set menu will go toward Special Olympics.
Call 310-395-0881 for reservations or go to www.opentable.com
Mélisse Restaurant
1104 Wilshire Blvd. Santa Monica, CA 90401
http://www.melisse.com
Right around the corner from Poilane at 19 rue de Sèvres, sits an outpost of the venerable La Maison Du Chocolat. For those in the know, this is the grand high temple of French chocolate. In Paris, where finding the latest superhip chocolate boutique is a full-time job, La Maison du Chocolat remains refreshingly stalwart in their committment to offering simply the best chocolate. They offer a variety of chocolates, pralines, truffles, and even pastries, but if you want the purest expression of chocolate decadence, I suggest you dive into the ganaches. The quito ganache is an excellent example of what they do best. It is rich, dark, slightly smokey, and intensely chocolatey. And I always bring back bars of their baking chocolate to make the most velvety souffles and desserts. No plans on going to Paris anytime soon? Then check out http://www.lamaisonduchocolat.us/, they’ll ship.
Adding to the plethora of restaurants to feed a hungry aerospace industry, construction is underway on the new Ittou Bento Japanese Bistro at 400A Sepulveda Blvd in El Segundo. By ‘bistro’, we assume they mean sushi and bowls. It’s opening still looks to be a way off…
In an effort to gain the upper hand in the Montana Ave. frozen yogurt wars, longtime local fave TCBY, has begun offering hand-crafted personalized shakes to its line-up. Your move, Menchie’s…
TCBY
715 Montana Ave
Santa Monica, CA 90403
(310) 395-8388
Scuola di Pizza has announced its August pizza class schedule for those dying to know how to make that incredible funghi misti with fontina, taleggio, and thyme. Classes are on Mondays: August 2nd, 9th, 16th, 23rd, and 30th and are held from 7:00pm to 9:30pm. Cost is $150 per class. Call for rezzies and info.
Pizzeria Mozza
641 N. Highland Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90036
Phone: 323.297.0101
My carnivore friends are excited about the news that east coast hotdog chain, Nathan’s Famous has debuted its first LA restaurant. Positioned in a shared space with Arthur Treacher’s Fish and Chips in an unremarkable strip mall in Hawthorne, the restaurant is wildly popular for inventing the Coney Island Hot Dog. The chain’s closest stores are in Las Vegas, and San Diego, making this their first move into the LA area. Nathan’s Famous has been open since July 18th.
Nathan’s Famous
5050 W. Rosecrans Ave., Hawthorne, CA 90250
(310) 355-1048 www.nathansfamous.com
No visit to Paris is complete without stopping by the venerable bakery, Poilâne on rue Cherche-Midi in the Saint- Germain des Prés district. They have been baking their world-renowned bread in wood-fired ovens since 1932 using only four carefully sourced ingredients: stone-ground flour, salt from Guérande, water, and the sourdough starter from previous batches of bread. The results are sheer perfection; moist earthy interior with a delicate crumb and a crunchy, malty crust. They also make a fine array of cookies and pastries. Their petit pain au chocolate is one of the best in Paris. Poilâne’s dedication to perfection and French tradition make it the perfect place to secure a loaf for your picnic by the Seine, or just to pick up supplies. I returned with their amazing flour, knives, bread-making book, and boxes of cookies as gifts. If you’re desperate to sample the famous bread but have no plans on travel to Paris, you can find Poilâne in London, order a loaf sent to you via their website, or locally, stop by the Cafe in Saks Fifth Avenue in Beverly Hills. They used to use Poilâne for their sandwiches, but it’s been a while since I’ve been in so I’m not certain they have continued the practice.
Toddrickallen got a glimpse of the future of Century City in Milan. Obika Mozzarella Bar has 11 locations throughout Italy and the rest of the world including the Milan Malpensa airport. While flying out of Milan, I got the chance to have a good look at what we can expect in the Century City Westfield Shopping Center, slated to open in September. Obika is a casual concept restaurant with a menu of pastas, salads, “mozzarella tasting menu”, and sandwiches centering around Mozzarella di Bufala Campana DOP as well as other Italian specialties. The idea appears to be an emphasis on regional Italian fare in an upbeat, breezy atmosphere. How will this translate in Century City? We’ll have to wait and see. In the mean time, check out the website here http://www.obika.it/ for their menu.
Century City Milan
If you are unable or unwilling to make the trek to the steamy and dusty Marché aux puces de Saint-Ouen – Porte de Clignancourt in Paris (The best place to poke around for antique kitchen ware) and desperately want to bring home some French culinary antiques, then try Au Petit Bonheur La Chance. They have a small, but carefully chosen selection of antique and mid-century French cookware, bowls, linens, utensils, and kitsch. Maria-Pia Varnier, the owner combs France for such treasures. Additionally the street on which it sits, Rue St. Paul on the Right Bank on the Seine near Notre Dame, has a number of other antique shops featuring housewares. Don’t miss a peak in the window of Thanksgiving, across the street from Au Petit Bonheur La Chance. The boutique features iconic American foods, including a window display featuring Lucky Charms cereal.
Au Petit Bonheur La Chance
Village St. Paul – 13, Rue St. Paul – 75004 Paris
Phone 01 42 74 36 38 www.aupetitbonheurlachance.fr
Open Thurs – Mon from 11:00 to 1:00 and from 2:30 to 6:30
Just released info from Mozza… If you act quickly you might make it.
Pizzeria Mozza is hosting a special lunch with
with Special Guest entitled, “Puglia – the heel of the boot”
with Winemaker Sebastiano de Corato from Rivera
Monday July 19th, 12:00 to 1:30
Three courses, $59
Call ASAP for a rezzie!
641 N. Highland Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90036
Phone: 323.297.0101
Toddrickallen 
