Every once in a while, I’m caught off guard by the amount of attention that a post gets. Perhaps its due to the relative lack of fast food options on Wilshire Blvd. in Santa Monica, but ever since I first wrote to tell you about the construction of a Del Taco in an old Jack In The Box location, a great many of you have been checking for updates. So you’ll be pleased to know that Del Taco has opened in its shiny new space at 2423 Wilshire.
A big wooden sign informs commuters that coffee is coming soon to the storefront at 4574 Centinela Ave. in LA. Upon closer inspection, the name of the new shop will be Sachi. Their website promises a “welcoming space influenced by Japanese culture and values- devoted to offering high quality coffee and food, stylish vintage clothing, healthy potted plants, and local artisan products”.
It looks like specialty coffee purveyor Alfred is expanding in Brentwood. Just a few storefronts away from their location on the corner of Montana and San Vicente, paper has gone up on the front of the space at 11928 San Vicente Blvd. announcing that a branch of Alfred Tea Room is moving in. Not sure when they’re opening, but I’ll keep watching…
Famished students at UCLA now have a new dining option… Billing itself as Japanese izakaya, Kopan Ramen recently opened its doors at 1091 Broxton Ave. in Westwood. With a smattering of locations across the Southland, Kopan offers a menu of customizable ramen, bowls, and bibimbob.
I first noticed that something was happening to the space at 2524 Pacific Ave. in Venice back in February of last year. A sign on the front informed us that a new organic, plant-based deli was moving in. As it turns out, the deli is a project of a familiar name, Chef and restaurateur Matthew Kenney. A little over a year later, the new deli, whose name is New Deli, will open April 15th (according to Plant Based News) with a selection of coffee, juice, beer, wine, and sundries.
It wasn’t that long ago that Santa Monica Canyon staple, Sam’s by the Beach went belly up in its location at 108 W Channel Rd. Since then, I’ve been watching to see what would take over the location. An ABC application posted on the front lists the new business as Mason. According to the application, the people behind Mason are Change the Channel LLC. I’ve tried to dig up more information on the mysterious enterprise, but there’s not much out there yet, so I guess we’ll have to wait and see…
Update: Check out a reader’s reply below for more info… Thanks R.W.
I can’t tell you why it took so long (I first told you about construction back in August of 2016)… And I can’t confirm any of the wildly imaginative conspiracy theories that some of you offered as explanation… But what I can tell you is that Wall St Pizza has finally thrown open its doors at 11955 W. Washington Blvd. in Culver City.
I recently noticed an ABC application announcing that Orange County’s natural/organic powerhouse Mother’s Market & Kitchen is taking over the old Fresh & Easy space at 1700 Rosecrans Ave. in Manhattan Beach. Apparently, this is part of a greater push into LA County that has also resulted in the recent opening of a branch in Signal Hill. Expect a “wide selection for specialized diets, top quality local and organic produce, [and] the county’s largest selection of supplements”, as well as a “beer and wine eating place”.
Update: Mother’s opens on March 16th.
And while we’re on the subject of stunning closures… Long time Beverly Hills traditional Italian restaurant Il Forno Caldo has quit its location at 9705 S Santa Monica Blvd. I’m not sure what happened, and their website doesn’t give any clues, but as I’ve mentioned before, this is a notoriously fickle stretch of Beverly Hills when it comes to restaurants.
What’s going on in Brentwood? Recently a widely popular Peet’s Coffee closed up shop, allegedly due to a jack-up in the rent, sending out shock waves among locals. And now, right next door at 11754 San Vicente Blvd , a perennially busy Gaucho Grill has pulled out as well. The melancholic letter on the door lets us know that the date of closure was March 12th. Even while taking these photos, stunned Brentwood residents who had come for dinner were expressing their disbelief and protestations to me. With cultish Pizzana, and upcoming Mendocino Farms and Jon & Vinny’s Italian, the Brentwood dining scene appears to be rapidly changing…
Well that didn’t take long… It was only last month when I noticed a small poster on the space at the top of the Brentwood Gardens, at 11677 San Vicente Blvd., inscrutably announcing a new restaurant. Wasting no time whatsoever, Guyi Restaurant is now in their soft opening. I had previously wondered if they were related to a restaurant in China, but have since discovered that this is their first outpost. Look for a menu of authentic Sichuan/Northern Chinese food in a bright airy setting. And, until March 14th, you get 30% off the check.
Good news for fans of Spumoni’s imported Italian wood burning oven… During the month of March, they’ll take 50% off your entire bill on Monday nights. Offer is for dine-in only.
Spumoni 713 Montana Ave. Santa Monica 90403
I recently noticed that Three Twins Ice Cream has vacated its space at 2726 Main St. in Santa Monica. The windows are papered over and the website is reporting it closed as of March 4th. It looks like they recently closed their San Francisco branch as well. Could this indicate trouble for the brand?
I’ve known for a while that there was going to be a branch of luxury artisanal coffee purveyor Caffe Luxxe in Pacific Palisades. But now I know where… The signs are up on the window of the space at 15200 W. Sunset Blvd. #105, across the street from the upcoming Palisades Village development, announcing the impending arrival. I’m not sure of an opening date, but construction is fast and furious.
Self-described “outrageously sweet interactive pop-up” Candytopia opens tomorrow (Friday March 2nd) in Santa Monica Place. The exhibit, brought to you by Hollywood “Candy Queen” Jackie Sorkin and described to me by an employee as “an immersive art [experience] made out of candy”, will run for four months. And yes, you will be eating candy. Read more about this spectacularly creative pop-up and get tickets here.
Quirky neighborhood hang-out spot Bar * Food has flown the coop at 12217 Wilshire Blvd. in Brentwood. The front is completely covered in plywood and their website has vanished. Not sure what happened or what may be taking over, but I’ll keep watching…
I noticed a while ago that Taiwanese shaved ice shop Frostalicious had quietly disappeared from its space at 10967 Weyburn Ave. in Westwood. Wasting no time, a new treat shop has moved in. Sip Matcha, Boba & Tea recently opened and is dispensing Technicolor drinks, such as the Magic Matcha pictured below, to the good people of Westwood.
I applauded last year when B.H. Poke courageously threw open their doors on a particularly tricky stretch of Beverly Hills (9527 Santa Monica Blvd. to be exact). Then something went south… A note was hastily affixed to the front door saying that they were taking a “little break”. Now, after sitting idle for a few months, a large for lease sign officially confirms their demise. I’ll watch to see what might move in.
Ever since I first told you about a new restaurant moving into the old Panini Kabob Grill space at 10861 Lindbrook Dr. in Westwood, I’ve been fielding questions about an opening date. Well, Grilliant is now open for business. Look for a Mediterranean/Middle Eastern menu of kabob, salads, smoothies, and flat bread wraps.
The cavernous space at the top of Brentwood Gardens, at 11677 San Vicente Blvd., has had a troubled history of turnover. It has sat empty ever since Elaine’s Bakery moved out in 2014. Recently however, paper has covered the windows, and now a poster has been affixed to the front that appears to indicate a new eatery called Guyi Restaurant is intent on moving in. There’s not much information out there. The only other Guyi that I can find is a much-lauded Hunan restaurant in Shanghai China, but I’m unclear if they’re related. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see…
Toddrickallen 