Petros Kafe Expands In El Segundo

I’ve been keeping my eye on the massive Elevon business/retail development, parts of which are still under construction in El Segundo.  In June, Bowlology was the first eatery to open, but since then news has been sparse.  That’s beginning to change. An ABC license application, posted on the front of the empty space at 743 N. Douglas St, Bldg 16, Suite 3, lets us know that the new inhabitant will soon be none other than that fine purveyor of “Hellenic California cuisine” Petros Kafe.  More news to come…

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Cozymel’s Gives Up The Ghost In El Segundo

After a 20 year run in El Segundo, iconic Mexican-themed Cozymel’s Coastal Mex has closed its doors at 2171 Rosecrans Ave.  If you find yourself struggling without their much-lauded guacamole, the popular lunch spot has two sister restaurants in Wheaton, Ill. and Westbury, NY. No word on what may be taking over the sizeable and prominent stone building, but I’ll keep my eye on it.

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Cava Grill Expands Into Downtown Santa Monica… More Locations On The Way!

DC’s Greek/Mediterranean restaurant chain Cava Grill continues to expand.  After opening their Westwood location only a couple of months ago, they are adding another location in Downtown Santa Monica.  Paper is covering the windows of the recently constructed building housing the Chelsea apartment complex at 1320 2nd Street announcing the impending arrival.  If you check out their website, you’ll see that they are also opening soon in Venice, Culver City, and Irvine.

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Café Gratitude Coming To Beverly Hills?

I am dynamic…  I am present…  I am expanding…

Back in May I told you that Beverly Hills fixture Coupa Café had vacated its space at 419 N Canon Dr.  Recently, I noticed that the place had been leased. A small notice pasted on the front states that the new owners have filed for an open air dining permit with the City.  If you look closely at the lower left of the intent notice, you’ll see that the name of the business is listed as “Gratitude Beverly Hills”.  A closer inspection of the projects list of the Beverly Hills Planning Commission (page 24) reveals that the request is being made by none other than popular organic plant-based restaurant chain Café Gratitude.  While I haven’t confirmed this myself, it’s all there in black and white. 

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Garlo’s Aussie Pie Shop Closes In Westwood Village

Westwood Village has a notoriously capricious food scene. Only the bravest make a stand here, and not always with the best results.  Sadly, Garlo’s Aussie Pie Shop has thrown in the towel at 1010 Glendon Ave. as evidenced by the for lease sign on the front.  All may not be lost though:  A message on their website states that they are “on the move” and promises big news soon…

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Pressed Juicery Bringing Frozen Treats To Abbot Kinney Soon

Signs are up in the window of the building on the corner of Abbot Kinney and Venice Blvd. (1645 Abbot Kinney Blvd., the same building that houses Lemonade) indicating that a branch of popular and prolific cold-pressed juice folks Pressed Juicery are soon moving in. If their window paper is to be trusted, this location will be serving their proprietary frozen treat Freeze, which they describe as “soft-serve made from 100% whole fruits, nuts & vegetables”.  No word on an opening date, but I’ll keep watching…

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Doma Kitchen Moves From Manhattan Beach To Marina Del Rey

Recently I told you about the move of Johnny Memphis’ Smokehouse from its location in the Manhattan Village Shopping Center to Downtown El Segundo.  A reader was quick to let me know that the move was necessary to make room for the upcoming expansion of the mall.  One other casualty was the popular Eastern European restaurant Doma Kitchen (the name means “home” in Slavic), that sat just to the right of Johnny Memphis’.  But the plucky little eatery isn’t done yet…  They have indeed pulled up stakes in Manhattan Beach, but they’ve landed in a brand new location.  Doma Kitchen is now open in Marina del Rey in the Villa Marina Marketplace at 4325 Glencoe Ave. #8.

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Chik-fil-A Comes To MDR

For some reason that I don’t entirely comprehend, a great many of you are BIG fans of Chik-fil-A.  Well then, here’s some welcome news for those of you that count yourselves in that group:  Signs recently went up on the old defunct Del Taco at 4050 Lincoln Blvd. (just south of Washington) announcing that the structure is being converted into a branch of the popular poultry purveyor.  No word on an opening date yet, so y’all will just have to wait…

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Buca Di Beppo Gives Up The Ghost In Santa Monica

I recently noticed that after a long run at 1442 2nd St., Santa Monica’s branch of the kitschy old school Italian chain Buca di Beppo has finally pulled up stakes.  I didn’t see this coming and I’m not sure what happened.  I’ll keep my eye on the space to see what the future holds, and in the mean time, if you find yourself craving ginormous portions of red sauce pasta, you can locate one of their other branches here.

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Spumoni Back In Action On Montana Ave. With A New Look… And A New Wood-fired Pizza Oven!

Popular neighborhood restaurant Spumoni, at 713 Montana Ave. in Santa Monica, ran into a spot of trouble a little over a year ago when a car crashed into the next door Café de Paris and sparked a fire that shut the Italian eatery down.  Rising from the ashes, Spumoni threw open its doors last night (Tuesday) for the first time since the fire.  Having taken over the Café de Paris space, the plucky always-crowded café is now larger with an extensive remodel.  The feel is still cozy and friendly, with a dining room bedecked in warm wood paneling.  You’ll continue to find many of the classics on the menu, but if you haven’t thought about Spumoni as a destination in a while, it might be time to reconsider.  They built a spiffy wood-fired pizza oven brought from Napoli and flew in a pizza expert, Pizzaiolo Massimo Caso to serve some the crispest (perhaps best) Neapolitan-style pies anywhere in this neck of the woods.  We wish them the best of luck.

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Sugar Mama’s Gourmet Cupcakes Landing On Melrose…

Back in February, I told you about the closure of all the branches of Orchard Flats Juicery.  It appears that their erstwhile location at 7970 Melrose Ave. has found a new tenant.  Papered-over windows and a notice on the door informs us that the space will soon be an outlet of Hollywood’s fave online delivery expert Sugar Mama’s Gourmet Cupcakes.  It looks like Chef Elizabeth Gousse will start churning out the sugary treats sometime this November.

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Pinches Tacos Coming Soon To Westwood

It was only about a month ago that I told you about the closure of Barbacoa Mexican Grill at 1030 Glendon Ave. in Westwood.  Wasting no time whatsoever, a branch of Pinches Tacos is quickly moving in.  Look for the “real Mexican food” to start rolling out in about a week.  We wish them the best of luck.

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Still More Changes In Century City…

As we all wait with bated breath for the new Westfield Century City Shopping Center to emerge from the dust of construction, thereby gracing us with an outpost of mythic Eataly and 15 promised new restaurants, the troubled food court continues to lose inhabitants.  Recently, the short-lived branch of quirky Korean pizza giant Mr. Pizza disappeared, as did Fatburger just to its left.  By my count, that leaves 5 vacancies…

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Mainland Poke Shop Coming To MDR

The poke frenzy continues…  With a location in LA and Glendale, it appears that Mainland Poke Shop is moving about as far west as you can go.  The windows are papered over in the tiny shop just to the left of Kreation in the Waterside Shopping Center at 4700 Admiralty Way in Marina Del Rey announcing the impending arrival.  Looks like they’ll start dishing raw fish sometime this Fall.

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Stout Burgers & Beers… And Cocktails?

Recently, I noticed a pending conditional use permit pasted on the front of Santa Monica’s branch of Stout Burgers & Beers at 111 N Santa Monica Blvd. in Downtown Santa Monica.  An employee confirmed that they are looking to add a full bar to their selection of beers and wine.  Hopefully the cocktails will begin pouring soon…

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Johnny Memphis’ Smokehouse Expands In El Segundo

With one location in the Manhattan Village Shopping Center (right behind Macy’s), it looks like Johnny Memphis’ Smokehouse is expanding with another branch in Downtown El Segundo.  A banner is up over the old Mandy’s Café space at 241 Main St. announcing the upcoming arrival. No word on when the grills will be fired up, but I’ll keep watching…

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Osteria Bigoli Taking Over The Vincenzo Space On Montana Ave.

I’ve long heard whispers that a change was coming to secret celeb hideaway Vincenzo Ristorante Italiano, that has inhabited the small space at 714 Montana Ave. in Santa Monica. Apparently, hard-working and gregarious Chef Vincenzo Nicoletta has decided it’s time to move on.  Recently plywood has covered the front, and a change of ownership ABC license application is letting us know that the name of the new restaurant will be Osteria Bigoli.  Tortano LLC and the name on the application indicate that perhaps Osteria Bigoli will have some relationship with a restaurant in Covina called Osteria Pane e Vino.  In the mean time, Vincenzo remains open.  I’ll keep following this for more details.

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Juice Served Here Coming Soon To BH

A great many of you have been carefully watching the space that used to house St. Urbain Street Bagels at 451 North Beverly Dr. in Beverly Hills.  Well, now we know what’s taking over.  A small notice of non-responsibility taped to the front door indicates that a new branch of “never conventional” expanding juice company Juice Served Here is moving in.

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