As you can tell if you look carefully at the posted announcement in the window of the photo taken on Monday, Steak N Shake officially opens today (Tuesday, October 28th) on the corner of Broadway and Third St. in Santa Monica. Originally hailing from Georgia, you can read more the chain and check out their menus here.
Downtown Santa Monica continues to be a flurry of urban renewal. I’ve been carefully watching the development on the corner of 7th and Arizona, which until recently has been concealed by scaffolding and plywood. All that came down this week to reveal an ABC application in the window. With locations in West Hollywood and Downtown LA, looks like popular casual eatery Caffe Primo is expanding west, to 702 Arizona Ave. to be exact. No word on an opening date yet, but until that magical day, you can read more here.
And while we’re on the subject of Main St., things are about to get a whole lot sweeter. Right across from now-defunct Wildflour Pizza, construction is underway on a new candy kitchen and shop, A Real Treat Candy Boutique at 2724 Main St. in Santa Monica. With one store already at 10800 West Pico Blvd. in LA, ART promises a natural selection of house-made candies that are free of artificial sweeteners, with vegan, kosher, gluten-free, and allergy sensitive choices that you can read more about here.
Long-standing local institution Wildflour Pizza has finally closed its doors at 2807 Main St. in Santa Monica. Wasting no time whatsoever, construction is underway on what will shortly be a brand new “wine and beer garden”, I’m told. And while I’m not certain of the name, the design review lists Edmund Silkaitis, long associated with Café Montana, as the applicant. Look for an opening in about 30 days.
Back in April I told you about the impending arrival of a tony new wine shop on the corner of Little Santa Monica and Canon in Beverly Hills. Oenophile wonderland Heritage Fine Wines is now up and running at 9400 S. Santa Monica Blvd. and the reviews are (mostly) good. But the best part besides the wine? They are also carrying bread from Paris’ ridiculously famous boulangerie, Poilane.
Originally hailing from Sherman Oaks and with locations throughout SoCal, Sharkey’s Woodfired Mexican Grill is expanding further. The new location will be in the Villa Marina Marketplace Mall at 4371 Glencoe Ave., Space #16, in the cul-de-sac between Pavilions and CVS. No word on when their signature brand of “fresh, natural, and organic” Mexican food will be available, but until then, read more here.
Marina Del Rey’s very own branch of Florida-based national chain RA Sushi Bar Restaurant is now up and running in the Marina Marketplace at 13450 Maxella Avenue. While they are still waiting for their liquor license to come through, Ra offers a menu of (of course) signature sushi, bowls, bento boxes, and plates, all served in a “sexy environment” with a “big side of Anything Can Happen” that you can read more about here.
Earlier in the week I told you about a new Vietnamese restaurant’s anticipated opening in the Westfield Century City Shopping Center. Good to their word, NiBi Pho Bistro is now up and running in the food court. With one other restaurant in the city of Commerce, you can check out their Facebook page here.
If you’ve ever marvelled at the fact that you can get a bottle of Frank Family chardonnay for $34 at South Beverly Grill, or Shafer at Hillstone in Santa Monica for $65, then you are well acquainted with the fact that the wine buyers at the Hillstone Restaurant Group (Gulfstream, Houston’s, R & D Kitchen, etc.) know what they’re doing. Now’s your chance to take advantage of their expertise… Just to the left of their South Beverly Grill and Honor Bar, Hillstone has quietly opened a retail store, Honor Wines and Spirits at 114 South Beverly Drive in Beverly Hills. They offer a carefully curated selection and other perks such as no corkage in any of their restaurants when purchased from Honor, and table side purchase at SBG. I was thrilled to come across a personal favorite, Stuhlmuller.
With one location already in The Citadel in Commerce, looks like Vietnamese restaurant NiBi Pho Bistro is trying their hand with a Westside audience. Signs recently went up on the space that used to house Kichi Grill in the Century City Shopping Center announcing the impending arrival. Look for an opening sometime next week, according to the notice. In the mean time, check out some reviews here.
I’ve just noticed that local fave take-out sushi joint Tomu Fish (formerly Kamiyama Sushi) has vacated its space across from the Manhattan Village Mall at 3001 North Sepulveda in Manhattan Beach. And the space has already found a new tenant. Not sure what the name will be, but according to the banner out front we can expect a new Brazilian restaurant soon…
If you’ve ever had the good fortune of dining at Paris’ Michelin three-starred Hotel Le Bristol, I’m certain you remember it well; the richly paneled ambiance of the dining room, those incredible floral arrangements, the jaw-dropping array of bread stacked in the middle of the room, the harpist creating the perfect mood, and the amazing food (I once had a salad with a solid layer of Perigord truffles artfully arranged on top that was, in a word, heaven). Hotel Le Bristol is the very epitome of French elegance. And now is your chance to sample that experience closer to home. LA’s closest thing to those grand Parisian dining rooms, Melisse in Santa Monica, is hosting the chef from Le Bristol, Eric Freshon on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday October 22nd, 23rd, and 24th. Chef Freshon will be offering an elaborate seven course tasting and the cost is $195 (Mon Dieu… but it’s cheaper than a flight to Paris). Snag your reservation by calling (310) 395-0881 or following the links here, but I would move rapidement if I were you…
Today only (Tuesday September 30th), when you purchase an entrée, side, and drink at Native Foods, you’ll get a free cookie. But not just any cookie… It’s two chocolate oatmeal cookies sandwiching a creamy mint filling that they’re calling the “Mint for Mercy” cookie. Why the curious name? Because part of the proceeds today go to help the charity group Mercy for Animals which works to prevent farm animal cruelty and raise awareness of food policy.
Starting this weekend, mozzarella-specialist Obika in the Century City Shopping Center is launching its first ever brunch from 11:30am until 4:00pm Saturday and Sunday. Promising a menu of “Old World and New World” dishes, they are upping the ante on the classics with a few new twists including pancakes as prepared by the ancient Romans, and French toast in the manner of Sardinian tradition. And to kick off their inaugural weekend, they are pouring complimentary mimosas. Make your reservation by calling (310) 556-2452.
After anchoring the corner of Broadway and 2nd in Santa Monica for six years, casual Asian eatery Buddha’s Belly has now closed. According to a letter posted in the window, the space will soon be inhabited by a new venture from the same people, The Independence Tavern. Look for an opening of the new “rebranded” restaurant in about two months.
I’ve been keeping my eye on the colossal The Point development on the corner of Sepulveda and Rosecrans in Manhattan Beach/El Segundo, right next to Plaza El Segundo. Still mainly in the construction phase, their website promises a multitude of retail and restaurant spaces. There’s no official word on what companies will inhabit The Point, but if you scour the online brochure, the one restaurant that they mention by name is the Fox Restaurant Concepts’ True Food Kitchen. Job boards appear to confirm that the healthy/fresh chain is looking to open this branch in early 2015.
Update: True Food Kitchen is now open. Read more about The Point here. (07/30/2015)
This Wednesday September 24th from 6pm to 8pm, Obika in the Century City Shopping Center is hosting a special dinner giving you a chance to rub elbows with those behind the scenes. The “Meet the Maker” event will include a mozzarella making and tasting, special menu, and chef demo. Guaranteed to fill up quickly, RSVP immediately to CenturyCity@westfield.com.
This Friday, September 19th you’ll have a chance to meet local food scene darlings Zoe Nathan and Josh Loeb (Rustic Canyon, Huckleberry, Milo & Olive) as they present their brand-spanking new cookbook Huckleberry. They will be signing books and doing a cooking demo at the Santa Monica branch of Williams-Sonoma. W-S is at 1600 Montana Ave. and the event starts at 1:00pm, but you’ll def want to get there early…
And here again we find ourselves in the midst of “Closure Season”, when the end of Summer beach crowds begin to dwindle and restaurants disappear right in front of our eyes. There have already been a fair number of recent closings: Elaine’s, Daily Grill, and Manchu Wok. The latest to join their sad ranks? Chick ‘N’ Ribs is now closed in the troubled food court of Santa Monica Place.
Knowing all that goes into opening a restaurant, it is never happy news to report a closure. Sadly, it appears that after being open almost one year, Elaine’s Bakery & Café is now closed at 11677 San Vicente Blvd. Suites 315 & 317 at the top of Brentwood Gardens. And they wasted no time clearing out by the looks of things. This leaves two big empty spaces in the Brentwood Gardens, the other being the old Daily Grill space. (A reader informed me that rumor has it the Daily Grill space will be inhabited by a Mendocino Farms, but I cannot confirm this…)
Toddrickallen 