All About The Bread Opens In Century City

Posted on December 4, 2015 by toddrickallen

The Westfield Century City Shopping Center is a flurry of activity and construction lately. We’ve been promised 15 new eateries (including Eataly). The latest? Melrose’s specialty sandwich shop All About The Bread has opened a branch in the food court. The concept here is a focus on artisan, handcrafted bread that is baked fresh every 30 minutes delivering a product with a crunchy exterior and fluffy interior which is then used to make any one of a number of signature sandwiches. Check out the menu and read more here.

AllAboutTheBread

Starbucks Now Open In SMP

Posted on December 3, 2015 by toddrickallen

For many restaurateurs and businesspeople, opening a new food spot in Santa Monica can be a nightmare. Red tape and delays make the process a long, dragged out affair. (Am I right Lemonade, Creams & Dreams? And Caffe Primo… we feel your pain.) But for some magical reason known only to the god of multinational coffee chains, a new Starbucks can open in days in the notoriously challenging city. It was only back in mid-October that I told you about a new branch of the ubiquitous coffee purveyor being built on the ground floor of Santa Monica Place near Bloomingdale’s. One month and a half later, Starbucks is open and probably giving Ugo Café a run for its money.

Starbucks

Johnnie’s NY Pizzeria Closes In The Promenade

Posted on December 1, 2015 by toddrickallen

I just noticed that one of the Downtown Santa Monica’s long-time residents has folded. Johnnie’s NY Pizzeria has closed its doors at 1444 Third St. Promenade. And it appears they don’t have a new tenant lined up yet, judging from the for lease signs but I’ll keep watching…

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W XYZ Bar Heads To El Segundo

Posted on November 27, 2015 by toddrickallen

It looks like El Segundo will soon be home to a branch of W XYZ Bar, the signature bar of the Aloft Hotels chain that is currently under construction at 475 N. Sepulveda. Look for a menu of “specialty cocktails”, a “snack-attack” menu, and “sassy dj mixes”. According to the website, the new Aloft El Segundo will be up and running on April 12th, 2016.

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Happy Thanksgiving From Toddrickallen!

Posted on November 26, 2015 by toddrickallen

Toddrickallen wishes a very Happy Thanksgiving to all my devoted readers. May your day be filled with joy, family and friends, and of course, wonderful food! I’m so very grateful for your support. Cheers!

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Wellfed Landing Soon In Playa Vista

Posted on November 23, 2015 by toddrickallen

Remember back in October when I first noticed a sign on the front of 13020 W. Pacific Promenade #7 in Playa Vista informing us that Great Food was soon heading our way? Well, construction is fast and furious on a build-out of what will soon be Wellfed. Recently, I had a chance to chat with the owners. While they’re still working out all the details, here’s what I can tell you. The new owner operated gastropub will feature an open kitchen dishing up a creative market-driven California/Asia menu. The concept here is fast/casual served over a super snazzy monkeypod wood wrap-around countertop. The vibe at Wellfed will be chill with a serious emphasis on food. And they’ve scored a chef with serous cred although I’m not at liberty to divulge. While beer and wine are still a few months away, they’re shooting for a December 21st opening. We wish them the best of luck.

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Arclight Cinemas Opens Today In SMP With A Café And Full Bar

Posted on November 20, 2015 by toddrickallen

Back in January I told you that signs on the construction site of the new Arclight Cinemas, being constructed out of thin air atop Bloomingdale’s, indicated that the new theater would feature a café and full bar. Well, now the wait for a boozy movie is over. Arclight Cinemas opens today (November 20th) in Santa Monica Place and the posters declare that you can take your drink into the theater with you. Cheers!

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Lemonade (Finally) Opens In Santa Monica: Moving Into The Bay Area

Posted on November 18, 2015 by toddrickallen

Did that take a long time or what? Last Winter, I told you about the signs in the window announcing that a branch of Lemonade was taking over the old Rockenwagner space at 311 Arizona Ave. in Santa Monica. Originally, the optimistic purveyor of “seasonal California comfort food”, innocent to the workings of the City of Santa Monica, had planned for a Spring opening. That obviously didn’t happen. But all that’s behind us now. Lemonade threw open its doors yesterday, November 17. Incidentally, the bright and cheery expanding brand appears poised to move into the Bay Area, according to their website.

Lemonade

Bowl Of Heaven Coming Soon To Santa Monica

Posted on November 17, 2015 by toddrickallen

Back in early August, I noticed that the new Elevon complex in El Segundo was getting a branch of superfood chain Bowl of Heaven. At the time, I also pointed out that their website indicated that Santa Monica was to land a branch as well. And now we know where… Papers are up in the window of the space at 725 Broadway announcing the upcoming arrival. They’re still in the construction phase so I don’t know when they intend on opening, but until then, you can check out Bowl of Heaven’s menu of acai bowls, smoothies, and juices here.

BowlofHeaven

American Tea Room Closes In BH For Renovation; Expands Into Newport Beach

Posted on November 13, 2015 by toddrickallen

Beverly Hill’s preeminent purveyor of all things tea has closed down for a major redo. American Tea Room at 401 N. Canon Drive is covered with plywood and large banners indicating that the facelift will be complete sometime in 2016. Until then, check out their new Downtown LA location or follow the progress of their upcoming Newport Beach location here.

Honey Boba Expands Into Hawthorne…

Posted on November 12, 2015 by toddrickallen

A great many of you have been following with rapt attention the extraordinarily slow progress of the still unopened Honey Boba on Santa Monica Blvd., just to the west of the 405. (They appear to be quite close to opening.) With locations already in Gardena, Lomita, Rosemead, and Arcadia, the boba chain continues its tortoiselike march toward the beach with a new location arriving soon to the Glen Court shopping center at 5267 Rosecrans Ave. in Hawthorne. Until that fateful day, read more about “the best boba alive” and check out their menu here.

Blaze Pizza Expanding Into Hawthorne

Posted on November 10, 2015 by toddrickallen

It looks like the busy aerospace industry can look forward to yet another lunchtime choice soon… After having sat vacant for quite a while, the free-standing building that used to house a Qdoba at 5221 Rosecrans Ave. in Hawthorne (just to the west of the 405) is about to get a new tenant. Signs are up indicating that a branch of “fast fire’d” build-your-own pizza restaurant Blaze Pizza is moving in. Looks like they’re planning on an opening sometime next year, but until then, check out the menu of the rapidly expanding national chain here.

Creams & Dreams Now Churning Liquid Nitrogen Ice Cream In Santa Monica

Posted on November 6, 2015 by toddrickallen

Back in December of last year, I told you about the impending arrival of a new ice cream shop to the space at 219 Arizona (Third St. Promenade) in Santa Monica that used to house Frey Wille. Well, it took about a year, but Creams & Dreams is now open. Using liquid nitrogen in the churning, they offer a wide selection of all-natural ice cream in clever flavors such as maiz con queso, fresh avocado, and orange honey. Check out their entire menu of ice cream as well as pastries, coffee, and tea here.

Infuzion Cafe Gives Up The Ghost In SM

Posted on November 5, 2015 by toddrickallen

Well it can’t be said it was for lack of trying… Having previously occupied a space on 3rd Street, it was a new and hopeful day when coffee and sandwich shop Infuzion Café opened in their bright and shiny buildout at 1241 5th St. in Santa Monica almost exactly two years ago. Sadly, it appears that they weren’t able to make a go of it. A somber note pasted to the front window informs us that they have permanently closed as of last week.

Frostalicious Bringing Icy Treats To Westwood Soon…

Posted on November 3, 2015 by toddrickallen

Right next door to the recently revamped and highly popular Koala Tapioca, a new icy treat shop is coming to the space at 10967 Weyburn Ave. in Westwood. Frostalicious is promising the World’s first self-serve Taiwanese shaved ice machines that will deliver the revolutionary “light as a snowflake, fluffy as a cloud” frozen delights in a myriad of flavors including; strawberry buttermilk, cucumber mint, and creamy mango. And you can add to this an astonishing array of toppings such as; almond tofu, red velvet bites, aloe vera with honey, and flavored condensed milk. Now word on an opening date and the construction is fast and furious, but until then read more here.

Yazawa Meat Now Open In BH

Posted on October 30, 2015 by toddrickallen

Stop the presses, this just in… While we’re on the subject of new buzz-worthy Japanese restaurants on the Westside, a great deal of you were extremely excited by the news I told you back in May that Yazawa Meat was going into the old BierBeisl space at 9669 Santa Monica Blvd. in Beverly Hills. Well, you’ll be ecstatic to learn that straight from Japan, our own local branch of the ultra-exclusive chain Yazawa Meat soft opened last night (October 29th) after a brief run of invite only, with an expected grand opening of December 1st. What took so long? According to a spokesperson, permits from LA County held them up. But all that’s behind us now. Expect the absolute end-all of routinely flown in Japanese wagu expertly cut (the name Yazawa refers to a legendary Japanese butcher) (and yes, I’m assured there are vegetarian options). But with all this attention, good luck getting a seat in the dark, intimate, diminutive dining room. In the mean time, check out their website and explore the menus at one of their other glitzy outposts in Milan, Tokyo, and Singapore here.

Musashiya Udon Noodle Opens Today In Westwood

Posted on October 28, 2015 by toddrickallen

Every once in a while, a story surprises me by how much interest it garners. It was back in mid-August that I told you about papers in the window of the old Top N One Ramen Ex space at 1049 Gayley Ave. in Westwood announcing that a new Japanese noodle shop, Musashiya Udon Noodle was moving in. And since then, the buzz on this place has been, well, crazy. So to all those people who have been following this story with cult-like rapt attention comes this exciting news: Musashiya opens today (October 28th) at 11:00am according to the paper in the window. Check out their website and read more about what they’re billing as the “Best Udon In America” here.

Golden Door Now Offering Packaged Foods In Century City

Posted on October 27, 2015 by toddrickallen

Create your own exclusive spa experience at home… Voted Travel + Leisure’s #1 destination spa for 2015, Golden Door has long been the choice for celebs and those in the know to get a bit of Zen back in their lives. You may not be able to visit this famous Shrine of Hygeia in Escondido, but now you don’t have to go that far… at least to try some of their proprietary packaged foods, spices, and condiments. A new kiosk has opened in the currently-ravaged Westfield Century City Shopping Center that offers an array of foods from the iconic spa, as well as skin products and other items that you can check out here.

Great Food Heading To Playa Vista…

Posted on October 23, 2015 by toddrickallen

With all the focus on the flashy new lineup of restaurants further up the road in the new Runway Playa Vista, less attention is paid to the slightly older area of the colossal development closer to Lincoln Blvd. Signs recently went up announcing that a new restaurant is coming to the space at 13020 W. Pacific Promenade #7 that used to house a hair salon. The mysterious banner announces only that “Great Food” will be coming soon. I’ve no idea if Great Food is the name of the new restaurant, or merely a description of what to expect so we’ll simply have to wait and see…

Azabu Sushi Bar & Grill Replacing Mosto Enoteca In MDR

Posted on October 22, 2015 by toddrickallen

Signs have recently gone up in the upper deck space that used to house Mosto Enoteca at 517 Washington Blvd. announcing that a brand new entity, Azabu Sushi Bar & Grill is taking over. While the windows are papered over so I can’t get a glimpse of the progress, the red banner hanging outside informs us that they will be opening soon. I can’t seem to locate too much information on this new restaurant, but I’ll keep looking…

Toddrickallen

The Westside at Its Finest

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