Dust off your seersucker sports coat… On Sunday, May 26th, Coast Beach Cafe just steps from the beach in the swanky Shutters Hotel in Santa Monica is hosting a very civilized viewing party for the Monaco Grand Prix racing event. Now here’s the genius part: Due to the time difference in Monaco, Coast is opening their doors at 4:00AM and luring guests in with promises of a continental breakfast and unlimited champagne! Quelle bonne idée! Secure yourself a table here.
Those succulent little heralds of Spring, white asparagus, have arrived from Provence in all their plump, sweet glory and are currently featured as the stars of the menu at Josiah Citrin’s Melisse in Santa Monica. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to try them in their signature dish, White Asparagus “Cocotte” with Morel Mushrooms and Yellow Wine Sauce as well as other preparations. Time is extremely limited so move fast… melisse.com
Purveyors of all things tea, Birdpick has flown the coop in Santa Monica. Their ground floor Santa Monica Place location is now closed. If you find yourself desperately in need of a good cuppa, they still have tea shops in Pasadena and Culver City. Read more at: birdpick.com.
With so many people doing gluten-free these days and restaurants increasingly accommodating them, gluten-free is becoming a national craze. Now is your chance to try it yourself. Cookbook author, culinary expert, and food editor of Bon Appétit magazine for 20 years, Kristine Kidd, author of Weeknight Gluten Free: Simple, Healthy Meals For Every Night Of The Week, will be teaching a cooking class on Tuesday, May 7th at Let’s Get Cookin’ in Westlake Village. Some of the recipes you’ll be learning: Soft Socca (Mediterranean chickpea crepes) with Summer Squash, Basil & Gruyère, Sautéed Scallops and Quinoa with Orange-Avocado Salsa, and Ginger-Cherry Oatmeal Cookies. Read more about the event here and check out Kristine Kidd’s blog and find out about more events here.
With 72 locations throughout California and Nevada (albeit mostly far east and south of Downtown LA), breakfast and burger chain Farmer Boys is making its first inroad into West LA. Known for its generous portions, the new restaurant is taking over a repurposed fire department outpost at 2161 E. El Segundo Blvd. (corner of Nash) in El Segundo, a city quickly adapting to meet the noontime meal requirements of the aerospace industry. Look for a May opening. Until then, read more here: farmerboys.
This Sunday, in celebration of Cinco de Mayo, Susan Feniger’s Street has planned a special taco night with a wide selection of veg and non-veg tacos, toppings, and sides all served on Border Grill homemade tortillas. Included on the taco menu: chipotle jackfruit, fried duck egg, beer battered okra, and smoked octopus. Tacos are either a la carte or as plates and can be washed down with margaritas and aguas frescas. Check out the entire menu and read more here: eatatstreet.
For those who’ve been worried sick that there simply aren’t enough places to procure frozen yogurt in Santa Monica comes this happy news… Relentlessly expanding icy treat chain Yogurtland has just opened yet another SM location just off the Third Street Promenade at 304 Santa Monica Blvd., in the old Jamba Juice location. yogurt-land.com
Signs went up recently on the space that used house long-gone Ummba Grill in the Century City Shopping Center announcing an upcoming brand new Chinese restaurant. Meizhou Dongpo is a chain of Sichuan restaurants in China that is looking to make inroads in the US. Not much info yet, except an undeveloped website linking to a Chinese site, and an artist’s rendering of what the future restaurant will look like. Look for a summer 2013 opening. dongpous.com. Update: This website no longer works… try http://www.meizhou.com.cn/?lang=en. -TRA
Promoters of plant-based diet Veggie Grill is celebrating Earth Week with a special free food offer. The rapidly expanding chain will give you a card good for a free entrée on a subsequent visit if you present them with either a bicycle helmet or the actual bike. The “Ride in, Veg out” offer is good from now until April 24th. Read more at: veggiegrill.
After much confusion (and a brief stint selling bicycle parts), purveyor of raw foods to the stars, restaurateur, and cook book author Juliano Brotman’s Santa Monica palace of veganism Planet Raw is officially closed on the corner of Broadway and 6th Street. Rumor has it that he is looking to move the whole operation to Marina del Rey. No word of a replacement yet, but I’ll keep my eye on it…
You’ll soon be spoiled for choice if you live in Culver City near the intersection of Sepulveda and Washington Blvds. Chipotle and Pei Wei are now open in the Culver Crossroads shopping center. Under construction in the same shopping center is a new branch of “fast fire’d” gourmet pizza restaurant Blaze Pizza at 4114 Sepulveda. Look for an August opening but in the mean time, read more about them here: blazepizza.
You may have noticed that the plebian Albertsons grocery store at 3105 Wilshire Blvd. in Santa Monica had closed and construction had begun on a new project at the site. Turns out, the market will soon be a brand spankin’ new branch of upscale grocer Bristol Farms, providing further evidence of the rapid gentrification of the formerly sleepy seaside town.
Well, it looks like Seasons 52 was able to do it… They opened their Santa Monica location on March 28th after only minimal delays (a veritable miracle in SM). With a cool Houston’s meets True Food Kitchen vibe, they are now serving lunch and dinner for the calorie-conscious crowd 7 days a week at 1501 Ocean Ave. (corner of Broadway) . Check out their menu here: seasons52.
Impossible to get a look inside yet, but there are signs of life at the upcoming Beverly Hills branch of Hakkasan at 245 N. Beverly Dr. in Beverly Hills. With locations in London and at the choicest addresses throughout the world, the upscale Chinese restaurant known for its designer-clad waiters, ultra-swanky vibe, and astonishing prices has posted its application to sell alcohol, but not exactly at eye level… No word on an exact opening date yet, but their website announces a Summer opening. Check out the Miami Hakkasan’s menu here to get an idea of things to come, and read more at: hakkasan.com/beverlyhills.
Pizza Antica in Santa Monica Place as well as Northern CA, is celebrating the launch of its new proprietary beer Birra Antica, with a “release week” from April 15th to April 21st. For $6 you can sample the brew with a taralli (Italian pretzel) developed by Linden Street Brewery that is described as “rustic, country-style, and spiced with fennel, black pepper, and cumin”. Read more at: pizzaantica.
Here’s a glimpse of what Josiah Citrin has put together from the Farmer’s Market for the Spring menu at Mélisse:
English Pea Velouté
Porcini Mushrooms, Whipped Porcini Cream
Green Asparagus
Almond Panna Cotta, Blood Orange and Oxalis
Santa Barbara Spot Prawns
Sugar Snap Peas, Sea Vegetables, Curly Dock
White Asparagus “Cocotte”
Morel Mushrooms, Savagnin Wine Sauce
Read more at: melisse.com
If you’ve been wondering what happened to the little Italian restaurant Alejo’s on the corner of Washington and Lincoln in Marina Del Rey, it’s still there but with a new name: Eddie’s Italian Restaurant. It still has the same owner, and the same menu, just a new sign. Read more at their (not yet updated) website: alejosrestaurant.
Have you been wondering what those banners announcing Stella Rosa wines (not to be confused with Stella Rossa Pizza Bar in Santa Monica) on the sides of the construction site on the corner of Lucille and Lincoln Blvd. in Venice are doing there? Well, according to an official associated with the winery, the construction site will be a future “cool, upscale, office building”. No word on what will be inhabiting the building quite yet… Look for a September unveiling. stellarosawines
OK kids, better move quickly on this one… With tv shows, numerous books, vineyards, and restaurants to her credit, Lidia Bastianich is the irrepressible and undisputed matriarch of the Bastianich empire. Once again, this Tuesday March 26th at 7:00pm at Mozza, she returns to LA to celebrate the release of not one, but two new books: Lidia’s Favorite Recipes, and her latest children’s book Lidia’s Family Kitchen: Nonna’s Birthday Surprise. As well as a book signing, included in the evening is a special four course dinner (complete with wine pairings) by Executive Chef Matt Molina with recipes from Lidia’s vast repertoire. Cost is $175 per, and space is extremely limited, but why not try your luck by calling Nicole White just as fast as your little fingers can dial at (323) 866-5290 or by email at nwhite@mozza-la.com to reserve. mozzarestaurantgroup
Toddrickallen 