With more than 1,200 restaurants in Japan alone, international Japanese-style curry giant Curry House CoCo Ichibanya officially opens its doors Wednesday, February 20th at 12007 Wilshire Blvd. in Brentwood (near Bundy) according to signs in the window and their website. Two other US locations already exist in Torrance and Irvine. Read more and check out their menu here: ichibanyausa. Anyone brave enough for natto curry?
And while we’re on the subject of Pei Wei, I just noticed the signs in the window of the new development at the corner of Sepulveda and Washington Blvd. in Culver City announcing yet another Pei Wei going into the space at 4114E Sepulveda, next to recently opened Zinga! Frozen Yogurt. peiwei.com
Last May, I told you about construction beginning on a Beverly Hills branch of Pei Wei and as you can see by the sign in the window, it looks like Pei Wei Asian Market opens its doors for the first time on Monday (2/18) at 270 N. Beverly Dr. (at Dayton) in Beverly Hills. A spin-off chain from P.F. Chang’s China Bistro, you can check out their menu that claims to draw inspiration from 5 Asian countries and read more about them here: peiwei.com.
With one restaurant in Encino, purveyors of “Israeli Cuisine” Itzik Hagadol are looking to expand into Beverly Hills. Signs recently went up in the window at 452 Canon Dr. announcing their impending arrival. You can check out their menu and read more at: itzikhagadol.
Perhaps looking to save cupcake seekers from a life of sugary addiction, Kreation Juicery is opening a second branch of their popular fresh-pressed organic juice cafe in Beverly Hills (thier other recently opened branch is at 9465 Charleville) at 9609 Little Santa Monica Blvd. (formerly Menchie’s) , just doors away from perpetually swamped Sprinkles cupcakes. Read more about the rapidly expanding juice chain at: kreationjuice.
This Sunday, February 10th from 11am to 3pm, you can celebrate the Chinese New Year with an all vegetarian dim sum brunch at Susan Feniger’s Street. Check out their “Year of the Snake” menu and read more here: eatatstreet.com.
What’s the skinny on the new signs and ownership change at the 17th St. Cafe at 1610 Montana Ave. in Santa Monica? After opening and developing the cafe for 14 years, owner Jack Srebnik sold it in 2003. Since then, however, the reviews of the Montana Ave. institution have been, well let’s just say less than stellar. So it appears that Jack is back. He’s buying it back from the current owners under the auspices of his partnership in Beverly Bagels Inc. Rather than trying to reconstitute the tainted 17th St. Cafe brand, he is changing the name to Jack’s on Montana. Expect a menu of brunch, salads, and sandwiches similar to the one that made the cafe a popular breakfast and lunch spot with locals for years.
With restaurants in Oklahoma City, Miami, and Chicago as well as his Matthew Kenney Culinary and its associated M.A.K.E. Restaurant in the Market at Santa Monica Place, raw guru and author Matthew Kenney is one busy man. Yet he’s still finding time to expand his “living plant-based” concept even further. In the space that housed short-lived La Gourmandise’s Petite Pantry next to his restaurant in Santa Monica Place, he is opening a to-go concept called M.A.K.E. Out, where he’ll be selling prepared raw, vegan items such as cheeses, crackers, and other quick bites. I’ll keep you posted on a potential opening date. Read more at: matthewkenneycuisine.com.
With locations across the US, frozen yogurt giant Menchie’s is expanding its SoCal reach with an upcoming new branch at 3849 Main St. (corner of Washington) in Culver City. Read more at: menchies.com.
With one location at 5115 Wilshire Boulevard, it looks like Genwa Korean BBQ is expanding into LA’s storied Restaurant Row. Going into the building at 170 N. La Cienega Blvd. that used to house troubled Woo Lae Oak, it appears little has been done yet except to post signs announcing the impending arrival. I’ll keep you posted, until then, check out more here: genwakoreanbbq.
It’s not too early to early to think of plans for St. Valentine’s Day. And Susan Feniger’s Street has the perfect idea with an 80’s themed menu that you kind of have to see to believe. The menu, dubbed “80’s Mix Tape Valentine” features, well let’s just say very creative titles such as: Pet Chop Boys with Duranch Duranch Dressing, Soy George, and Chile Vanilli. To find out exactly what these dishes are, check out the entire menu and get more info here: eatatstreet. Cost is $65 for four courses of New Wave romance.
M Café has really focused on cleansing and healthy eating with its “Renew, Recharge, & Reset Your Life” program. Tonight from 7pm to 8:30pm at the Beverly Hills location, M Café’s Chef Lee Gross and Holistic Nutritionist Elissa Goodman will be offering a cooking demo to kickstart your way to a maco-marvelous you. Included in the demo are: Homemade Almond Milk, Raw Harvest Kale Salad with Quinoa, Avocado & Lemon Dressing, and Hearty Root Vegetable Stew. Cost is $35. You must RSVP to amy@mcafedechaya.com to score a seat. Read more at: mcafedechaya.
Having deprived the Westside of their potato creations for far too long, the Westfield Century City Shopping Center’s very own outpost of Philippines-based international spud giant Potato Corner is now open on the first floor, next to Breadbar. Another branch is coming soon to the Westfield Culver City Mall. Read more, if you must, at: potatocornerusa.
The Yard, the gastropub at 119 Broadway in Santa Monica bid goodbye after the holidays. Now construction is fast and furious on a new restaurant replacing it. Papers are up in the window announcing the new venture to be The Craftsman Bar and Kitchen. I can find little information on the new watering hole except for their elaborate official website, which mysteriously appears to be in Latin gibberish (or at least I couldn’t get Google Translate to sort it out). Check it out here and let me know if you have any luck: thecraftsmanbar.com. I’ll keep you posted…
A few months ago, I told you about the renovation of Hideaway at the Oceana, the restaurant at the charming and seductive Oceana Beach Club Hotel nestled in a quiet neighborhood at 849 Ocean Avenue in Santa Monica. While keeping the spectacular views of Palisades Park and the ocean beyond, the plucky little restaurant has replaced its beach club feel with a swanky new look, a new menu, and a new name. Tower 8 (named after the corresponding lifeguard tower on the beach) is now open with a look that is being described as “70s chic” by staff. But here’s the biggest surprise: The menu is designed by Josiah Citrin, yes the Josiah Citrin of Mélisse. The new “California-Coastal” menu features snacks, small plates, plates, sandwiches and panini, salads, and “garnishes” which appear to be side orders such as roasted squash with trumpet mushrooms, pomegranate, rosemary and gigande beans with barley, mushrooms, cippolini onions, roasted grapes. So let’s see… a hip new vibe, breathtaking views, and a menu by Josiah Citrin? I don’t think Tower 8 is going to be a secret for long. Read more at: oceanabeachclubhotel.
The latest branch of retro-themed burger chain Johnny Rockets is now open in the food court of Santa Monica Place, only blocks from their other SM location in the Third Street Promenade. Read more at: johnnyrockets.com.
Maybe it’s because of the rapidly changing neighborhood, or maybe because when we first saw the construction, there was a glimmer of hope that something exciting would be replacing the decrepid Arby’s at 1340 Lincoln Blvd. in Santa Monica, but for whatever reason there seemed to be a lot of interest in the new branch of national burger chain Wendy’s that was being built. Well, for those closely following the story comes this thrilling development: Wendy’s is now officially open in Santa Monica.
Regardless what you think about his political views, Co-CEO of Whole Foods, John Mackey has had a powerful influence on the way we eat. Passionate about organic food, philanthropy, and animal welfare, he took a small vegetarian market he started in 1978 and built it into an empire spanning two continents. Well now’s your chance to hear his ideas on free market economics personally. On Thursday January 24th, he will be signing copies of his new book Conscious Capitalism at the Pasadena Whole Foods at 465 S. Arroyo Parkway from 4pm until 6pm.
Update: The kind people managing this event asked me to pass on that the book signing is actually from 4pm until 5pm and a portion of the sales from the book will go to a good cause: Whole Foods Market’s Arroyo store has pledged to donate $1 to Whole Planet Foundation for every book sold. Read more about their work here: wholeplanetfoundation.
Native Foods has rolled out its winter menu with a number of new additions. Included on the list are: Roasted Corn & Basil Polenta Bites, Indo Noodle Salad, Caribbean Jerk Kale Salad, Baja Blackened Tacos, Homemade Apple Pie, and Cranberry Orange Cake. Read more at nativefoods.
Feeling like you overdid it during the holidays? Need a jump-start to 2013? M Café has the solution… Along with certified holistic nutritionist Alissa Goodman, they have created a signature 5 day macro cleanse intended to “Renew, Recharge, and Reset” your body, mind, and metabolism, and who doesn’t need that right about now? Check out a sample menu here: RESETMENU and read more here: mcafedechaya.
Toddrickallen 