Well, that didn’t take long… It was about a month-and-a-half ago that I told you about the arrival of San Francisco chocolatier Ghirardelli to the space at 1541 Ocean Ave. in Downtown Santa Monica. Wasting no time whatsoever, they will be hosting the opening ceremony of the new “Chocolate & Ice Cream Shop” on Wednesday November 20, with a ribbon cutting at 1pm. The first 100 guests will receive a “World Famous Hot Fudge Sundae”.
A new beverage company is throwing their hat into the ring of the constantly evolving restaurant scene at the Westfield Century City Shopping Center. There’s plywood up on the space just to the left of the upcoming Rumi’s Kitchen announcing the arrival of Chagee Moderrn Tea House. Chagee (pronounced CHAH-jee) was founded in Yunnan in 2017 and has since spread to over 5,000 stores worldwide with the most being in Malaysia. This location is part of an expansion into the US. They are apparently famous for their milk tea, as well as other drinks, and their Dior-esque packaging. Look for a Spring 2025 opening. Until then, you can read more about the company here.
Local laid-back neighborhood spot Ingo’s Tasty Diner, at 1213 Wilshire in Santa Monica, has been closed for years. What was expected to be a quick remodel started… and then completely stopped. Over a year ago, a new spate of construction prompted me to write an update. Not much happened after that and many believed that the project was dead. Recently however, there is renewed activity. As you may recall, Ingo’s has taken over the old Vienna Bakery space next door. Window paper has gone up with images of New York, LA, and even Julia Child, and there is a paper in one of the windows with the name Diner Antonette. LGO Hospitality Group (the parent company for Ingo’s, The Misfit, Luggage Room Pizza, and others) is still behind the project, and the website promises a return of Ingo’s Tasty Diner. Why the delay? I’m told that parts of the building are historic and complicated the permit process. But now construction is fast and furious (although they appear to have a way to go) and I’m also told they are hoping to be open by “The Holidays”.
Ever since well-regarded Lotus Dim Sum Dumpling House ended its short life in the old P.F. Chang’s space on the corner of Wilshire and 4th in Downtown Santa Monica, people have been peppering me with questions about what was taking over. Construction began very quickly, and just last week, window paper went up announcing the new tenant. Mikomi Sushi was founded in Monrovia in 2007 with a mission to “provide food made with quality ingredients and equally quality service”. They offer a solid menu of sushi, sashimi, and rolls. This will be their third location, and they are aiming for an opening in early 2025.
A new Mexican restaurant has suddenly appeared in the old Mercado space at 1416 4th St. in Downtown Santa Monica. Desvelados Cantina officially threw open their doors on Friday (Nov. 1). This is their sixth location, with the other branches being mostly east of here. Self-described as “An elevated taste of Mexico”, look for an extensive (and delicious looking) menu of classic food and drinks with an emphasis on tacos. We wish them the best of luck.
Combining art with food/drink appears to be a trend in Santa Monica. I recently told you about The Splatter Studio, and now there’s another new venture as well. Billing itself as a “paint-your-own-pottery studio and cafe”, Clay Cafe is moving into the space at 620 Wilshire Blvd. in Downtown Santa Monica. Their website reveals that, in addition to the clay studio, they will operate a coffee shop that “serves a wide variety of hot and cold beverages and light snacks”.
If you look carefully at the shopping center located on the corner of Sepulveda and El Segundo Blvd. in El Segundo, you’ll notice a small window poster announcing that one of the spaces at 150 Pacific Coast Highway is being leased by Phanny’s. You could be forgiven for not having heard of Phanny’s before. Phanny’s is an old-school Redondo Beach neighborhood spot serving what some have called the “The South Bay’s Best Breakfast Burrito“. Check out their extensive menu of burritos at their Redondo Beach location to get an idea of what may be coming. I’m told they’re planning on opening soon, possibly in a month, depending on permits. 
Los Angeles’ first branch of Atlanta’s immersive art experience, The Splatter Studio, is coming soon to 321 Santa Monica Blvd in Downtown Santa Monica, previously home to Dragon Herbs (and long ago home of Hooters). Billing themselves as “a contemporary action painting studio”, the idea here, as I understand it, is to create art by splattering it Jackson Pollock-style across a canvas (and each other?) as a social event and “stress reliever”. Why am I covering this since I normally write about restaurants? Because according to the window paper and website, this location will also carry beer and wine to enhance your artistic and social experience.
Epic breakfast burritos are heading to Marina del Rey… There’s window paper up on one of the spaces in the Waterside Marina del Rey Shopping Center announcing the arrival of Wake and Late. Wake and Late has four other locations across LA (with another in the works for Santa Monica) and is known for their breakfast burritos, “rip & dip bagels”, and coffee. The promised Santa Monica branch of Wake and Late has languished for nearly three years. I hope they have better luck with this location.
The two second floor restaurants in Brentwood Gardens Plaza, at 11677 San Vicente Blvd, have always been a bit problematic. I’ve long wondered if perhaps it is due to the fact that they’re not street-level. The space currently operated by Ospi has been through a number of excellent iterations over the years. But the other space has been home to California Pizza Kitchen for a very long time. Sadly, that chapter has come to a close. Readers have been letting me know that CPK has vacated the space. While there are still many locations around, this location was dear for many as it was their first encounter with the revolutionary California Cuisine brand that invented “The Original BBQ Chicken Pizza“.
As signs recently went up at Venice’s new “smart kitchen” The Colony at 401 Lincoln Blvd (previously home to a large encampment) readers have been excitedly asking me what would be on offer. Here’s a partial list of what I know so far: Crumbl, Kakkoi, Main Chick, Goop Kitchen, Muy Thai, Good Steak, Behold Burger, Sweet Rose, Culture Crush, Xenia, and Jennie’s House. You’ll notice that this list is very similar to The Colony on Santa Monica Blvd. You’re welcome.
Congratulations Good People of El Segundo, a new entertainment complex is heading your way! There’s major construction happening at 811 N. Nash St. announcing the arrival of California Smash. Billing itself as “The Ultimate Pickleball And Social Club”, California Smash will offer, in addition to pickleball courts, a DJ and dancefloor and “full-service bar and restaurant, serving up a delectable array of drinks and dishes to fuel your passion for play and socializing”. While they clearly have a lot of work to do, they’re aiming for an opening this year.
This from my inbox:
“OFF THE HOOK Santa Monica Seafood Festival returns to the iconic Santa Monica Pier on Sun. Oct. 13 to celebrate the sea and raise awareness for Heal the Bay to help keep our local ocean and beaches clean! This beloved ocean-inspired tasting event features the city’s top chefs and restaurants and their favorite underwater ingredients! Attendees will enjoy seafood tastings, beer gardens, wine tastings, live music, oyster-shucking competitions, and more fun in the sun!”
General admission (Little Fish) is $85 and gets you access to seafood and drinks tastings. VIP admission (Big Fish) is $165 and gets the tastings as well as early entry, access to a lounge, and exclusive tastings and cocktails. I’m told tickets are selling out so you might want to move quickly. Oh, and “yacht rock attire” is encouraged.
Read more and get your tickets here.
Paper has gone up on the space at 1541 Ocean Ave ste 105 in Santa Monica proclaiming that famous San Francisco chocolatier Ghirardelli is moving in. Obviously, the shop is super close to The Pier and will cater to tourists, as it does in San Francisco, New York, and Hollywood. According to their website, Ghirardelli has been making quality chocolate for nearly two hundred years, thereby making it the “longest continually operating chocolatier in America”. They’re aiming for a Winter 2024 opening.
(Thanks Frank!)
Congratulations Good People of Malibu, healthy juices are heading your way! There’s a banner on the front of the Montana Ave branch of cleanse experts Kreation announcing an upcoming branch in Malibu Village, at 3836 Cross Creek Rd. According to the banner, this will be their 24th branch.
We have a plucky new contender throwing their hat into the ring of a very competitive pizza market in Brentwood. Window graphics are up on the space 11684 W San Vicente announcing the arrival of Flour Cafe and Pizzeria. Their website gives a wildly different address in the heart of a residential neighborhood in Santa Monica but confirms a Brentwood location. Flour has a location in the Palisades and offers a solid menu of New York style pies, as well as salads and sandwiches. 
A mysterious ABC application recently appeared on the front of the space at 828 Pico Blvd, Ste 5. The business name on the application is Pacific Golf Corp. A cursory search of the name and the names associated with this business produce no obvious results. All we know is that this will be an “on-sale beer & wine eating place”. If you have more information, let me know…
There’s plywood over one of the stalls in the Westfield Century City Shopping Center announcing the arrival of MR CHOW NOW. What is that, and what is its relationship to nearby MR CHOW, Beverly Hills’ glittering branch of the exclusive and iconic MR CHOW empire? According to this job site, this will be a “fast casual expansion” of the brand. Not many other details so I guess we’ll have to wait and see. (I’m hoping for hand-pulled noodles?) They are aiming for a late Autumn opening.
Readers were sending me news of recent closures in Westwood Village, so I went by to have a look. Sure enough, after five and a half years, Tocaya Organica has decamped from their commodious location at 1140 Gayley Ave. Also recently disappeared is Pressed Juicery from their address at 10878 Kinross Ave. I’ll keep my eye on the spaces to see what may develop…
It appears Westwood is getting a new Persian restaurant. There’s window paper up at 1777 Westwood Blvd., once home to much beloved Indonesian institution Ramayani, announcing the arrival of Kabob Village. Kabob Village has a couple of locations across LA and offers an extensive and solid menu of classics like shish kabob, koobideh, falafel, and tahdig.
Santa 
Toddrickallen 