As raw fish mania sweeps Western LA, many of you have been carefully following the progress of one poke shop that I first told you about back in May. Having very quickly refitted the old Salad Creations space at 2259 E Maple Ave. in The Edge at Campus El Segundo, Ono Poke has now thrown open its doors to enthusiastic reviews on Yelp. When will the poke madness end, you ask? More to come…
Thanks to a tip from a reader, I went to check out the construction that was underway at 2011 Westwood Blvd. (corner of La Grange) that was the site of a long-defunct Radio Shack. Turns out, the new restaurant will be the future home of a branch of mega-chain Panda Express. If you’ve only recently just landed from Mars and have no idea what a Panda Express is, you can check out their menu or find one of their other gazillion locations here.
It was only a month ago that I told you about the closure of miscreant watering hole The Commons Ale House at 129 Broadway in Downtown Santa Monica. I had been hoping that there would soon be an indication of a new eatery or bar moving into the already kitted out space, joining the mini restaurant row of other establishments that dot Broadway from Ocean to 3rd. But sadly this is not the case. A lonely paper has replaced the pithy closure notice that previously hung on the front door indicating that what will be replacing the Ale House will be… a shoe store. [sigh]
Fresh, healthy lunch joint California Monster Salads has closed its doors at 411 Santa Monica Blvd. But all may not be lost… Their website promises a new site coming soon, so we’ll have to wait and see what develops.
It’s that time of year, when popular vegan chain Veggie Grill unveils its Summer menu. Included on this year’s menu are: hummus and za’atar flatbread, Koreatown tacos, chargrilled street corn, and Thai tacos. Check out the entire menu of seasonal additions to their regular menu here.
I’ve been watching the evolution of the tiny space next to the tony salon Jose Eber at 360 N. Camden in Beverly Hills since 2011. First it was 360 Café, then shortly encountered a few troubles, but managed to soldier on until it turned into Nespa Café in 2014. Hopefully three is a charm: Windows are papered over and a new awning are indicating that the space will soon be 3 Ways Café. I’m told that the emphasis will be on chopped salads and lunch items. I’ll keep watching…
Many of you have been fascinated with the progress of the fast fresh build-you-own couscous concept that was under construction at 9533 S. Santa Monica Blvd. (formerly Frankie & Johnnie’s). You’ll be happy to hear that Couscous A Gogo is now open in Beverly Hills. Read more and find a copy of their menu here.
That didn’t take long… It was only back in the March that I noticed that pie shop Simplethings had disappeared from its Lincoln/Wilshire corner location in Santa Monica. Wasting no time whatsoever, signs soon went up announcing that Pasadena’s Spinfish Poke House was set to move in. Well, indeed they have, as they recently opened and are now dishing raw fish to the masses.
A great many of you have been carefully tracking the progress of an eatery taking shape at 3021 Lincoln Blvd. in Santa Monica (formerly Santino’s) that I first told you about back in April. Burgers N Brews recently opened, and is brought to you by the people behind its sister restaurant, The Britannia Pub in Downtown Santa Monica. It’s all about the burgers here, with choices ranging from veggie, chicken, cod, pork, lamb, angus, and grass-fed, all to be washed down with a selection of, you guessed it, craft beers served in frosty glasses. It seems to be off to a good start, and Yelpers are raving about it. We wish them the best of luck.
Back in January, I noticed that a new restaurant and wine bar was moving into the space at 11916 Wilshire that formerly housed the beloved, fusty West Los Angeles fixture Divita’s Pizzeria. At the time, the paper covering the windows promised us that the new restaurant would be local and independent and brought to us by Vincent & Chase. The landmark marquis that loudly proclaimed Divita’s location for over 40 years now has a new look. It appears that the name of the new eatery will be Belle Vie Food & Wine. The signage seems to indicate that new place will have some reference to France, but I can’t find out much more information other than a Facebook page and this, which seems to reference the French Chef Gilles Stassart and his open air restaurant Art Home at Paris’ Le Palais de Tokyo. The mystery continues…
I noticed that El Segundo was about to get a new bar back in 2015. The stylish new Aloft Hotel has since opened at 475 N. Sepulveda, and with it, their signature watering hole, XYZ Bar. Look for the promised “specialty cocktails”, “snack-attack” menu, and “sassy dj mixes”.
It was back in December when I first noticed that Flower Child, one of Fox Restaurant Concepts brands (True Food Kitchen, North Italia), was going to be sharing the renovated Laemmle Theater space at 1332 Second Street in Downtown Santa Monica. Eater told us that June was the projected opening. Now we have a date: According to a spokesperson, Flower Child will begin dispensing good vibes on June 14th. Look for a menu of organic, locally sourced, and additive free, “healthy food for a happy world”.
The Commons Ale House has had its share of troubles in the past, but all that is behind them now. A letter, hand-penned in marker and affixed to the front door at 129 Broadway, bids a colorful goodbye to Downtown Santa Monica and a thank you to its erstwhile customers. It appears that they closed down after last weekend, and no reason for the abrupt closure is given. I’ll keep my eye on the space to see what develops.
Back in March, I told you about the opening of the food hall The Gallery at 1315 Third Street Promenade after a two-year renovation. While there appears to be a great deal of activity, almost all the stalls are still without tenants. However, joining McDonald’s, Subway has returned to the The Gallery and is now open. I’ll keep watching the other spaces…
As poke hysteria grips the Westside, we learn of yet another raw fish establishment vying for a place at the table. Back in December I told you about the demise of El Segundo’s Salad Creations at 2259 E Maple Ave. in The Edge at Campus El Segundo, next to the giant Elevon complex currently under construction. Signs have recently gone up on the space indicating that the new tenant will be Ono Poke Hawaiian Poke Bowl. No word on an opening date, but I’ll keep watching.
They’re dropping like flies in Century City… It was only back in December of last year that I noticed that Melrose’s specialty sandwich shop All About The Bread had quietly slipped into the turbulent waters of the food court of the Westfield Century City Shopping Center. Sadly, they have abandoned their space in the rapidly changing mall. That brings the total number of vacancies to three…
I’ve been watching the space at 11712 San Vicente Blvd. that once housed Adoteca and Osteria Latini before that. The last news was the ABC license application posted on the front that indicated that something called Daniele Pizza was moving in. Eater did a little digging and discovered that the people behind Daniele were none other than the founders of the cupcake empire Sprinkles, Candace and Charles Nelson. Well, plywood recently went up on the space informing us that the real name of the new restaurant will be… Pizzana. The ABC license still lists the business as Daniele, however the owner is now listed as Pizzana LLC instead of Daniele LLC. But it’s still the Nelsons who are behind the venture. Their website hasn’t been developed yet, so I can only speculate about what they have in mind. But I will definitely keep an anticipatory eye on this development…
It’s poke mania on the Westside! It wasn’t that long ago that I told you about the demise of Santa Monica’s short-lived branch of pie shop Simplethings, at 808 Wilshire Blvd. (corner of Lincoln). Wasting no time whatsoever, signs have gone up on the space indicating that a branch of Pasadena’s Spinfish Poke House will be rapidly moving in. Their website alludes to a new location (“We are dropping our anchor on another port!”) and encourages us to follow clues, but I think we’ve solved the mystery. The windows are papered over so I can’t assess the progress, but I’ll keep watching…
Not long ago, I told you about some upcoming new restaurants hitting the Westwood Village food scene. Since then, both establishments have opened. Asian dumpling experts Northern Café has thrown open its doors at 1064 Gayley Ave. Additionally, icy treat purveyors Frostalicious is now providing the good people of Westwood with Taiwanese shaved ice at 10967 Weyburn Ave.
It looks like something called D1 Café is coming to the corner two spaces on Kinross and Weyburn Place, next door to Fatburger. The papered over windows indicate the impending arrival of the elusive café, about which I can find little information. But as always, I’ll keep watching the progress.
Toddrickallen 