I recently noticed a banner attached to the front of the space at 12801 Inglewood Ave. (corner of El Segundo) in Hawthorne announcing that Verylicious Yogurt will soon be arriving. This particular corner has become a bit of a destination recently, owing to Eater‘s nod to new Chinese-American restaurant sensation Chubby Rice. Not a great deal of information out there yet on the new icy treat shop, just a Facebook page, but I’ll keep watching.
Could this be a sign of the times? Cast your memory back to a simpler age, when frozen yogurt was king and Pinkberry its crowned prince. Things seem to have changed somewhat. I just noticed that the branch of Pinkberry at 11711 Gorham Ave. in Brentwood has closed its doors, only to be replaced by a branch of uberhealthy Pressed Juicery. Now that’s gotta hurt…
After a long and thorough remodel, the food court at 1315 Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica otherwise known as The Gallery, finally reopened earlier this year and began to sputter back to life. However, there appears to be a challenge to its triumphant return: After reopening recently, McDonald’s, long the corner-stone of The Gallery, has mysteriously disappeared. This leaves only Subway currently open, but there does seem to be a great deal of activity in some of the other stalls. I’ll keep watching.
It was only back in March when I noticed that Asian shaved ice shop Sweet Crush had closed its doors at 11753 San Vicente Blvd. in Brentwood. Wasting no time whatsoever, Moo Greek Yogurt quickly moved in and threw open their doors this week. Moo offers a menu of home-made yogurt gelato and yogurt bowls in a variety of sweet and savory options as well as build-your-own.
It was back in March when I first noticed that a new coffee and bread spot was going into the space at 9667 1/2 Wilshire Blvd. in Beverly Hills. Mr. B Bakery is now fully up and running. The self-described “Euro/Asian fusion bakery” offers an astonishingly vast menu of coffee, tea and milk tea, boba, and baked goods that you can read more about here.
It was back in August of last year that I told you about the first listed restaurant going into the giant Elevon complex still in development on the corner of Mariposa and Douglas in El Segundo. At the time, the paper in the windows indicated that it would be a branch of Bowl of Heaven, the purveyors of all things acai. However, due to some corporate maneuverings within the parent company, this location at 731 N. Douglas is now independent from the BoH empire and now goes by the name of Bowlology. It recently opened, and offers what you might guess: juices, smoothies, and acai bowls. But there’s one big difference: Yes folks its poke-palooza west of the 405! Bowlology also offers a selection of prefab poke bowls, and only just a block away from the also recently opened Ono Poke. Why should anyone have to walk more than a block for poke?
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.
Toddrickallen 