People continue to ask me what is taking over the Café Rockenwagner space on the corner of Barrington and Wilshire in Brentwood. An ABC application posted in the window confirms what Eater reported earlier in the month: That Studio City’s Maradentro will be taking over the space. Maradentro, which means “the sea inside”, offers a menu of Mexican seafood that you can read more about here.
It looks like we can expect some big changes soon at the always crowded Superba Snack Bar on Rose Ave. Having left the spotlight that lately constantly shines on Petit Trois, Chef Sydney Hunter has now come on board and is redesigning parts of the menu with help from a new and vibrant sous chef Richard Rea. I’m told that dinner menu changes will be in place by the end of the month and that we should look for more seafood and vegetarian fare. There will also be a serious redo of the lunch and breakfast menus.
Some of you have been wondering and asking if Adoteca, the Brentwood branch of the mini Ado empire had closed. You may remember that Adoteca was up and running in a matter of weeks in late 2013, replacing Osteria Latini at 11712 San Vicente Blvd. So I went by to check it out. Signs hastily posted in the window say that the Italian restaurant is only closed for a remodel. But nothing has been touched and mail is piling up inside the front door so I’m a bit suspicious. I’ll keep my eye on it…
Update: Eater is reporting that Adoteca is closed for good.
It wasn’t that long ago that the French cafe L’Amande quit the space at 9530 S. Santa Monica Blvd in Beverly Hills. And already, it looks like a new tenant has been lined up. Signs are up indicating that long-time Beverly Hills sushi restaurant Yu-N-Mi will be moving out of their current diminutive and dark digs a block away at 9475 Santa Monica Blvd and taking over the bright and cheery new space by late Fall, according to the sign.
Recently, I noticed that signs have gone up on space #200 in Brentwood Gardens that used to house Daily Grill at 11677 San Vicente Blvd. in Brentwood announcing that a brand new entity, Bottlefish appears to be moving in. I couldn’t track down much on Bottlefish until I checked the ABC license application. It indicates that the familiar names behind Bottlefish are Richard Rosenfield and Larry Flax, the founders of California Pizza Kitchen (they have since sold CPK a number of years back). I’m not sure what the concept here will be, but I’m going out on a limb and guessing that fish will feature heavily, and possibly bottles too. No word on an opening date, and construction is only just beginning, but I’ll keep watching.
Update: Bottlefish is now open as of 12/08
Well first of all, I didn’t even know there was a “Wife Day”, but this is a fairly awesome deal… Tanzy, in the iPic Theater at 10850 Wilshire in Westwood (the old Avco), may have been off your radar, but here’s a great reason to check it out. On Sunday, September 20th, they will be celebrating “Wife Appreciation Day”. By merely uttering the phrase “I appreciate my wife” to your server, you will receive one of the phenomenal Sherry Yard’s (Spago) raspberry soufflé free along with a complimentary glass of Prosecco. Not sure what will happen if both of you are wives, but it could work out well…
It looks like Montana Ave. in Santa Monica is about to get not just one, but two icy treat shops soon. Recently, I told you about the impending arrival of Santa Barbara’s Rori’s Artisanal Creamery. A little over a block away, signs have gone up in the window of 908 Montana that used to house a scent store (yes, it did exist) announcing that Frozen Fruit Co. will soon be inhabiting the space. According to the window display, FFC specializes in “frozen fruit swirls”. I can’t seem to locate a great deal of information, and their website is still being built, but you can follow their progress on Twitter here.
Surely one of the loveliest places in LA to savor a balmy summer evening is on the patio at celeb fave Culina in the Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills. Recently, Culina got a serious Italian makeover. Under the direction of assistant general manager and sommelier Luca Bruno (Providence, Bouchon), the always crowded restaurant recently took on a new and talented young sous chef, Denis Dello Stritto. Originally hailing from Sardinia and after cutting his teeth for a year at Il Grano, the effervescent and creative Stritto has already begun to transform the menu. Look for serious Southern Italian flavors here, with an emphasis on Campagna; house-made pastas, fish, fresh and local ingredients. And if you’re extremely lucky, you just made get a chance to sample pizza montanara, which is a Neapolitan pie with toppings on deep-fried dough that Stritto serves as small, individual hors d’oeuvre. What could be better for a late summer al fresco dinner?
Dennis Dello Stritto & Luca Bruno
Pizza Montanara
Native Foods is celebrating chicken month. No, I’m not kidding. And they are marking the auspicious month with… wings! Yes, nothing says chicken month better than vegan wings so all month-long starting September 4th, they will be offering special varieties of wings including sweet sriracha, Thai peanut, and tangy BBQ. Read more, find a location, or check out their seasonal menu here.
Ambitious Taberna Arros Y Vi sprang onto the Santa Monica dining scene back in 2013 with its Spanish tapas theme and dark and moody interior. Lately though, I’ve been hearing rumblings of a closure. Every time I walked by to check (usually before they opened), they had appeared ready for service: The tables were set and the bar was stocked. So yesterday, I dropped by after their opening time of 6pm. Sure enough, the door was locked and there was no activity inside. While there is no official announcement or news anywhere, Yelpers are reporting it closed and Opentable no longer carries its listing. So, I’m calling this one: Taberna Arros Y Vi is now closed. Let me know if you have any other information…
I recently noticed that signs are up in the window of a tiny space at 412 N. Bedford in Beverly Hills that used to house a hair salon announcing that West Hollywood’s Rawberri will soon be bringing raw acai bowls to the land of Spago, Cut, and Mr. Chow. Rawberri offers a menu of superfruit bowls that are organic, dairy free, gluten-free, and soy free. But that’s not all. They will also be the first vendor in the US serve Australia’s CocoWhip. What’s CocoWhip, you ask? A vegan and bio-fermented coconut soft serve frozen yogurt that comes in flavors such as matcha slim, and cacao bliss. No word on when this temple of Hygeia will open, but in the mean time, check out their website here.
The Century City Shopping Center is a flurry of activity lately. Half of the shopping complex has completely closed down to make way for the construction of an über-chic replacement including the much-anticipated West Coast debut of the mythic Eataly. But the rising tide doesn’t seem to be floating all boats. Iconic New York pie maker Joe’s Pizza has closed its outpost in the food court. And wasting no time whatsoever, it looks like a branch of the Korean pizza giant, Mr. Pizza will be replacing it this Fall. Incidentally, signs posted around the mall indicate that there will be no less than 15 new restaurants in the sparkling new shopping center. I’ll keep watching…
The purchase of an entrée, side, and drink will net you a free dessert today (August 25th) at Native Foods Café. And not just any dessert, but this little piece of summer sunshine: a peach parfait with almond and vanilla bean cream, chunks of carrot cake, and blueberries. And a portion of the sales will benefit the Surfrider Foundation. You’re welcome.
It looks like something new is replacing the Top N One Ramen Ex that used to inhabit the small space at 1049 Gayley Ave. in Westwood. Signs in the window appear to announce that the new tenant will be yet another noodle joint, Musashiya Udon Noodle. I can’t seem to locate much information out there on this one so we’ll have to wait and see what develops…
There has been a lot of news generated by the upscale The Point development that recently opened in rapidly developing El Segundo. Most of the restaurant and food announcements arrived late last year. But it looks like one addition to the food scene has only recently come about. Confectionary magic makers Sugarfina is expanding its mini candy empire with a new boutique in The Point. It looks like they’re aiming for an October opening date so South Bay sweet tooths will simply have to wait until then.
And while we’re on the subject of Santa Barbara… One of the locations of Rori’s Artisanal Creamery is in the Santa Barbara Public Market. You may remember that the anticipatory buzz was very high when SBPM first opened only last year. Well, recently I had a chance to check out its progress. Sadly, it appears that the market, often compared to San Francisco’s Ferry Building, may be having some of the difficulties that have plagued its predecessor The Market at Santa Monica Place, which is currently under redevelopment. Three of the original stores have now closed; Belcampo Meat Co., The Pasta Shoppe, and Crazy Good Bread. We’ll just have to wait and see how it all plays out.
With locations in Santa Barbara, it appears that popular ice cream shop Rori’s Artisanal Creamery is expanding south. Signs recently went up in the windows indicating that the LA area’s first Rori’s will be located at 910 Montana Ave. in Santa Monica. No word on when the organic icy treats will be first available, and it looks like they’ve still got a way to go, but I’ll keep watching…
Normally, that den of skimpily-clad servers Hooters is off my radar. So while I can’t exactly say when it happened, I only recently noticed that the Hooters that used to inhabit the space at 321 Santa Monica Blvd. in Santa Monica had closed down. However, their Yelp page promises that they are temporarily closed until November 1st. But judging by the notices posted in the windows, it looks like that won’t be the case. Health emporium Dragon Herbs will be moving from their current location on Wilshire Blvd and taking over the space in a “few months” according to a spokesperson.
In what must be the final push before the new section is added, almost half of the Westfield Century City Shopping Center has now closed. The new $800 million dollar facelift will include the addition of the upcoming Eataly that many of us have been patiently waiting for, with its “rooftop birreria bar and 360◦ panoramic city views”, according to the Westfield website. One of the casualties of the closures was the quiet corner location of See’s Candies. But fear not, chocoholics. See’s is getting a brand new, more conspicuous location near Breadbar, giving Godiva, only a few feet away, a bit of competition. Check out the vision of the sparkling new mall here.
Looks like Beverly Hills’ ambitious jazz club H.O.M.E. (House of Music & Entertainment) has just hit a sour note. According to this subtle poster affixed to a front window, their liquor license has been suspended until, well… “indefinite”. I can’t find any indication that they have actually closed, but sadly, I’m afraid you won’t be having any martinis to accompany your blues any time soon.
Toddrickallen 