With one location already in Santa Monica on Main Street and another location in Palm Springs, little charmer Espresso Cielo is expanding into Downtown Santa Monica. Notices recently went up on the new space at 1431 C on 2nd Street announcing the imminent arrival. According to the window display, the coffee, tea, and patisserie shop will throw open its doors sometime this Fall.
Well that sure didn’t take long. I know that this is Brentwood and all, but this space doesn’t sit idle for long… You may recall that back in late 2013, Adoteca replaced Osteria Latini in a matter of weeks. Then only two weeks ago, I told you and Eater confirmed that Adoteca had bitten the dust. And now, an ABC application is up in the window announcing that a new venture, Daniele Pizzeria will be taking over the busy space at 11712 San Vicente Blvd. I don’t know much about this business yet, but I’ll keep you posted.
Japanese convenience chain Famima!! appears to be abandoning its experimental foray into Southern California. The purveyor of prepared foods and sundries has closed its doors in the Third Street Promenade as of last week. According to the Wikipedia page, all stores in SoCal will be closed as of this month. Too soon to tell what might replace it, but I’ll keep watching.
It seems like you can’t swing a dead cat these days without hitting another frozen treat shop. The latest to recently open is Playa Vista’s sparkling new outpost of Venice’s N’ice Cream, next to Whole Foods at 12746 W Jefferson Blvd . And they started out with a bang, drawing large crowds with promises of free self-serve gelato and sorbet.
To the many of you who have been carefully following this story with great excitement comes this happy news: The Brixton will finally throw open its doors this Saturday September 26th at 11:30am. What on earth took so long? You may remember that back in March of 2014 I told you about The Brixton’s impending arrival to the corner space at 2827 Pico Blvd. (corner of Yorkshire) in Santa Monica that used to house The Joker. Apparently the City of Santa Monica had been up to its old shenanigans with an unreasonable amount of demands including a retrofit. But all of that is behind us now. During the soft opening, Chef Joe Sharp has developed a limited menu of 16 items that will eventually be increased. Look for such things as: macaroni and cheese with bacon, crab, scallion and smoked cheese; romesco and goat cheese dip; short rib poutine; mussels in a coconut dill cream sauce ; flatbreads; and flank steak. The focus is on share plates. There are also 10 beers on tap as well as 16 wines on tap. The Brixton will be open 365 days a year from 11:30am until Midnight with a daily happy hour from 3:30pm until 6:30pm. Read more at their Facebook page here.
It looks like yet another icy treat shop is hitting the Westside… New York frozen “dessert” brand Tasti D-Lite and sister company Planet Smoothie appear destined for the same space at 526 Wilshire Blvd. in Santa Monica. Besides smoothies (obviously), the concept here is two dairy bases, one vanilla and one chocolate, upon which a multitude of flavors are added producing a dessert with significantly fewer calories than ice cream or frozen yogurt. No word on an opening date although they must be behind as the website promises an early 2015 opening, but I’ll keep watching…
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…
Toddrickallen 