Right next door to upcoming Slizeria, a new fast casual Mexican restaurant is moving into the space at 11301 W Olympic #116. Window paper is up and work is fast and furious on the new Tres Dos Tres. 323 will be featuring a build-you-own fast casual Mexican concept that you can read more about at What Now Los Angeles.
It looks like a new pie option is coming to the space at 11301 W Olympic #117 in Sawtelle Japantown. A snazzy new sign and build-out are announcing the arrival of Slizeria. Slizeria appears to be a new restaurant promising pizza by the slice or pie with “fresh ingredients & unique flavors”.
(Thanks Vanessa!)
Cult fave bakery Sweet Red Peach is expanding. With a smattering of locations around SoCal and two in Georgia, residents of the Westside will soon be able to sample the legendary cakes, pies, and pastries at 11907 Olympic Blvd. in West LA, at least according to the banner currently hanging over the location. While you’re waiting for that slice of red velvet, read the backstory on the business here.
The shopping center on the corner of Olympic and Sawtelle has been undergoing renovations for a while now. This opened up the opportunity for new businesses to move in. One of these, Ramen Chikumo, is building out the space at 11301 W Olympic #118. According to the website, Ramen Chikumo was founded in Tokyo a little over a year ago and has two locations in Taipei. Their mission is to “bring happiness and excitement to our customers” with the “best ramen there is”.
There’s window paper on one of the spaces in the retail section of the massive new West Edge development at 12121 W Olympic Blvd, near the flashy new Gelson’s, announcing the arrival of Presotea. Presotea is a brand from Taiwan that boasts some very impressive numbers: over 400 stores in over 50 cities worldwide with over 3,000 employees. Look for a menu of handcrafted milk teas, fruit teas, blended drinks, and coffees.
It looks like a new healthy option is heading to the new West Edge development, on the corner of Bundy and Olympic, at 12121 W Olympic Blvd. There’s window paper on one of the spaces in the retail section of the massive complex, near the flashy new Gelson’s, announcing the arrival of Clean Juice. Clean Juice has locations throughout the US, but the closest current one to LA is in Agoura Hills. They offer a menu of juices and food that is “delicious, organic, fresh, and clean”. Check out their selection of juices, smoothies, salads, bowls, and sandwiches here.
People have been demanding answers from me ever since crazy-popular boba shop Odd One Out Craft Milk Tea announced on their website that there was to be another branch opening in Santa Monica. They didn’t give an address, but the map on the website gave the impression that it was going to be located in the Third Street Promenade. Now we know: Fencing and ‘Odd One Out” banners are now up on the “Market Pavilion” kiosk just to the north of Santa Monica Blvd (1260 Third St. Promenade). With a location in Sawtelle Japantown, Odd One Out hails from Taiwan and was previously the winner of the Taiwan Milk Tea Festival.
Update: Odd One Out is now open at this location. (09/2024)
People are often divided on the subject of Dunkin’ Donuts: It has legions of superfans, and its fair share of detractors as well. Regardless of which side you fall on, it’s hard not to admit that DD is super convenient, fast, and reliable. Now, the good people of the Sawtelle neighborhood will soon be getting a chance to sample the East Coast chain’s famous java and pastries themselves. There’s a new Dunkin’ Donuts landing on the corner of Butler and Olympic, at 11419A Olympic Blvd., right next to the upcoming Ivory’s Bake Shop that I told you about back in June.
Sawtelle Japantown is white-hot for opening new eateries right now. Add yet another to the list… There’s a sign in the window of 11301 W Olympic Blvd Suite 105 (previously home to a branch of Coco Fresh Tea & Juice and other shops) announcing a new beverage spot, Sweetcane Juice. On offer will be sugarcane juice, which their website says provides “electrolytes, vitamin, minerals, and powerful phytonutrients that hydrates more effectively than water alone”. Look for a menu of sugarcane juice paired with other juices and toppings.
There’s window paper up on the space at 11301 W Olympic Blvd UNIT 124 announcing a new milk tea joint. But not just any one: This one appears to be the winner of the Taiwan Milk Tea Festival in 2022. Odd One Out Craft Milk Tea hails from Taipei and according to their website, they are opening a shop in Downtown Santa Monica as well. I think they’re close to opening at this location, but while you’re waiting, get a peek at their menu here.
Talented confectionary specialist Ivory Ventura bakes spectacular custom cakes for special occasions. Her Yelp page is full of rave reviews from satisfied fans. Now she is getting a brick-and-mortar to display her craft. There’s a large banner of the front of a space in the new development on the corner of Olympic and Butler in the Sawtelle neighborhood of West LA announcing the arrival of Ivory’s Bake Shop. We wish her the best of luck…
People were traumatized by the loss of Kiriko Sushi after 23 years. Now we know what is taking over the address at 11301 W Olympic Blvd #102 in Sawtelle Japantown. Signs have recently gone up proclaiming the new tenant as Sushi Enya. Sushi Enya has four other locations throughout SoCal.
(Thanks Tony!)
An eagle-eyed reader (Thanks Jennifer!) noticed that something was missing from the strip mall on the corner of Sepulveda and Olympic, so I went by to check it out. Sure enough, longtime resident and local go-to for Korean, Kalbis Grill has disappeared from their space at 11102 W Olympic. A sign of the times: the space has been quickly converted into a COVID-19 test center.
Update: Thanks J for keeping me straight, Kalbis turned into Poke Republic, Subway turned into the COVID testing center.
I heard from a deeply saddened reader (Sorry RK…) that innovative java shop Balconi Coffee Company had permanently closed its doors at 11301 W Olympic Blvd. #124. Sure enough, the space is gutted and there’s a gracious note affixed to the front (that you can also read here) explaining their reasoning. Apparently, Balconi was a pioneer in the use of the siphon method for making coffee. All is not lost though, the note promises that they are looking for a “safe time and location to reopen” and in the mean time they will be doing pop-ups and event collaborations. We wish them the best of luck…
The address at 11555 Olympic Blvd. in LA is proving itself to be a tricky one. It used to be popular Ramenya, then Dosanko Ramen tried its luck, which sadly ran out. Now a plucky new ramen and mazemen (no-broth ramen) joint named Mogu Mogu is poised to move in, at least according to a rather small announcement taped to the front door. We wish them the best of luck.
Toddrickallen 