Broadway Baker Bringing Brownies Beloved By Oprah To Santa Monica

Posted on March 19, 2019 by toddrickallen

Santa Monica is about to get a whole lot sweeter… It wasn’t that long ago that I told you about the disappearance of Beach City Creamery (formerly Beachy Cream) from its address at 1209 Wilshire. Paper is now up on the windows telling us about another treat shop moving in. With one location in the Arts District Downtown, it looks like Broadway Baker is taking over the space. And what’s on offer? Known for their gift boxes, Broadway Baker prides itself on hand crafted, all natural premium baked good from three generations of family recipes, including their salted caramel brownies, once prominently featured in O, The Oprah Magazine.

Trader Joe’s Lands In MDR

Posted on March 16, 2019 by toddrickallen

Everyone’s fave grocery store Trader Joe’s is expanding its footprint on the Westside. I’ve been watching all the new construction along Admiralty in Marina del Rey to see what may develop. A large notice attached to the fence around the new building on the corner of Admiralty and Mindanao Way lets us know that this will soon be a branch of TJ’s. Don’t forget that there’s a brand new one going up on Wilshire and 23rd in Santa Monica as well. The Beach Communities will be spoiled for choice…

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Hollywood Burger Starring In Santa Monica Soon

Posted on March 1, 2019 by toddrickallen

It was a sad day when, after a brave effort, the people behind Chou Chou French Patisserie decided to pull the plug at 313 Wilshire Blvd. Now a new tenant is poised to move in. With one location on Hollywood Blvd., it appears that Hollywood Burger will soon be delivering “gourmet-style burgers” to the good people of Santa Monica.

Sweetgreen Opens Today On Montana Ave.

Posted on February 22, 2019 by toddrickallen

And while we’re on the subject of openings… Ever since I first told you about popular salad chain Sweetgreen‘s expansion to Montana Ave. in Santa Monica back in July, a great many of you have been checking for updates. So here ya go: Sweetgreen officially throws open its doors today (Friday Feb. 22) at 1517 Montana Ave. You’re welcome.

New Eateries Coming To Downtown Santa Monica… Halo Top, La Colombe, More!

Posted on February 15, 2019 by toddrickallen

I love good detective work… A reader (Thanks SK!) sent me a pdf of a recent Downtown Santa Monica Market Report, which, on face value isn’t that riveting. But if you scroll down to page 11, the document lists upcoming restaurants slated to open in Downtown. Many I’ve already reported, but here are the ones I didn’t know about: Halo Top Scoop Shop (304 Santa Monica Blvd.), La Colombe (604 Santa Monica Blvd.), Fresh Corn Grill (720 Wilshire), and Gyu-Kaku (231 Arizona Ave).

Enso Tea/Acai Now Closed In Santa Monica

Posted on February 7, 2019 by toddrickallen

The diminutive space at 725 Broadway is hard pressed to keep a tenant. In the distant past it was Bowl of Heaven, followed by Enso Tea/Acai. But the acai craze is beginning to look a little tired lately, and Enso has vacated the location. I’ll keep watching the troubled spot to see what may develop.

Trader Joe’s Lands A Second Location In Santa Monica

Posted on February 5, 2019 by toddrickallen

I had assumed that everyone knew about Trader Joe’s impending arrival to the new development on the corner of Wilshire and 23rd in Santa Monica, so I didn’t bother to write about it. But a surprising number of you continue to ask me, so here you go… A recently posted ABC application confirms that Santa Monica’s second Trader Joe’s will soon set up shop at 2300 Wilshire Blvd., unit 101.

Crimson Replacing Inotheke In Santa Monica

Posted on February 2, 2019 by toddrickallen

It looks like Santa Monica kale and kabob expert Crimson Mediterranean Cookhouse is expanding westward. An ABC application pasted on the front of the erstwhile Inotheke space, at 606 Broadway suite 101, spills the beans. The name on the application, well-known restaurateur Eiman Shekarchi, confirms that this is an offshoot of the Crimson on Ocean Park. As for Inotheke, a gracious note on the door says that they plan on relocating.

Fuddruckers Disappears From Santa Monica; Collective Freak-Out Ensues

Posted on January 30, 2019 by toddrickallen

I wouldn’t necessarily expect this type of response… My inbox has been flooded recently with people who are losing their sh*t over the sudden and mysterious disappearance of Santa Monica’s branch of burger chain Fuddruckers on the corner of Wilshire and 20th. Popular with the weekday professional lunch crowd and families on weekends, the closure caught many by surprise. I don’t have any information on what happened, but I’ll monitor the situation to see what develops.

Beach City Creamery Goes Under In Santa Monica

Posted on January 24, 2019 by toddrickallen

When you consider how much energy, expense, and talent goes into the opening of a restaurant, any closure is a sad event, but this is truly sad… Retro-themed ice cream shop Beach City Creamery (formerly Beachy Cream) has finally closed its doors at 1209 Wilshire in Santa Monica. They had made a valiant effort at keeping the doors open in the cozy Santa Monica neighborhood, but they have delivered their last artisan ice cream sandwich. We wish them the best of luck in their future endeavors.

ISno Café Showering Downtown Santa Monica With Healthy Taiwanese Shaved Snow Soon

Posted on January 18, 2019 by toddrickallen

A banner is up on the old Monsieur Marcel space at 1260 3rd St. Promenade announcing a branch of Taiwanese shaved snow dessert people iSno Café. For those who are unclear, Taiwanese shaved snow is a milk-based “snow” topped with various toppings. What makes iSno different is that, according to their website, instead of copious quantities of condensed milk and canned fruit, theirs is made from “organic lactose-free, low-fat milk infused with organic honey and sugarcane” and using “real fruit with puree and superfood with no condensed milk”. ISno currently has one other location in Irvine.

Update: I heard from a company spokesperson who clarified: ISno is NOT a Taiwanese dessert shop, but rather their own brand with a uniquely “shaved snow creation”, as well as organic teas and coffees, and made-to-order croissant pastries. We wish them the best of luck.

PokeCeviche Landing On Main St. In Santa Monica

Posted on January 8, 2019 by toddrickallen

Back in October of 2017 I first noticed that a bowl joint was taking over the erstwhile Knuckle & Claw space at 2715 Main St. in Santa Monica. But there hasn’t been any definitive proof about the impending eatery until now. A sign recently went up in the window letting us know that this will be a branch of PokeCeviche. PokeCeviche has four other locations (Santa Barbara, Oxnard, and Pomona), but this will be their first foray into The Westside. Look for a menu of signature and custom bowls, nachos, poke tacos, ceviche tostadas, and Japanese soups.

“Jolie” Replacing Bareburger On Main St. In Santa Monica

Posted on December 14, 2018 by toddrickallen

Bareburger quietly slipped out of its space at 2732 Main St. in Santa Monica last month. Wasting no time, it looks like a new contender is ready to give the capricious Main St. food scene a try. A new ABC application has already gone up in the window. The applicant is listed as Jolie LLC and the business name is oddly marked “_._._._ Jolie“. No idea what this means, and there’s no information out there that I can find, so I guess we’ll have to wait and see…

Socalo: Mary Sue Milliken’s and Susan Feniger’s Triumphant Return To Santa Monica

Posted on December 11, 2018 by toddrickallen

The corner space at 20th and Santa Monica Blvd. in Santa Monica, in what is currently the Gateway Hotel, has had a rocky past. First it was an IHOP. Then, for a minute, it was Rudy & Hudson California Diner. Now something exciting is on the way. An ABC application informs us that a new eatery is intent on moving in, but there’s no business name listed. There is however a design review notice that shows an artist’s rendering of the new place, and gives it a name: Socalo. And according to this article in the Santa Monica Daily Press, Socalo will be none other than Mary Sue Milliken’s and Susan Feniger’s triumphant return to Santa Monica, after the demise of the iconic Border Grill. I can’t wait.

Interstellar Landing In Downtown Santa Monica

Posted on December 7, 2018 by toddrickallen

Well that didn’t take long… Only just a couple of weeks ago, I told you about the disappearance of Air Food from the space at 109 Broadway in Downtown Santa Monica. Wasting no time whatsoever, a newcomer is moving in. An ABC application pasted to the front door lets us know that something called Interstellar will soon call this location home. Not much out there on Interstellar, so I guess we’ll have to wait and see what develops.

Board & Brush Bringing “Wine And Paint Nights” To Santa Monica

Posted on December 6, 2018 by toddrickallen

I’m not sure this qualifies as restaurant news, but… I recently spotted an ABC application affixed to the front of an old vacuum cleaner shop at 2924 Wilshire Blvd. announcing an upcoming branch of national chain Board & Brush Creative Studio. Self-described “DIY wood sign workshop” Board & Brush specializes in drinking, socializing with friends, and creating wooden signs. Hmmm…

Izakaya Osen Coming To Downtown Santa Monica

Posted on November 30, 2018 by toddrickallen

Remember back in 2014 when I first noticed that Caffe Primo was intending on moving into the corner space at Arizona and 7th? This sleepy section of Downtown Santa Monica had been revitalized by the arrival of popular Cassia and Esters across the street. But something went wrong, and not only did Caffe Primo pull out of the space at 702 Arizona, but they closed everywhere. Since then the space has sat vacant… until now. A new ABC application announces that Izakaya Osen is moving in. At the time of this writing, I’m unclear if this is the same eatery as Silverlake’s Osen Izakaya. More to come…

Update: It will be the second branch for Osen Izakaya. Eater has the details here.

Tara’s Himalayan Cuisine Summits Santa Monica/Brentwood

Posted on November 23, 2018 by toddrickallen

Ever since we learned that longstanding healthy Mexican purveyor Kayndaves had abandoned their location at 262 26th St., across from the increasingly tony Brentwood Country Mart, I’ve been wondering who would even undertake such an upscale market. The corner of San Vicente and 26th has proven itself a challenging location as evidenced by the revolving door of restaurants that has attempted the space that most recently held L’Ami. (The latest gasp of hope, the ABC app that I reported on back in January has since been taken down and I think we’re back to square one.) But now, one brave contender is giving the Kayndaves space a go… A banner is up informing us that it will soon be the home of Tara’s Himalayan Cuisine. With three other locations scattered across the Southland offering Nepali, Tibetan, and Indian food, we wish them the best of luck.

What’s Going On At Air Food In Santa Monica?

Posted on November 20, 2018 by toddrickallen

When a promising and plucky new French restaurant burst onto the scene early last year, I was hopeful that Air Food would be a new neighborhood favorite. But Downtown Santa Monica can be a tricky neighborhood. By all appearances, it looks like they have abandoned their location at 109 Broadway. Yelp is reporting them as temporarily closed, but the place is nearly gutted and… we’ve seen this before.

Avo Café Coming To Pico In Santa Monica.

Posted on November 15, 2018 by toddrickallen

It looks like a small vegan café with a previous footprint in the neighborhood is moving into the diminutive space at 306 Pico Blvd. in Santa Monica that once housed Lifefood Organic. A reader pointed out a note taped to the front door indicates this will be the future home of vegan eatery Avo Café. It looks like they’re not too far from opening, but in the mean time check out their menu of breakfasts, bowls, Panini, and pizza here.

Toddrickallen

The Westside at Its Finest

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