With locations peppered across Southern California, popular office lunch spot Trimana is expanding into Santa Monica. You may recall that earlier this month I told you about the departure of Japanese convenience store Famima!! from the space at 1348 3rd St Promenade. Wasting no time whatsoever, Trimana Fresh Food Market has posted notices in the window announcing their impending arrival. No word on when they’ll open, but until they do, check out their menu and read more here.
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.
Back in April of 2014 I told you that the decrepit food hall at 1315 3rd St. Promenade in Santa Monica was destined for a make-over. Work has finally begun and all of the restaurants (McDonald’s, Chinese Gourmet Express, The Candy Baron, Sushi Shogun, etc.) that had previously occupied the space except for Subway (that you now have to enter through a sleazy back alley entrance) have now closed. Not sure which one’s will be returning but I’ll keep watching…
It’s been a long time coming but it appears that the old Yankee Doodle space at 1410 Third St. Promenade in Santa Monica will finally get a new restaurant. Ever since the sports bar closed due to a fire back in 2013, the space has mostly sat vacant. Construction recently began and signs went up declaring that the cavernous space will be divided into two spaces; one will be a T-Mobile, and one will be a new restaurant. I don’t think they’ve settled exactly on which restaurant as there is still a commercial lease notice online, but I’ll keep my eyes on it…
I think the finger is out of the dyke on this one… With more and more movie theaters on the Westside either redesigning themselves with food and drink menus or being built with restaurants comes news of one more to join the stampede: It appears that the dusty AMC Santa Monica 7 on the corner of 3rd and Arizona is getting a remodel. And according to the advertisements on the fencing outside, they’ll soon be offering beer, wine, and cocktails to the bill of fare as well as reclining chairs. Not sure if they’ll have food service like the Marina AMC, but I’ll keep watching…
While I can’t confirm this, I have it on good authority what the “new restaurant operation” promised by the closure notices posted on the front of what used to be Monsoon Café will eventually become. Looks like the same people behind Monsoon will be transforming the commodius space at 1212 3rd St. Promenade into a brand new concept restaurant 12 Twelve. The idea? Even though it looks like the new name is a nod to the address, 12 Twelve in fact refers to the new menu that will feature food from 12 different countries. No word on which 12 countries are highlighted though. At this point, they’re shooting for a Summer opening.
Well I sure didn’t see this one coming, but it looks like one of Santa Monica’s favorite pan-Asian restaurants (and occasional salsa dance lounge) Monsoon Cafe, has ended its long run of 18 years at 1212 3rd St Promenade. According to the goodbye letter posted on the front door, those giant Nepalese Buddha eyes that have gazed down on this quieter section of the Promenade between Wilshire and Arizona will soon be painted over to make way for a new, unnamed “restaurant operation”. Whether this means the new eatery will be by the same owners or an entirely different company, I’m not certain. No word on what the replacement will be, but it appears they’re aiming at being up and running by April of this year.
The food scene continues to sputter in the Santa Monica Place Mall, despite the upcoming ArcLight Cinema and Cheesecake Factory. The latest evidence? Wetzel’s Pretzels appears to have quietly slipped out of its third floor space. But fear not: If you find yourself craving the doughy treat, you can easily find other locations, including the one just one block away in The Promenade by looking here.
Toddrickallen 