New L.A. dining options include seafood on the coast
Openings
Mexican seafood on PCH
The Cliffdiver will open Aug. 24 in Malibu from restaurateur Adolfo Garcia of Pearl Tavern, Son of a Butcher Tavern and Broken English in Chicago. The menu includes wild mushroom crudo, marlin tacos, Pacific snapper ceviche and smoked mezcal negronis.
21337 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu, (424) 235-2595
Dough arts
Bianca Bakery is open at Platform in Culver City. In addition to freshly baked breads and morning pastries, you’ll find mortadella and manchego sandwiches on focaccia, octopus empanadas and minestrone with pistou.
8850 Washington Blvd., Culver City, instagram.com/bianca.bakery.la
Mediterranean in the Marina
Terzo MDR will open Aug. 27 in Marina del Rey with chef Brian Lavin, formerly of Gnocco in Baltimore, Md. Beef tartare with crispy baby artichokes, fresh squid ink gnocchi, and wood-fired clam-and-mussel pizza are on the Mediterranean menu.
13455 Maxella Ave., Marina del Rey, (310) 306-8204
Greek and you shall find
ELA Greek Eats is open in Venice from Carlos Tomazos, owner of the recently closed Inotheke in Santa Monica. The fast-casual restaurant serves steak gyros, lamb shank youvetsi, chicken souvlaki and moussaka.
307 Lincoln Blvd., Venice, (424) 330-0003, elagreekeats.com
Pleasure bomb
Bomb Burgers is open Friday through Sunday evenings in Northridge. The stand sells Jucy Lucy-style burgers made with ⅓-pound fresh halal beef patties filled with cheese.
8360 Reseda Blvd., Northridge, instagram.com/bombburgerofficial
Luz de Fia
Fia is open in Santa Monica at the former address of Wilshire restaurant. Chef Brendan Collins, previously of Birch and Waterloo & City, is in the kitchen. His seafood-centric menu includes capellini with lobster Bolognese, salmon belly with smoked dashi and date tortellini with braised rabbit. The restaurant also features an outdoor bocce court.
2454 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica, (310) 586-1707, fiarestaurant.com
The food at Élephante, a year into its existence, is surprisingly good for a restaurant that, like so many beachside restaurants, could rely solely on its setting to fill the seats.
More ramen in Arcadia
Wa Ramen is open in Arcadia, dishing up shoyu, tonkotsu, miso and vegan ramen, along with butadon pork bowls, Spam musubi and Japanese curry.
328 E. Huntington Blvd., Arcadia, (626) 538-4185, facebook.com/dashiwaramen/
Monkey business
Tacos El Changuito Estilo TJ is open Fridays through Sundays in Boyle Heights. Charcoal-grilled asada is the stand’s specialty, available in tacos, mulitas, quesadillas and vampiros.
3686 E. Olympic Blvd., Los Angeles, instagram.com/tacos_el_changuito_estilo_tj
A new one from Chef Kang
Tipsi is open in Koreatown from the owner of Chef Kang’s Food Rehab. The menu includes seven styles of chicken wings, deep-fried pork cutlet croissant sandwiches, kimchi pork belly pasta and smoked beef ribs, along with draft beer and big-screen TVs.
528 S. Western Ave., Los Angeles, (213) 568-3770, facebook.com/tipsipub/
Alice’s restaurant
Alice’s Kitchen in Monterey Park is serving 17 types of congee plus giant pineapple buns stuffed with pastrami, lo mein with satay beef and Hong Kong-style noodle soup.
580 E. Garvey Ave., Monterey Park, (626) 898-1828, aliceskitchen.business.site/
Rice bun burgers and Korean waffle fries
KoJa Kitchen, which has numerous locations in Northern California, opened its first L.A. restaurant in downtown last week. The Korean-Japanese menu includes burgers on fried garlic rice buns, short rib bowls, miso-coconut braised pork tacos and waffle fries topped with Korean-style meats.
611 W. 7th St., Los Angeles, (213) 265-7579, kojakitchen.com
Korean corn cheese meets a grilled cheese sandwich and the angels sing.
Shakes the Crowne
Angus Crowne Milkshake Emporium is open in downtown. The shop has foosball, darts and a cache of ukuleles to play with while you’re sucking down your shake.
650 S. Spring St., Los Angeles, (323) 599-7616, acmilkshakes.com
Extras
L.A. Food & Wine returns Aug. 22. The three-day festival includes a Sunday brunch with chef Jeremiah Tower, a magic show and dinner at Magic Castle, and a Filipino kamayan dinner featuring Alvin Cailan of Eggslut fame.
With a new chef, the legendary club hopes to conjure culinary cred.
Hong Kong’s Little Bao will pop up at Sari Sari Store in Grand Central Market on Aug. 23 and 24. Expect fried mushrooms, lamb tartare, Sichuan fried chicken bao and an ice cream bao made in collaboration with owner Margarita Manzke.
317 S. Broadway, Los Angeles, (323) 320-4020, sarisaristorela.com/blog/sari-sari-store-x-little-bao-pop-up
Backyard at Chez Jay opened last week at 60-year-old Chez Jay in Santa Monica. The expansive outdoor drinking spot includes its own menu with kimchi guacamole, baked clams, patty melts and Allagash beer-battered fish and chips.
1657 Ocean Ave., Santa Monica, (310) 395-1741, chezjays.com
Local streetwear sensation the Hundreds is organizing a food festival on Sept. 15. The event will bring together artists and designers, including Mr. Cartoon and Kenny Scharf, with musicians and restaurants such as Kato, Badmaash, Tacos 1986 and a new concept from Michael Voltaggio called Recreational Use.
130 N. Fairfax Ave., Los Angeles, eventbrite.com/e/the-hundreds-family-style-food-festival-presented-by-doordash-tickets-65966299979
Dandi will pop up at Hotel Normandie in Koreatown for two weekends every month through 2019. Beginning Aug. 23, chefs Jihee Kim and Joshua Pressman will offer four- and eight-course tasting menus influenced by Korean and Californian cuisine, with dishes such as hamachi aguachile, beef tongue jjim tostadas and “Korean fried” quail.
605 Normandie Ave., Los Angeles, dandi-la.com
Eat your way across L.A.
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