Sabor a Mexico moved from National Boulevard east to Jefferson Boulevard, and the new location is unsettling to the tipster who sent us this snap and report: "Quite different area compared to where they were located before. It is more like a take out place, no indoor seating, you order thru a small window, and then you may take it to go, eat standing outside, or sitting at one of the three stools CHAINED close to one of the windows. We end up not staying, since we wanted to be able to sit and enjoy their good and authentic Mexican food." Who thought one would long for the days of freeway on-ramps and stereo stores?
· EaterWire: Sabor a Mexico Closed [~ELA~]
· Is Sabor a Mexico West LA's Version of La Super Rica? [Eating L.A.]

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The second outpost of Village Pizzeria quietly opened about three weeks ago, and according to the owner, "It's blowing my mind that people are so enthusiastic that we're here." He's getting a lot of business from the neighborhood, especially from those who would schlep all the way out of the Hills to Larchmont Village. The menu is just about the same---thin and thick crust pizzas, pastas, salads. The elongated space is mostly kitchen with a few counter seats meant for grabbing a quick slice. Eventually there will be a few dine-in tables, and free delivery will start in March. For your reading enjoyment, some previous Plywood.

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We've known about and saw glimpses of Osteria La Buca's new design, and the restaurant has been serving/not serving in various rooms for months, but designer Kris Keith from Spacecraft Group feted the new look on Monday night. Highlights from the design party on Food Marathon and Eating L.A.: cozy fireplace upstairs (although you may smell like smoke), bigger main room yet still intimate, clever wine bottle chandeliers, Mama still Mama. But it was this story from an anonymous tipster that takes the antipasti:

Went to the Osteria La Buca re-opening party last night. Saw Corbin Bernsen who turned out to be quite the appetizer hog---he’s the guy who takes five bruschettas for himself when there are only ten on the entire platter. He did this repeatedly. At one point he even had his elbow in my back, trying to get at the apps! Luckily super hottie Josh Lucas was there with a friend so I had a nice distraction.

The party was great but we were starving so we went to Osteria Mozza, sat down at the mozzarella bar and had a couple of snacks. I look up from my mole salumi Panini and see Appetizer Hog again! No idea why he was there since he ate 80% of the food at the La Buca party.

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Sure, Citrus at Social, STK, Akasha and Luckyfish all debuted this week. But we have more openings for The Dish. See something pop up? The tipline awaits.

Photo via Miles Think

ATWATER VILLAGE: A new wine bar, 55 Degrees, opens "soft" tomorrow, which basically means it's open for business starting at 11am. Think of it more as an open house where you might even find some complimentary nibbles and sips. (The "grand opening" is March 1.) Expect lots of color coding, take-away info cards and other "idiot proofing" measures for wine shopping, plus a basement tasting room. (3111 Glendale Blvd, 323.662.5556)

DOWNTOWN: If fast-casual Indian sounds good to you, Saffron finally opened on the ground floor of the City National building. General consensus thus far is Saffron needs to spice things up, but the owners are listening to feedback and tweaking. Good signs. (Flower & Fifth)

REDONDO BEACH: Replacing the shuttered Coccole Laboratorio del Gusto across from the Redondo Beach Pier is Catalina Restaurant. Owner Ruben Pires was most recently the GM at the (now shuttered) Avenue in Manhattan Beach, but also worked at Michael's, Paradise Cove and for the Patina Group. Chef Arthur Martinez also worked at Avenue, and spent time in the Melisse kitchen and Firefly in Studio City. The menu seems to run the California-seasonal-Mediterranean gamut. (320 South Catalina Ave., 310.374.6929)

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We read about the menu in the press release, and we heard about the amazing frites that rise from a vat of clarified butter. But the full Michel Richard opening menu for Citrus at Social was kept underwraps. That is, until one Eater reader swiped one from dinner the other night. Note: While lobster burgers and gougeres sound delicious, most dishes carry a pretty hefty price tag (apps top out at $21, entrees a whopping $46) for a place "where 25-year-olds can come for dinner and not have to have a second mortgage on the house." Then again, Jeffrey Chodorow isn't known as a purveyor of cheap eats.

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Pre-open party in December

We caught a whisper in the wind that Akasha Richmond's eponymous eco-friendly restaurant opens today, and sure enough, Akasha opens at 5pm. This is the very first night---OpenTable isn't taking ressies until Saturday---and the bakery, breakfast and lunch service won't start for another week or so. We're yet to see a menu, but expect organic, homey, sustainable ingredients, seasonal fare. This is Richmond's (celebrity caterer, soy spokeswoman and co-founder of Eaturna) first restaurant, and she's big on the green: recycled glass tiles, reclaimed wood, organic leather and hemp fabrics, and even the menus and to-go products are biodegradeable. When she told us about it last summer, it should've been only a few months away. But the Hull Building is a historic structure, and that equals automatic red tape, not to mention all the other resto-opening roadblocks even in welcoming Culver City. The Plywood came down by the end of the year, there was a pre-opening party in December, and the website said it would debut in January. And then we just had to wait. Until today. (9543 Culver Blvd., 310.845.7000)
· Gossip From Gourmet on Fire, Taste of the Nation [~ELA~]
· Eater Sneak Peek: Akasha Restaurant [~ELA~]

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Sure, the Richards/Chodorow show otherwise known as Citrus at Social "opens" tonight, but we heard some of the employees don't even know they're open tonight. From a tipster: "Michel just arrived. They don't have their wine list either." You'll have to leave a message on the reservation line, but even if someone calls you back, don't expect to get a ressie until at least the middle of next week. OpenTable, as seen above, has nothing until Wednesday.
· Michel Richard Joins Jeffrey Chodorow at Citrus at Social Tonight [~ELA~]
· Post-Plywood: Citrus at Social Opens Friday [~ELA~]

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Think of this as the calm before the storm. February and March will be filled with restaurant openings, which you'll find in the weekly Dish, so until then, just a few nibbles. Have a hefty serving for us? More, please.

SANTA MONICA: Last month Il Dolce on Montana Ave. looked completely shuttered, but according to the new owner, it was only closed for renovations. Yes, we said new owner, so all you haters should go back. Il Dolce reopens tomorrow, Tuesday, for breakfast, lunch, dinner. (1023 Montana Ave, 310.458.4880) [EaterWire Inbox]

WEST HOLLYWOOD: We told you about The Hall at Palihouse last week, and even although it's been serving a limited menu during DineLA restaurant week, it officially serves the full dinner menu tonight at 6pm. Breakfast and lunch will start by Feb 11. A tip: Because this is an extended stay hotel, it's semi-residential and the front door locks by keypad. Don't let that deter you: When the restaurant is open for business, that door is open. No keypad punching necessary. (8465 Holloway Dr, 323.656.4100) [EaterWire]

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Final farewell from wiener fans, jek in the box, Flickr

A reader laments the loss of Sherman Oaks favorite hot dog stand, the Wiener Factory, which closed after 36 years, and curses its replacement Pinkberry:

You know. It's those little places like Wiener Factory that keep a neighborhood together. Not pinkberry. They closed Dec 31 at 6 pm. I was one of the last ones. They had amazing cole slaw and cheese dogs. Its not Pinks, but that was our Pinks. I want to see them move Pinks for a HUGE Pinkberry. I heard that the landlord asked for more money from the Wiener Factory knowing that will squeeze them out.

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A restaurant in a trendy hotel is nothing new, but in an extended stay hotel or condos? Not really rampant. Enter the Palihouse West Hollywood, a snazzy new extended stay property (yes, seven days minimum), with a brasserie, espresso bar and lobby lounge all open to the public. What we know: The Hall is mostly a courtyard restaurant (there's a small indoor dining room) for French classics---steak frites, croque monsieur, gourmet burger, rose by the glass---because this town just can't get enough of that. We don't know who the chef is yet, and we're told they're still tweaking the menu, but it is participating in Restaurant Week, so there's a chance to check it out until it fully opens for breakfast/lunch/dinner on February 11. The living room-like lounge has tableside bar service, cocktails with fresh ingredients and boutique spirits. It will be interesting to see if these will attract a non-guest crowd, or if it becomes something akin to Melrose Place meets The Standard.

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