We got a sneak peek at SBE's new Foxtail last night before they threw a big investor's party. Of the design, the press release says: "Art Deco and Art Nouveau influences with the edgy chic of 1970s London and such 'rock and roll' fashion emporiums as the legendary Biba." Downstairs, the dining room and bar, low ceilings, lots of mirrors, cool light fixtures, swanky silverish leather chairs, servers in designer striped-dress uniforms. Upstairs, the nightclub, lined with banquettes and custom-made tables with ice buckets built in for bottle service, and a separate entrance around back. When we asked partner Brent Bolthouse how one gets into the Foxtail nightclub, he didn't really have a definitive answer. Dining downstairs definitely doesn't grant entrance; words like "exclusive" and "reserve a table" were used. The press release throws around investor names like director Brett Ratner, NBC Entertainment co-chairman Ben Silverman, producer Scott Stuber, and Endeavor's Patrick Whitesell, so expect to never get in unless you're connected or hot.

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This shot was captured at a time of night that's way too late to be peeking inside this soon-to-open restaurant on Beverly Boulevard, but the photographer just couldn't help it. It's completely dark inside, but we can make out at least one thing through the plant covering the front window: Robots. Virgin loving/hating warriors and robots mean what to Korean barbecue? We're stymied. The sign on the door says Jian Korean BBQ is "coming soon" in March.
· Post-Plywood: Jian Korean BBQ Next Month [~ELA~]
· Buzzword for 2008: Korean [~ELA~]

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Finally readying itself to debut is La Grande Orange Cafe, a Scottsdale import anchoring the Del Mar Gold Line stop in Pasadena. The historic structure was actually moved to the park across the street for Metro construction and then moved back; now it will be an all-day restaurant with two patios, a wine bar and an American comfort food menu. According to manager Kerry Rice, "It's food you can eat several times a week, if not several times a day, and not get sick of. It's going to be rock solid quality: always fresh, everything made on premises. Chuck roast ground to order for the burgers, prime rib shaved to order for our french dip. Fresh tortillas to order." If that's true and it pans out, Pasadeans and Gold Line riders will rejoice. Kerry sent some snaps showing how far its come since we last peeked in October, and here's a look at the space before the colorful transformation.

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It's been coming and coming, with delays and hiccups, but the new Nobu on La Cienega should finally soft open on March 5. In today's Guide, Nobu's managing partner Richie Notar and gets star treatment talking about "his most important project to date." From the baby-face actors as FOH staff to the expectation that Nobu will be the only place for Hollywood's elite, Notar can't contain himself: "Nobu is like the hot chick at the bar. We're always getting hit on."

"You only get one chance to make a first impression, and this is the big time, baby," he says, clapping his hands for emphasis. "All the movers and shakers come here." The patio, for example, is where he imagines "Leo [DiCaprio] is going to eat." He also talks about accommodating Rick Rubin's and Russell Simmons' vegan diets, and, of course, there's the added glamour of counting Robert De Niro as a partner.

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Here we have some preview shots of The Waffle, soon to open in the same building as House of Blues corporate and The Well on the corner of Sunset and Argyle. This 22-hour operation (closed only between 4am and 6am) comes from chef Scooter Kanfer-Cartmill and Hollywood "heavyweights" Gavin Polone (producer) and John Papsidera (casting director with a restaurant past). The Waffle is Scooter's first restaurant since she had House on Melrose, with a quick exit from Naya in Pasadena and some consulting after that. She was kind of a darling of the LAT for her take on American classics in the early 00's, and this menu is classic Scooter: dineresque, artisanal and farmer's market ingredients, a dash of whimsy, almost 150 items served all day, every day. And in addition to a full bar (!) there are most definitely waffles: chocolate with berries, blueberry-lemon, multi-grain with yogurt, cornmeal-jalapeno with chicken strips on the side, and thank God for bacon-studded. Look for a dinner debut on Thursday Feb. 21, and as Scooter says, it's "balls out after that." (6255 W Sunset Blvd., 323.465.6901)
· Plywood Report: The Waffle [~ELA~]
· Plywood Special: Scooter Returns With the Well [~ELA~]

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The Kress building, pre construction

More details about The Kresson Hollywood Boulevard are trickling in. The building--originally the Kress department store, but more recently Frederick's of Hollywood--has some good bones, and they'll be put to good use. Michael Viscuso, who owns On Broadway in San Diego and V20 in Long Beach among others, plans a restaurant, a basement lounge/bar (with "one of the world's only octogonal bars"), banquet and event space, and a rooftop lounge and patio (with firepits!). The restaurant---they were going to call it Mr. V's, but decided to just keep The Kress--is all Chinoiserie with Deco elements, a nod to the building's glory days. The chef is one returning Troy Thompson from Jer-Ne at the Ritz-Carlton Marina del Rey; he went to Vegas to open David Burke last year. We're told construction on the restaurant is complete but continues on the rest of the building, and Viscuso wants to open the entire thing all at once, so don't expect a debut too soon. But soon.

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The Michel Richard/Jeffrey Chodorow experiment will be fully unveiled this Friday when Citrus at Social debuts---it's listed on OpenTable, albeit with old info, but accepts ressies for Friday and not a day sooner. According to the website, the dining room has been completely reworked and now has a lot of citrusy accents (drapes, banquettes), and a "garden feeling." It also now has it's own bar and cocktail area, which might give it the added boost it needs because the Moroccan thing only worked for so long. Richard created the menu, leaving it to Remi Lauvand (La Grenouille, Le Cirque, Montrachet) to carry out his vision of French brasserie with Richard touches (think: frisee with lardons and poached egg; l'escargot; onion tarte), but still something for the young people. In his words: "Casual postmodern, where 25-year-olds can come for dinner and not have to have a second mortgage on the house." Not quite the Citrus of Melrose past, now is it?
· Michel Richard's Social Experiment is So On [~ELA~]
· Citrus at Social Getting Citrus Decor [~ELA~]

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Jian Korean BBQ has definitely piqued the neighborhood's interest. The Plywood's been down for a few weeks, and our friends at Blackburn and Sweetzer tried to get some shots inside to no avail. But everyone will have to sit tight: Last time we checked with the restaurant, they "were close" to opening; today we're told it's "maybe mid next month."
· Fall Tracking: Jian Korean BBQ [~ELA~]
· The Buzzword for 2008 is "Korean" [~ELA~]
· Plywood Down: Jian Opening Soon Finally? [~ELA~]
· Jian Korean BBQ Closer to Opening [Blackburn and Sweetzer]

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Because it's so very in her 'hood, Eating L.A. took a gander around the space this morning.

LOS FELIZ: A reader sends word: "Just passed by Little Dom's in Los Feliz. Apparently, they're opening to the public on Thursday. This is news, as I've heard they've been trying to open for a long time now." Really...wherever did you hear that? But yes, 'tis true, the Warner Ebbink and Brandon Boudet Dominick's offshoot will oh-so-quietly open for dinner at 6pm tomorrow. Only PM hours for the first couple weeks, breakfast and lunch will eventually be thrown into the mix. Expect similar vibe and menu to big Dominick's: Mostly Italian fare, wood-fired pizzas, meatball sub and other sandwiches, salads, chicken cacciatore, chickpea fries, hangar steak. [2128 Hillhurst Ave.]
· Fall Tracking Report: Little Dom's [~ELA~]
· Winter Tracking Report: Little Dom's [~ELA~]

Hot of the cellphone snap presses: The plywood is down at Jian Korean BBQ on Beverly Boulevard, which means it must finally be opening soon. However, when we call the restaurant, the message reverts to different number and no one answers. It's still a bit mysterious...as mysterious as that spicy warrior overlord so interested in virgins.
· Buzzword for 2008 is "Korean": Seoul Bros, In Seoul, Jian [~ELA~]
· Fall Tracking Report: Jian Korean BBQ [~ELA~]

Fans of the original Mort's Deli in the Palisades might take awhile to warm to Richard Riordan's new Village Pantry. Not only has the place been wiped clean of its former self (save for the "planned" memorial wall for former owners Mort and Bobbie Farberow), but chef Douglas Silberberg was last at Michael's in Santa Monica and he's bringing with him fancy French toast, Niman Ranch meats and free-range eggs. With that, higher prices and a few raised eyebrows. The chef isn't pressed. He tells the Palisades Post:

"A lot of people will associate this space with the old Mort's for a long time," Silberberg admitted. "We can't please everyone, but we will please an overwhelming majority. Those who are not initially pleased will come around."