Wolfgang Zwiener, via The Knife, son Peter and a press release, responds to Wolfgang Puck's lawsuit and name confusion Wolfgang's Steakhouse has caused since it opened on Canon Drive, mere steak-knife throwing distance from Puck's Spago and nearby CUT steakhouse. The press release is long (and fully contained after the jump), but the basic rebuttal is that because Wolfgang's Steakhouse by Wolfgang Zwiener has "by Wolfgang Zwiener" prominently placed on all the signage (in fact, it's quite small compared to the Wolfgang's Steakhouse font), and it's been trademarked, Puck does not have a case. Busting through all the legalese and details, it's also noted that Zwiener and Puck's restaurants look nothing alike, and per Peter Zwiener: "My father has been universally known in the steakhouse business as Wolfgang for decades, long before Mr. Puck entered the restaurant business.” So there.

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Wolfgang's Steakhouse, opening night

Well, apparently this town isn't big enough for two Wolfgangs. It's come to our attention that Wolfgang Puck filed a trademark infringement and unfair competition suit today in Los Angeles Superior Court against the owners and operators of Wolfgang's Steakhouse by Wolfgang Zwiener. Zwiener, as you know, opened his New York steakhouse on Canon Drive just a few short blocks from Spago and Wolfgang Puck's steakhouse, Cut. Hilarity ensued. But it's no laughing matter to Puck. From the press release:

“People have come to me and asked why I was opening another steakhouse in Beverly Hills and whether I am going to close CUT. I tell them the new steakhouse has nothing to do with me and they stare in disbelief. The most common reaction is ‘It says Wolfgang’s Steakhouse and you are Wolfgang.’ In over thirty two years, I have never encountered such confusion expressed by my patrons and in the media. My friends have repeatedly urged that I take the steps necessary to correct the ongoing misleading impression. All of this would have been avoided had Mr. Zwiener paid more than lip-service to our 2007 agreement and actually tried to avoid confusion.”

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Click the image above to view the full photogallery.

So many restaurants opening everywhere, so little time. Care to share a debut for The Dish? Drop it right here in the tip jar, please. Thank you and come again.

BEVERLY HILLS: The Plywooded Greenleaf Gourmet Chopshop spark some reader interest, which generated our interest, which generated the newsletter frenzy this week. The gourmet, eco-friendly, fast-cas spot has salads, sandwiches, sides like golden beets with goat cheese, roasted white truffle potatoes, green lentil salad, as organic as it can be, seasonal and local. They're using energy-efficient cars, scooters and bicycles for delivery, too. Open for lunch only, 11am-4pm. (9671 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, 310.246.0756)

PASADENA: Plywooded just a couple weeks ago, a former Sushi of Naples manager opened Oba Sushi Izakaya on Glenarm near the 110 entrance. For those living in the area, the promise of new and maybe even better sushi and izakaya without having to trek to Little Tokyo or the somewhere west is really appealing. Lunch Mon-Fri, dinner daily. (181 E. Glenarm St #110, Pasadena, 626.799.8543)

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HOLLYWOOD: Wait, is King King (6555 Hollywood Blvd) on fire now? From Metromix: "I just heard from James Sinclair, owner of bar/clubs Element, L'Scorpion and La Cantina, that King King is on fire. There's no news on this anywhere. Does anyone know what's up?" One day after Basque burned down, just a few more after Off Vine did. Hollywood's hot, folks. On fire. UPDATE (Fri): A commenter walked by and said they didn't see a fire. [Metromix]

WEST HOLLYWOOD: Manzke and Co. started lunch at Bastide (Tue-Fri), which should be just lovely in that garden. And a bargain: The three-course menu is only $38. [EaterWire]

BEVERLY HILLS: Norbert Wabnig and Tony Prinicotta from the Cheese Store of Beverly Hills throws little tasting parties from time to time---we went to one loaded with truffles a couple years ago. Next one is May 7-8 and 13-14 featuring wines (reds and whites) and cheeses from Southern France and "other fresh surprises." Takes places on the Shakey's patio. $60, call 310.278.2855 for reservations. [EaterWire]

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When we called information today for the number to Wolfgang's Steakhouse on Canon Drive in Beverly Hills, the operator connected us to Mastro's. The New York import is just a few blocks from Mastro's and Spago, and people think Cut moved when their friends say, "Hey, let's check out Wolfgang's Steakhouse on Canon." The confusion isn't surprising. But surely this town is big enough for two Wolfgang's, and hopefully your wallet and gullet are big enough for the jumbo everything (shrimp or crabmeat cocktails, lobster, baked potatoes), the steaks for two, three or four, the wines. There's a nice big bar, private dining rooms, tables with perfect sightlines to see who's who, where and with whom, and as noted above, a little patio out front. But why go here instead of all the others? "The porterhouse," we're told. "Don't miss." Dinner this week only; lunch starts on Monday. (445 N Canon Dr, Beverly Hills, 310.385.0640)

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Time once again for the EaterWire. Got something for the tip jar? Well, drop it.

Casual nights at Ingredients

MONTROSE/GLENDALE: Things are going well for Michael Ruiz's gourmet shop/casual eatery Ingredients, which he opened after leaving Bistro Verdu to become Bashan. There are now more opportunities to get the small plates menu, and the Thursday tasting menus are going so well that he's looking to add more nights to "accommodate the demand." New hours are Tue-Fri (4pm-9pm) and Sat (12p-9p). [EaterWire Inbox]

BEVERLY HILLS: Looks like the May 1 debut for Greenleaf was just a tad ambitious. The made-to-order salad shop will open on May 8. [EaterWire Inbox]

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Pinkberry may have celebrated their 50th store opening today (Free T-shirts! Meet the founders!), the ooze that they created continues. See another berry-fruit-yo-color shop opening somewhere? The froyo tip line is always open.

BEVERLY HILLS: The photo and a note from a froyo watcher: "Noticed a sign on the corner of Brighton Way and Canon for Yogen Früz, which has been around (and has a trying-too-hard-to-be-cute logo) since 1986. That was the LAST froyo craze, right?" Well, trends are cyclical. Let's go back a bit. Last year, we got a puffy email claiming that Yogen Fruz planned more than 300 stores for the U.S. by the end of 2008. According to their corporate blog, that number has increased: Now they want to open more than 1,000 locations in the States over the next 7-10 years. Los Angeles County is a target market for them, and this BH store might very well be the first one. [EaterWire]

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Lemonade BevHills a few weeks ago, Blackburn and Sweetzer

More grab-and-go options for worker bees downtown: Lemonade, a cafeteria-style lunch spot from the people behind Jackson Someset Catering, opened a few weeks ago at City National Plaza. Chef and co-owner Alan Jackson talks up the menu as veggie-centric, healthful, with world flavors. You've got sandwiches, soups (chicken with kafifr lime and lemongrass; ancho chile braised pot roast), and side salads (snap pea and edamame, chicken with jicama, roasted beet) to mix and match. And, yes, lemonade. The Downtown location is only open during the week, but Jackson tells us their opening a second location in the former Tea Garden space on Beverly Boulevard in two weeks. Yes, this is the place several of you have emailed about. The space and concept will be just about the same---mostly to go, some table seating---but the menu will be more high-end. The Bev Hills location will stay open until 8pm, six days a week.
· Lemonade at Beverly and Almont [Blackburn and Sweetzer]
· Old Yellow: The Lemonade Stand of the Future [UD]

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The Bazaar from Dezeen

We're getting a few more breadcrumbs about the forthcoming SLS Beverly Hills, SBE's reconfiguration of the Le Meredien hotel on La Cienega, just one more notch in the Sam Nazarian-world-takeover belt. As previously noted, José Andrés will be overseeing food and bev for the entire hotel, and the dining options are a-plenty: In addition to the Bazaar, "the hotel’s public lobby reinvented as a fête extraordinaire with a heady array of pioneering culinary and lounge concepts," menus will be available in a private guest lobby, three private dining rooms, and a rooftop pool deck with cabanas. We don't have menu specifics yet, but Andrés has a long list of accolades for his avant-garde Spanish cuisine at his restaurants (Jaleo, Oyamel, Zaytinya, Café Atlantico, minibar) in Washington D.C. As with other SBE projects, Philippe Starck is doing all design. Late summer, early fall opening.
· SLS Hotel at Beverly Hills by Philippe Starck [Dezeen]
· SBE Future: Foxtail, Jose Andres, More Katsuyas [~ELA~]

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