Hey, look! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's Mega Plywood! Welcome to tomorrow's restaurants today. Got something on deck and can't wait to tell us about it? The tip line is always open.
HOLLYWOOD: Everyone who ever walked, drove or stumbled past the Arclight over the last couple years has seen the Club Sushi sign hanging on the front space next to Charcoal. In 2007, it said "Coming in 2006," and recently it said "Coming in 2007." But it's 2008 and still nothing. A few tipsters saw some action recently, lots of construction workers, etc. We now know it's from the same owner as Club Sushi in Hermosa Beach, which has been around since 2006 serving everything from sushi to pizzas, pastas, salads and sandwiches. Peek inside: The space attached to the Arclight is huge. [PLYWOOD]
HOLLYWOOD:Tokio on the Cahuenga Corridor is slated to become Ecco, "Hollywood's first eco-friendly lounge." According to LAist, the lounge will have an organic menu, use eco-friendly cement, LED lighting, waterless urinals and air-pressure toilets. Entourage's Adrian Grenier will document the reconstruction for his new show Alter-Eco. [PLYWOOD]
A reader has a conundrum: Why is the service downtown chains lower quality than the Westside?
"From Starbucks and the Coffee Bean to the new Ralph’s, the employees seem to be less customer oriented, and some bothered to have to help you, or even answer a question, and just not as motivated. Employees on the cell and texting while preforming their daily job duties. How do you run the espresso machine and text at the same time? At the Coffee Bean at Ralph’s they just seem to be sleepwalking. The Starbucks at 11th & Grand has some of the slowest workers I've encountered. What’s up? Do they pay less than the Westside? Is the talent pool that shallow? Or, is it just me?"
We don't frequent Starbucks or Coffee Bean downtown or the Westside, but plenty of you do. Thoughts? Comments awaits.
Angelenic has the dish on a new Broadway teahouse downtown, SipTea:
"Eschewing the formal English teahouse, SipTea draws upon Zen principles (interior design features may meet LEED certification) — though owner Laura Stewart prefers the term “urban hip” for its wider appeal. Reflecting the laid-back lifestyles of her future clientèle, there will be no flowery teapots or formal hats available here."
But by the looks of this rendering, there will be dockworkers with knit hats. The teahouse---no coffee because "the smell can interfere with the whole tea experience"---will probably open by mid-June.
· New Teahouse Progresses An Ever Evolving Broadway [Angelenic]
We had a little breadcrumb about Celestino Drago's new downtown restaurant Drago Centro last month, and now there's more. In addition to that rendering above, we know it will be traditional Itlaian cuisine with some big names on board to run the show. Matteo Ferdinandi, former GM at Cut, is a partner and general manager, and Giuseppe Mollica leaves Valentino after 15 years to help run the front of the house. They're shooting for a late summer/early fall debut.
· EaterWire: Drago Downtown [~ELA~]
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PASADENA: Sad day for beer aficionados in the 'Dena: Crown City Brewery will close after May 31. From lafoodblogging: "Crown opened in 1988 just south of Pasadena’s Central Park and began serving their Arroyo Amber and Mount Wilson Wheat to the masses. On top of their house beers, the pub stocks over a hundred bottled beers and 30 more draft beers, an astonishing selection for our burg. Until the brewery finally broke down in 2002, Crown held the distinction of being Los Angeles’ oldest operating brewpub. Pasadena’s Craftsman Brewing picked up the slack and provides the pub with its flagship brews." The closure is blamed on inadequate parking, tough competition and, most importantly, the landlord's refusal to grant a new long-term lease. The remaining partners are searching for a space to reopen. [lafoodblogging]
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)
Why should Whole Foods be the only grocery store to offer wine tasting in town? The newish Downtown Ralph's passes muster, with bonus gifting: "The pours are generous and if you need to contemplate that Chardonnay or Pinot Noir a second or third time Mr. Berger is more than happy to oblige. Did I mention the cost of the wine tasting includes the glass with the Ralph’s logo emblazoned on the front? You get to keep it although most people end up leaving their glasses on the counter." Yeah, serving a fancy wine at home in a Ralph's wine glass just doesn't have the cache it used to. [Angelenic]
ATWATER VILLAGE: For those of you wondering what's going on at Asia Los Feliz, there are new owners, a new name (now called Asia Bistro), a new chef, and new menu. Well, the menu is different but it's still Asian-European-Californian fusion and may still be suffering an identity crisis. [EaterWire Inbox]
MID-CITY: You know how the owners of Sonora Cafe on La Brea were just waiting for the right buyer before they shuttered the 20-year-old restaurant for good? Well, this just in from a reader: "The site has been leased to a operation called Yummie's (upscale grocery operation) whom I understand will sell some food items." Consider this the first unconfirmed, unresearched breadcrumb. Follow up to…follow. [EaterWire Inbox]
DOWNTOWN: Everyone's favorite pirate-themed Redwood Bar added weekend brunch for the downtownizens. Steak and eggs, French toast, sliders, omelets, crab cakes and the like, Sat-Sun 11am-2pm. Arrrrgh. [Angelenic]
This is one of those times we're happy to be in the same city as Jonathan Gold. Not only does he discover the Thousand Cranes' tempura bar at the Kyoto Grand Hotel (formerly the Otani Hotel) in Little Tokyo for us, but now we want all things fried and glistening: "There are prawns, huge as bananas, that come out of the oil as straight as rulers, crackle-crusted and spurting sweet juice when you violate them with your teeth. You may taste big sea scallops tamed to a luxurious softness by the oil, Japanese pumpkin and gleaming shishito peppers. Lotus root turns into the densest, sweetest substance on Earth in the hands of Shiono, and okra pods lose the gooeyness of their centers. You are glad that the restaurant exits into the still of the Japanese garden, because the shock of the downtown streets might be too much after this meal." [LAW]
Trader Vic's, reopening? More than just the Trader Vic's Light that the original became at the Beverly Hilton? The press release says 'tis true:
The Valencia Group, a Los Angeles-based restaurant management group, announced plans for the 2009 opening of legendary Trader Vic’s in Downtown Los Angeles. The group is currently evaluating several locations for the restaurant near the Nokia Theatre and the Staples Center.
“We're trying to find just the right location so we can bring the full Trader Vic’s experience back to Los Angeles,” said John Valencia, a native Angeleno and Senior Partner of The Valencia Group...Trader Vic’s LA will feature the classic tiki decor and atmosphere that helped establish the Trader Vic's brand in Beverly Hills.
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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