There's a learning curve for any brand new restaurant, no matter how many times the parent company has been through an opening. Case in point: A tipster tells us that people dining on the coveted upstairs patio at the Americana at Brand Katsuya had a little unexpected shower last night. Apparently the heat lamps accidentally triggered a fire sensor under the canopy, which activated one of the sprinkler heads, which in turn soaked anyone and anything on the terrace a bit. According to reps: "Any diners that were inconvenienced were offered complimentary dinner and the situation has since been remedied." The restaurant only opened two weeks ago, but it's good to know the fire system is in working order, and now they know not to put heat lamps under the canopy. We can check those off the list.
· Americana at Brand Mega Preview Day 2: Katsuya [~ELA~]

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Move over bacon, there's something newsier. Got something for the EaterWire? In the tip jar, please.

SILVER LAKE: One more reason why we're lucky to have Intelligentsia in LA: We have the "best barista in America" right here. Kyle Glanville, barista and Manager of Espresso Research, just won the US Barista Competition in Minneapolis this weekend. What does one have to do to win such an honor? Wow the judges by preparing and serving four espressos, four cappuccinos and four original signature drinks of their own creation---all within a 15-minute timeframe. Next up is the World Barista Competition in Copenhagen, and if he wins that, he can start calling himself the "Best Barista in the World." Someone might dump coffee grounds on his head if he does, but he can still say it. [EaterWire Inbox]

WEST HOLLYWOOD: In case a three-martini lunch still sounds like a good idea---and really, when doesn't it---Laurent Tourondel's BLT Steak now serves lunch on the Sunset Strip. [UrbanDaddy]

GLENDALE: You know you wanted to know: Pinkberry is officially swirling at the Americana at Brand. By our count, almost all the AAB restaurants are now open, save for Frida and the kiosks. [EaterWire Inbox]

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Seeing the shambles many of the restaurants and kiosks were in earlier this week, mere days before the grand debut, it's amazing how many actually opened today. On Tuesday, workers were still hammering, hanging, floors weren't even in on some places, but today the big restaurants opened their doors to throngs of people who acted like they've never seen a Cheesecake Factory in their life. And although the AAB flacks swore everything would open on May 2, there are still a few boarded up. Before you head out looking for swirly things, New York-style pizza or sausages, we have an update:

Frida's Mexican Cuisine: Staffers were in a training meeting, but the place was full of construction and commotion. Lots of equipment laying around, workmen, etc. One guy told us it won't open for a few weeks, but Americana reps say "early next week."

Jewel Street Diner: Again, we saw staffers inside getting the rundown, boxes on the counter, people in meetings, but the sign on the door says "We Are Almost Ready!" and will open on Sunday, May 4. Cute little space, old-school diner-esque inside, lots of tables outside. Right near the fountain.

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The Outback Steakhouse directly across the street from the Americana at Brand megamallness certainly knows how to make friends with the new neighbors (as opposed to, say, suing the developer). That, or they're trying to lure the millions of people too fussy for the long lines at the Cheesecake Factory, Beard Papa's or Granville Cafe with Bloomin' Onions.
· Pop out the Bubbly; Caruso Declares Victory for Americana at Brand [Curbed LA]
· Americana at Brand Opener: The Lines! The Chaos! [~ELA~]

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We poppped on over to the Americana at Brand for lunch today and it was sheer chaos---at least in front of the Cheesecake Factory. Were they handing out free cheesecake or something? Because the line that spiraled around the front door after the noon debut was ridiculous. And with so many other options....well, actually, there weren't that many other options, but we'll get to that in a follow up post. According to the Americana flacks, the goal was to have everything open today, but that didn't quite happen, at least for the restaurants and eateries. Here's what you will find:

Caffe Primo: And what a primo spot it has, too, right in front of the valet stand. As soon as we poked our head in, the staff told us they were running about 45 minutes behind. It was packed.

Katsuya: So they don't have to weather a similar onslaught, Katsuya is only taking limited reservations, maybe a few walk-ins. They anticipate full speed by mid-May. Lunch today was solid, but everyone's still getting their footing. But one of the first tables was Mr. Rick Caruso himself (pictured in the gallery). After running around the mall taking pictures under the noon sun, our watermelon-cucumber mojito totally rocked it. (Res line: 818.244.5900)

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Oh yeah, baby. It's here! In case you haven't watched a local news channel, read the paper or perused the blogosphere: Rick Caruso's new Americana at Brand opens today. The $400 million mixed use shopping mall/residential development is the Grove on steroids, more Vegas than Glendale, everything's bigger, splashier, shinier. We had a sneak preview earlier this week while workmen polished, buffed, painted and constructed finishing touches in just about every nook and cranny. Curbed and Racked LA have obsessed over the residential and shopping side of things, and we've done our part for the restaurants---Katsuya! Frida! Beard Papa's! Cheesecake Factory! Caruso promised everything would open today for the big debut, but the way things looked on Tuesday, that seemed like such a stretch. We'll have a full report from the scene soon.
· Americana at Brand: Dining Update [~ELA~]
· Americana at Brand Mega Preview: Day 1 [~ELA~]
· Americana at Brand Mega Preview: Katsuya [~ELA~]
· Americana Mega Preview Day 2: The Rest [~ELA~]

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Click the image above to view the full photogallery.

We offered a look around to some of the restaurants/cafes/eateries yesterday, and earlier today it was all Katsuya; now we have a final look at the rest. Frida Mexican Cuisine is the big corner anchor for the Brand entrance, and with its huge ceilings, big par, patio and shiny tile, it's nothing like the intimate original on Beverly Boulevard. Beard Papa's will be a kiosk not to far from that, and the Jewel City Diner looks all retro and cool over by the H&M. Caffe Primo is on the other side, near shops like Kate Spade and Lucky Brand. We didn't catch where Richie's Pizza, Granville Cafe or the Korean place will be. It's amazing that this entire development, which looked like controlled chaos today, will open in two days; one if you count the private black-tie premiere on Thursday. But we heard it from the tanned Rick Caruso himself: All will open on May 2.
· Americana at Brand Mega Preview: Day 1 [~ELA~]
· Americana at Brand Mega Preview Day 2: Katsuya [~ELA~]

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Click the image above to view the full photogallery.

We just took a spin around The Americana at Brand, which is still heavily under construction as all the workmen, staffers, groundskeepers and head honchos put final touches on everything for the May 2 debut. It's really quite frantic, especially with the various tour groups being led through the sawdust. We had a small preview yesterday, but today's TAAB gallery comes in two parts. First up, the new Katsuya, the third and largest of the SBE/Katsuya Uechi resto chain. Some fun facts about the space, next.

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Click the image above to view the full photogallery.

We've been keeping an eye on the dining haps at Americana at Brand, Rick Caruso's new Grove-like Glendale mall, but here we have the official first sneak preview of some eateries. Of course there's SBE's third Katsuya, a Cheesecake Factory, Pinkberry and Jamba Juice. Other restaurants/cafes that will open on May 2---The big public debut! Just days away!---are a Nestle Toll House Cafe, CrepeMaker, Frida Mexican Cuisine, Granville Cafe, Beard Papa, Richie's Pizzeria, and the Jewel City Diner, which we hear, is a Caruso-owned venture (he also owns the Whisper Lounge at the Grove). And because "Korean" continues to be the buzzword for 2008, Kyopo Grill has been added to the roster. Our siblings took a look at the retail and residential side of Americana. Are you excited or bored about the openings? Is this a boon or bust for Glendale? Comments is all yours.
· Americana at Brand Dining Update [~ELA~]
· SBE Future: Foxtail, Jose Andres, More Katsuyas [~ELA~]
· Curbed Inside: Developer Rick Caruso's Americana At Brand [Curbed LA]
· Americana at Brand: The Mega-Mall-Mixed-Use Preview! [Racked LA]

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Click the image above to view the full photogallery.

Palate Food + Wine from Patina Group alum Octavio Becerra was supposed to open in February, but, as seen earlier this month, it's not quite there yet. There's been progress since those pictures, but construction is still in the works and help wanted signs hang on the door and windows. Becerra gave us the scoop: Palate will be restaurant, wine bar and retailer, cheese cellar, and "eno-gastronomic library" on the ground floor of the seven-story Bekins building on Brand Avenue (former Cinnabar space). The food will be simple with Mediterranean sensibilities and seasonal and artisinal ingredients. Expect a robust wine list for dining and drinking in, plus retail, and a walk-in cheese cellar with more than 50 selections from around world, courtesy cheesemonger Sebastian Robin Craig from the Cheese Store of Beverly Hills. And if all that's not ambitious enough, they plan to have more than 200 titles in the library---cookbooks, books on wine, cheese, coffee, culinary histories---for perusing. New debut date: May.
· Plywood Report: Becerra's Palate [~ELA~]

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