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)
Once again, we round up some of the latest openings in The Dish. See something debut? Let's hear all about it. Via Eating L.A.
MID-WILSHIRE: The fate of Doughboys on Third Street is still up in the air---we just called the Highland location for info yet again and got a pause, more hesitation, then "yeah, I don't really know what's going on over there"---but a new Doughboys will open next to the El Rey Theatre tonight. We asked about this new location and were told: "You know, everyone's really busy getting a new restaurant open, and I have tables waiting for me, so I have to go." And yet we still throw business their way. (5515 Wilshire Blvd, Phone TBA)
MID-CITY: According to a tipster, the Kokomo Café move to the Eat Well location on Beverly and Martel will happen "sometime in the next week." We still haven't heard what's moving in to the Kokomo space at the Farmers Market. (Photo credit: Flickr) [EaterWire]
GLASSELL PARK: The low-key beer-lover's Verdugo Bar finally escapes the "soft open" phase and goes to six days a week starting April 8. There's also Beer Pong. Beer Pong! [UrbanDaddy]
WOODLAND HILLS: Valley sports fans will have to find another bar to overtake: Yankee Doodles will close after tonight's NCAA championship game. The Santa Monica location will remain open. [WHWC]
We heard from a tipster that Sebastian's in Toluca Lake is now Robano's: "They're already open (Soft opening, no new signs yet) with grand opening on the 28th." Please remember that this is the new restaurant from shuttered Albano's pizza owner, Anthony Albano, and Sebastian's is the shutteredKitchen Nightmares victim. Albano plastered messages on Yelp:
"I AM BACK BIGGER AND BETTER THAN EVER! After a two year absence i now have wood burning ovens and a full liquore lic. a patio 2000,sq. ft and still the best pizza in Los angeles! My passion for my pizza and my food is greater than ever,please come down and let's make up for lost time! For 10 years Albano's has been serving Los angeles and now I AM BACK TO RECLAIM MY #1 POSITION AND MY #1 PIZZA AND ITALIAN FOOD IN LA."
And about the shuttered Melrose location, "I am very sorry for those people that miss Albano's, I have been absent for two years and didn't have any control over what happened." Two questions remain: What exactly "happened" and why is Albano's now Robano's?
· Albano's Resurfacing in Toluca Lake [~ELA~]
· The Shutter: Sebastian's of Toluca Lake [~ELA~]
· Anthony A's reviews [Yelp]
Several people emailed to ask what's going on with The Dip in Sherman Oaks, noticing that it was closed and being renovated. Although we attempted calls for details, reader Joseph upped the ante on audience participation and supplied this report on what will soon become The Infield:
"Ken Davitian and crew have always had a hot dog concept in mind and thought no better time than now to fill the void left by establishments like The Weiner Factory. Ken's son Robert Davitian will be taking the reigns of the new concept at 14333 Ventura Blvd. The first question I asked, of course was, are the dogs steamed or grilled. Steamed was the answer. Seems this family grew up on Pink's and some place called Chronis's on Whittier Blvd that I had not heard of. Then I asked who was going to make their hot dogs. They will be using a variety, there were quite a few Robert named but here is what I remember, Papa Cantellas all beef hot dog - the same dog The Stand uses, a Sabrett dog like the Weiner Factory used, a Hebrew National and even a Wagu Beef dog from New Zealand."
Oh, New York's got nothing on LA when it comes to the froyo onslaught. No-thing. You thought you could escape the ooze? Silly, silly readers. Chalk it up to a winter hiatus. A no-froyo slumber, if you will. We'll never escape the sticky sludge. New shops continue to open across the land. Blue Mango via Yelp; Snowpod via Blackburn & Sweetzer
MID-CITY: We've had a couple reports of Snowpod opening at the Beverly Connection, and Blackburn and Sweetzer reports that the froyo is tangy, but sweeter than Pinkberry, and there are three Apple computers set up for free use. Sticky keyboards = no fun. (8489 W 3rd St.)
WEST HOLLYWOOD: Another newish entry: Blue Mango opened a couple months ago on the western side of the Sunset Strip, near Doheny (right across from the Wells Fargo). They bill themselves as the "organic" froyo chain and they have four flavors including "blue mango," unshockingly blueberry and mango blended together. Décor is just another variation of Pinkberry, but blue. (8961 Sunset Blvd., 310.271.8111)
Time once again for The Shutter Report, a recap of what's closed or is closing. See something shutter for good? The tipline is all yours.
CAHUENGA PASS: A tipster writes: "I think Minibar is closed up shop. Called there tonight and the number is out of service and the place is all shuttered up." The number is disconnected and an email to the one of owners bounces back, but the website is still fully intact, so we suspect this happened rather recently. No word on the why, but this is a good example of a restaurant that opened at the right time (2004, when Hollywood's "Cahuenga Corridor" was really filling in) and got some good press, but it never became much more than a neighborhood hangout. Too often, that's just not enough. [EaterWire Inbox]
BRENTWOOD: We don't have firm confirmation on this, but here we have a real estate listing for an unnamed Chinese restaurant with a new patio in Brentwood that's been open for 35 years. There's only one restaurant that fits this description: Chang's. No one at the restaurant will confirm that it's for sale (unless you're an interested buyer), but there's little chance it's anything else. With news that Dutton's will close after 23 years in April, and the Hamburger Hamlet closed after more than 40 years---but will become a Suzanne Goin/Caroline Styne restaurant---change is definitely afoot in the tony Westside enclave. [ELA]
BEVERLY HILLS:Scott Garrett, former sous chef at Whist the Viceroy, is now exec chef at Avalon Hotel's Blue on Blue restaurant. He says he'll keep the menus simple, seasonal, "fun." With a new team---sous Brett Robbins and chef de cuisine Kellie Knox---the poolside restaurant will launch a small bites/cocktail happy hour menu in March. There could be worse things to do with an early springtime afternoon. [EaterWire Inbox]
STUDIO CITY: Fans of peel-your-own shrimp swimming in spicy broth and big hunks of bread, sorry: A reader sends word that Killer Shrimp on Colfax closed. Confirmed. It closed on January 26, but the Marina del Rey location remains open. [EaterWire Inbox]
DOWNTOWN: While work lulls on independent projects like Bridge Tavern, Church & State and BottleRock, the chains just keep on coming. Johnny Rockets is set to open on the second floor of the Union Bank Plaza's retail center in March.(5th and Figueroa) [Angelenic]
Why Albano's closed remains a mystery, but we've learned that the owner will open an Italian restaurant replacing Sebastian's in Toluca Lake. Yes, the very same Sebastian's that was Kitchen Nightmared to the point of shuttering. Since Gordon Ramsay and crew "renovated," we wonder how much work really needs to be done, and we assume someone from Albano's is more likely to use fresh pizza dough and the woodfired pizza ovens. According to the help wanted notice (all staff, "perfect for actors and actresses"), the new restaurant (though unnamed) will open in about two weeks. Related: Enzo's, replacing Albano's on Melrsoe, should also open within the next two weeks.
· Sebastian's Kitchen Nightmare [~ELA~]
· The Shutter: Sebastian's of Toluca Lake [~ELA~]
· Enzo's Replacing Albano's [~ELA~]
· New Restaurant Seeks Full Staff, Hiring Immediately [Craigslist]
HOLLYWOOD: The rumor that Dar Maghreb was on the market, which someone told us just wasn't true, is in fact true. The Moroccan belly-dancing haunt officially has a new owner. The staffer we spoke to said the restaurant will continue as is but "it might change soon." We're still confirming all of this, so the guessing came can continue...for now. [EaterWire]
SANTA MONICA: It turns out that Il Dolce on Montana Avenue—which looked closed, but reopened after renovations—is no longer Il Dolce at all. The new owner renamed the spot Kreation Kafe with a menu that's, in her words, "organic, natural, much better than before." It's more Mediterranean (wraps, sandwiches, hummus), but still serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. "Kreation Kafe," our tipster wonders. "What is she thinking???" [EaterWire]
ENCINO: After we heard that Gorikee was in escrow, a Hound sends an update: "It will be happening over the next few months. Tsuji is going to train the new chefs and then take off (not sure where he's going) - but according to Pat the hopes that with Tsuji's tutelage Gorikee will stay "the same" as far as food/menu…we'll see!" [Chowhound]
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Tipping Is Customary
Know about a restaurant opening or closing in your neighborhood, or other LA scene gossip? Let's hear it.
CAHUENGA PASS: A tipster writes: "I think Minibar is closed up shop. Called there tonight and the number is out of service and the place is all shuttered up." The number is disconnected and an email to the one of owners bounces back, but the website is still fully intact, so we suspect this happened rather recently. No word on the why, but this is a good example of a restaurant that opened at the right time (2004, when Hollywood's "Cahuenga Corridor" was really filling in) and got some good press, but it never became much more than a neighborhood hangout. Too often, that's just not enough. [EaterWire Inbox]
BEVERLY HILLS: Scott Garrett, former sous chef at Whist the Viceroy, is now exec chef at Avalon Hotel's Blue on Blue restaurant. He says he'll keep the menus simple, seasonal, "fun." With a new team---sous Brett Robbins and chef de cuisine Kellie Knox---the poolside restaurant will launch a small bites/cocktail happy hour menu in March. There could be worse things to do with an early springtime afternoon. [EaterWire Inbox]
HOLLYWOOD: The rumor that Dar Maghreb was on the market, which someone 
