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LA’s Bygone Formosa Cafe Snags $150,000 for Overhaul Efforts

Plus an update on Tacos Punta Cabras, and news on Howlin’ Ray’s

Formosa Cafe
The Formosa Cafe
Yelp
Farley Elliott is the Senior Editor at Eater LA and the author of Los Angeles Street Food: A History From Tamaleros to Taco Trucks. He covers restaurants in every form, from breaking news to the culture, people, and history that surrounds LA's dining landscape.

The money is coming in

Good news for fans of LA’s restaurant history, as plans to bring back the beloved Formosa Cafe have been accelerated thanks to a $150,000 Partners in Preservation prize. The money will be used by the incoming 1933 Group specifically to rehab the old red car trolley portion of the place, while the bar group continues to secure funding for the remaining areas in hopes of a successful return to former Hollywood glory sometime in 2018.

Kathryn Coker in the spotlight

LA Times gives some love to Kathryn Coker, the wine-loving leader of Santa Monica’s Esters. She’s actually the overall beverage director for the entire Rustic Canyon group, and remains a positive presence daily at the sunny Westside shop.

Howlin’ Ray’s hires up

Things are coming together for the Howlin’ Ray’s expansion in Chinatown, and the existing team on site is pushing through the line faster than they ever have before. That means there’s a need for more bodies on the line, so for anyone with a passion for hot chicken, now’s the time.

Beer geeks unite

There’s a Hollywood beer festival coming on Saturday, November 18, and it’s going to include some of the biggest names in brewing. Tickets are $50 general admission and $70 VIP for the annual Beer Fest for Beer Geeks at Stout Burgers, but drinkers can expect rare stuff from places all over the country.

Charity wins

There’s another Mexico and Puerto Rico charity event coming on Monday, November 6, this time at No Vacancy. Tickets range from $75 - $125 a head, but there’s food from Otium, Prime Pizza, The Exchange, and more, plus cocktails, live music, and comedy.

Modern Times at Bourbon Steak

Modern Times is getting closer to its opening in Downtown LA, but in the meantime the Southern California brewery team is hopping over to Bourbon Steak for a beer pairing dinner on Tuesday, November 7. Tickets are $68 a head.

Some Tacos Punta Cabras news

It’s looking like Santa Monica Mexican food hit Tacos Punta Cabras won’t be back online at their new location until January, but in the meantime eager fans can find them popping up from time to time. The next such event goes down on November 12 in Santa Monica, and it’s all for charity.