A Big Update on Brooklyn Bagel Bakery’s Re-Opening, and More A.M. News

Brooklyn Bagel Bakery is back

Great news for bagel fans across Los Angeles, as it seems like all systems are go for the return of Brooklyn Bagel Bakery. The Historic Filipinotown storefront was almost torn completely down years ago following the collapse of an outer wall, but new owner Vanik Elchibegian has been committed to keeping the place alive.

Now comes a new post from Brooklyn Bagel Bakery’s Facebook page, that announces the start of construction (after many delays with the city and beyond) as of ten days ago. The brick building could be ready to push out bagels by the end of summer/early fall — though they’ll have loads more competition now. Nearby options that have sprung up include Maury’s (opening a standalone storefront in Silver Lake soon), the bicycle-riding Montreal-style bagel queen of the Eastside, and names like Yeastie Boys and Belle’s Bagels. Indeed, it is a great time to be eating bagels in Los Angeles.

Doughnuts on Friday

Be sure to get your doughnut fill this Friday, as it’s (apparently) National Doughnut Day. For Astro Doughnuts & Fried Chicken, they’ll be selling their one-day cherry pie doughnut and 100% of proceeds will go to the Fisher House Foundation to support military families.

What’s up with Wheat Shop?

Has anyone noticed the colorful new paperwork for a spot called Wheat Shop in Pasadena? The bread and pastry-focused space hits next door to Indian restaurant Chutney along Raymond Avenue, and rumor has it they’re angling for an early summer debut.

Katana climbs east

Hollywood’s Katana clubstaurant has jumped east, opening up a new Chicago location in River North later this year. Per Eater Chicago the whole thing is still under construction, but check out the renderings and prepare for a mid-summer flight to see how it all stacks up against the original.

Eating off the menu

The new Off the Menu app is hitting Los Angeles in a big way. The idea with the iOS app is that customers pay $20 a month to be able to try one non-menu item from popular restaurants around town, per day. Maybe it’s vegan ramen from Erven or a mussel pizza from Pace Joint; the app rotates through seven restaurants per week. It’s LA-specific so far, and the app also promises to donate meals in exchange to No Kid Hungry, Feeding America, and Kids Against Hunger.

Debuting Double Take

Westwood’s Double Take gets a dose of love from The Daily Bruin and their intrepid food staff, who love the spot for its “Hollywood aesthetic and generous portions.” It’s hard to go wrong with a formula of avocado fries, cocktails, and games like darts and Skee-Ball.

Behold the beloved butcher

Esquire recently penned a glorious ode to the modern butcher, pointing out plenty of local favorites along the way. There’s Curtis Stone and his team at Gwen, of course, but also Culver City’s Cannibal and, on the seafood side, Cape Seafood and Provisions as an offshoot of Providence and Connie & Ted’s.

Cascabel’s tacos

Take a look at the new Cascabel Taco Shop, now open at 4005 Riverside Drive in Burbank. The offshoot of Cascabel the sit-down restaurant, this colorful space offers mostly standing room for customers, and keeps daily hours from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Their opening menu is already up online.

Jakob Layman