Behind the Mad Genius Who Mans the Musso & Frank Grill, and More A.M. Intel

The meat maestro

There are few places in Los Angeles that inspire more nostalgia than Musso & Frank Grill in Hollywood. The place is as legendary as it gets, and has played home to countless old celebrities and photo-snapping tourists since opening in 1919. But most folks don’t know they have an off-menu patty melt, or the restaurant’s current connection to Downtown’s weekend food party Smorgasburg?

It’s all contained in a cool new interview piece over at Food & Wine, centered around Nolo Rodriguez and his father Indolfo. The latter is a so-called “Meat Whisperer” for the iconic restaurant, working the grill for more than three decades. Now Indolfo’s son is leading his own meaty charge with Black Sugar Rib Company, a barbecue staple at Smorgasburg. Over secret patty melts, the pair discuss their reverence for meat, for each other, and for Musso & Frank, among other things.

The launch of Larchmont

In case one couldn’t tell, Larchmont’s outpost of Mr. Holmes Bakehouse opened to much Instagram fanfare yesterday. The hashtags and Cruffins were flying at the new, smaller space, but likely won’t do much to quell the weekend lines at their Highland Park original location (which also acts as a commissary kitchen for the company’s expansions).

Look at The Loit

There’s a new coffee shop in town, this one taking over the corner of Olympic and Hill. It’s called The Loit, and it’s part of a fashion company that is also building out an attached retail space. In the meantime though, guests can sip drinks from their black marble tables or out on the corner patio — and they may even be hiring. 301 W. Olympic Boulevard.

Botanica transforms

Ever wonder about how that gorgeous new neighborhood restaurant made the seemingly-seamless transition from its previous, possibly less appealing iteration? Take a look at this Remodelista case study of Botanica in Silver Lake, which flipped a former liquor store to become one the sunnier Eastside spots to dine.

Luke Reyes returns

There’s a new landing spot for traveling chef Luke Reyes: The Friend in Silver Lake. The onetime Oh Man! Ramen lead dropped out of an Encino space and has been cooking pop-up dinners around town for a while since, but now he’s landing a summer weekend series at the colorful bar along Hyperion.

Craft beer party time

LA’s annual Beer Week is back in a big way. The party starts June 17 and should offer a bit of something for everybody, says the LA Times, including an all-out beer festival, loads of learning opportunities, and more.

Weed dinner queries

Want to join in on an upcoming cannabis dinner somewhere? LA Weekly offers a bit of advice on what to ask before going all-in, to help diners avoid any possible pitfalls.

Sakana slides quietly into Downtown

Has anyone noticed the newer Sakana in Downtown yet? The place has been open for more than a month at 9th and Hill, working a Japanese menu for lunch and dinner, but hasn’t gotten much notice just yet. There’s only two Yelp reviews, and their Instagram page reports a “soft opening” phase. Still, the food does look pretty alluring. 321 W. 9th St., Downtown.

Yelp