LA’s New Sweetfin Poke Escalates the Downtown Raw Fish Wars

Sweetfin to Downtown

There’s yet more poke available in Downtown, as Sweetfin has opened up along 7th Street. The restaurant first came to life yesterday, and will be working hours from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday, and noon to 9 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. There’s room for 30 diners at a clip across the 1,700 square foot property, and loads of natural light up front thanks to several big windows. Otherwise it’s the usual beach-casual vibe for the company, which enjoys locations in Santa Monica, Silver Lake, and beyond.

No more Cue

Belle Belle’s Cue in Chinatown has closed. A post on the restaurant’s website lists at September 1 shutter date, though they remain available for private parties and catering, apparently.

A dish’s beginnings

LA Times has a cool story out on the origins of Newport Seafood’s iconic spicy lobster dish. It’s an earnest, winding tale about what has become an iconic dish in the San Gabriel Valley.

Moo’s gives back

Moo’s Craft Barbecue is doing another pop-up at Indie Brewing tomorrow, with 10% of proceeds going to help the Central Texas Food Bank. The party starts at 3 p.m.

More to love

LA Weekly shares some enthusiasm for all things Westfield Santa Anita, with a new piece out exploring the still-growing food scene there. Not only do places like Uncle Tetsu and Side Chick already do brisk business, but there’s a newcomer — Sichuan Kungfu Fish — straight from mainland China that’s starting to turn even more heads these days.

Ribs and beer

There’s an old-school party happening in Downtown at Seoul Sausage, and Starry Kitchen is of course involved. The event carries an R&B theme (that’s ribs, beer, and actual ‘90s R&B music), and both restaurant sides will be doing ribs plus rice and beer for $19 a head — DJs provide the rest of the action.

Roasting in Hawthorne

Local New Mexico-style breakfast burrito outfit Sunrise Tortilla is doing a Hatch chile roast at LA Ale Works in Hawthorne tomorrow. The party runs from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. and will not only include food and beer but also live music and a charity component.