Hall of Fame Hockey Player Opening Burger Stand in Orange County

Hockey and burgers

Finnish hockey legend Teemu Selanne, a 2017 Hall of Fame inductee, will open a burger restaurant called The Penalty Box later this year in Orange County. The longtime Anaheim Duck player is anchoring the project to the Garden Grove SteelCraft container park, selling burgers (called pucks), hot dogs (sticks, of course), and more come this fall.

The kitschy restaurant is only part of Selanne’s restaurant holdings, as the NHLer also operates Selanne Steak Tavern in Laguna Beach. That upscale property has legions of fans in its own right, and routinely wins awards for its expansive wine cellar.

Silverton to Downtown

DTLAer is on the beat for all things Nancy’s Fancy, the gelato production facility run by Nancy Silverton in the Arts District. Apparently the place is nearing completion, and should be active by April.

Dinners across the city

Los Angeles councilmember Mitch O’Farrell is working to bring 100 different dinners to every district in LA next month, pairing up local residents with a chef for a home-cooked meal and conversations about race. No word on who the participating chefs will be just yet, but sign-ups to potentially participate are open now.

Goodbye to malls

The Westside Pavilion is the latest victim of the crashing mall economy, says Curbed LA. In order to stay relevant, the hulking westside property will toss out most of its retail and dining options in favor of a mixed-use approach that brings in office space. No word on what that means specifically for some of the longest-running restaurants at the property, or timing for their ultimate demise, but expect only one eatery to remain when all is said and done.

Pizza for all

Even more pizza is coming to El Sereno soon, The Eastsider reports. Beyond Dough Box there’s a new Neapolitan place called Fahrenheit LA that’s looking to jump from years of catering gigs on a trailer into something permanent at 4726 Huntington Drive.

Swap meet love

LA Taco shows some love to the long-running Alameda Swap Meet, and all the delicious food contained inside. Specifically the story focuses on El Diablo, home of the giant pupusa in all its many imitators.

Confidential Coffee comes

Long Beach is in line for more specialty coffee soon, with the rise of Confidential Coffee at 137 W. 6th Street. Owner Denise Maldonado comes from the Demitasse world, and will be using their beans as well as others from local California roasters. Expect an opening next month.