Beloved La Brea Neighborhood Restaurant Closes After Eight Years

The Rascal’s last days

Last week Rascal, an unsung neighborhood restaurant sporting a big sign on La Brea Avenue just south of Wilshire closed after eight years on the block. The Mid-Wilshire spot served an array of comfort food and more in a cozy corner space with a bustling happy hour. Rebecca and Sandy Clark opened Rascal as a sandwich and wine bar, eventually morphing the menu into the New American one that it offered until last week. It’s unclear what will go into the highly visible space.

All you can meat

Maple Block is hosting an all-you-can-eat meat event on October 13 to celebrate Oktoberfest. The third annual event will have all the barbecue you can possible consume, plus beer from four craft breweries for $45 per person. Bring the family too because they’ll have a bounce house, pumpkin decorating, and ice cream for the kids. Tickets on sale on their website, and the event lasts from noon until 4 p.m.

Experience the smoke

LAist has a first-hand account of what it’s like to experience Lowell Cafe, the country’s first licensed cannabis-friendly restaurant. Food editor Elina Shatkin talks about the rather lovely ambience and the food, which doesn’t have cannabis infused into it. However things get hairy when Shatkin comments on the smoke itself, saying “the weirdest thing about being there is just seeing people smoking anything in a restaurant, period.” In the end, Lowell Cafe is about normalizing cannabis smoking in a public place, and essentially accomplishes just that.

Sanuki is back in Gardena

One of Gardena’s most treasured Japanese restaurants Sanuki No Sato is open again after a brief closure. The twenty-year-old restaurant served a variety of sushi, noodles, and bentos for a mostly business crowd. Yelp users report the name changed to Tanuki No Sato with just about the same menu.

More beef in Santa Monica

Lunetta in Santa Monica is turning into a throwback steakhouse with a one night partnership with Melrose Avenue’s Standing Butchery on October 16. Start with a steak tartare and shrimp cocktail, then venture into a 30 ounce tomahawk ribeye for $128, with peppercorn, bernaise, or a housemade steak sauce.