Filipino Fast Food Brand Jollibee Buys LA’s Own Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf

Big buy

Filipino restaurant brand Jollibee is betting big on the Los Angeles coffee scene, picking up local company Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf yesterday for a cool $350 million. The surprise buy shook Jollibee’s stock value, says Bloomberg, and will add some 1,200 new retail outlets to their already massive holdings.

Even more fried chicken

4Fingers, a casual chicken shop with locations across Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia, is expanding to Los Angeles. The company will open its first US outlet at the One Westside Shopping Center sometime next month.

Party vibes

Melody’s food and comedy night Amuse Bouche is returning on August 6. Expect jokes from folks like Patton Oswalt, with food from chef Tim Hollingsworth, E Stretto, and more.

By the beach

Whitestone Restaurant is now open in Dana Point. The dinnertime spot run by chef Tony Celeste takes over the former Two Left Forks address at 34212 Pacific Coast Highway, working a menu that moves from housemade rye cavatelli to seared wild sockeye salmon and braised beef cheeks.

Los Alamos weekends

There’s a new restaurant and wine stop heading up to busy Los Alamos on the Central Coast. It’s called Cisco Kid, and it will focus on wood-fired meats and vegetables from the Vallefresh crew.

The party is on

Wirtshaus on La Brea is turning eight years young this year, and to celebrate the German beer house is doing big things on Saturday, July 27. Expect a free keg of ceremonial beer, lots of food, and fun games like stein-holding contests all night long.

A legend gone

Stefano Riboli, the founding father of the San Antonio Winery in Los Angeles, has died. To honor him, the Riboli family has put together a small video filled with old photos and interviews from Stefano himself.