:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/65208929/soom_soom_facebook.0.jpg)
Name after name
A slew of well-known fast casual restaurant names are coming to the already-busy Old Pasadena area, right off Colorado Boulevard. A corner building’s redevelopment at Fair Oaks and Union means that close to half-a-dozen retail spaces are being converted to food projects. That includes Mediterranean outfit Soom Soom, casual American name Simplethings, a spring roll and bowl spot called Paper Rice, and another location of the popular Dirt Dog hot dogs. Not everyone will be ready to go at the same time by the looks of things, with Dirt Dog seemingly the closest to arrival this year.
No more Necco
It looks like Necco has closed in Westwood. The five-year-old Japanese restaurant had long been a neighborhood favorite but flew mostly under the radar city-wide. Now Toddrickallen is reporting that the space is all shuttered, though the company’s website claims to have some other project in the works down the line.
For the vegans
A tiny new vegan daytime restaurant has opened in East Hollywood. The Good Good takes up residence inside the former strip mall home of Arax Bakery at 4871 Santa Monica Boulevard, doing bowls, toasts, and lots of pastries.
Big drinks
The Edith is hosting a Don Julio night tomorrow. The evening affair will showcase the full spectrum of the brand’s tequilas, all paired with a tasting men from chef Javier Fuentes. Tickets are $75 a pop.
Not happening
Sunset Beer Co. has abandoned plans to open in Highland Park. The Echo Park bottle shop faced stiff resistance at multiple neighborhood council meetings before ultimately abandoning plans last month, saying in a since-deleted post that protestors managed “to delay the process long enough to make it financially unwise for us to continue.” They will “continue to explore” other areas of the city instead.
New faces
The former Turningfire in Eagle Rock is turning into yet another location of Bok Bok Chicken, the fast casual outlet out of Las Vegas. The restaurant already has a location in Downtown, and another coming soon in Culver City.
Getting closer
Downtown’s Red Herring is starting to staff up ahead of its opening later this year. Ownership is hosting potential candidates today and Wednesday during the day.
