LA’s AAPI and Restaurant Communities Converge for Big New Charity Events

Two big new upcoming events are aimed at directly supporting local and national AAPI (Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders) organizations and restaurants. First up is Pop Off LA, which runs from May 16 to May 23 and features a variety one-day pop-up collaborations between different local entities, including Royce Burke’s Secret Lasagna doing a Thai-style lasagna dish with Anajak Thai, and Moo’s Craft Barbecue doing meat pies with Ms. Chi Cafe. The event is put on by the LA Food Gang, a Clubhouse-based hub for conversations about restaurants and dining led by writer Andy Wang and Eater LA’s former writer Crystal Coser. Donations for Pop Off LA will go towards Off Their Plate, which seeks food justice solutions within the greater AAPI restaurant and community scene.

A second, separate event called Shake the Hate is running through the end of May and focuses on cocktail specials as part of the ongoing AAPI Heritage Month. One-off cocktails from various restaurants and bars (think Connie & Ted’s, Bar Bohemien, and others) will be available all month long, with $1 from each sale donated to various AAPI non-profits, as chosen by each restaurant.

In other news:

• LA Magazine has more details on the One Star Network of podcasts, which all feature diverse voices from the hospitality/retail/restaurant industries, including lots of homegrown LA talent like the Side Work Podcast.
• Heritage Barbecue in Orange County is hosting a Hawaiian BBQ party on Sunday, May 9, with dishes like Kahlua pork, huli huli chicken, and brisket loco moco available.
• George Lopez isn’t just opening restaurants in Hermosa Beach, he’s also going virtual. The longtime television host has partnered with local company Nextbite to bring George Lopez Tacos to various markets around the country, launching today.
• The long-awaited Girl & the Goat restaurant in the Arts District seems finally ready to come to life. Signage at the property indicates an ‘early summer’ opening, with ownership staffing up now.

Farley Elliott

• Daikokuya seems to have disappeared on the Sunset Strip. Yelp reports the business as closed, and a tipster says that the restaurant has been cleaned out of furniture and kitchen equipment.
• The corner of Western and Franklin on the Los Feliz / East Hollywood border is getting its own Lazy Acres Natural Market. The upscale grocer already operates locations in Santa Barbara, Encinitas, Long Beach, and beyond. Expect an opening in early 2022, at the site of the former Rite-Aid.
• Want to own a piece of burger history? It’ll cost you, but for those with a fresh $17 million to spend it’s now possible to pick up the Bradbury mansion previously owned by Lynsi Snyder, current president of In-N-Out and one of the world’s youngest billionaires. Robb Report has all the details on the massive property.
• Speaking of burgers, the Yellow Paper Burger team is featured on the latest season of Alvin Cailan’s popular Burger Show from Complex and First We Feast. Meanwhile even more locally, STK is going all in on burger month with a killer new $8 deal, shown below.