Bell’s, the Best Restaurant on the Central Coast, Expands With New Seafood Spot

Los Alamos, California restaurant Bell’s is considered by many to be the best place to eat along the Central California coastline, and with good reason. The star ownership team of Daisy Ryan (a Food & Wine best new chef winner for Bell’s) and partner/operator Greg Ryan have a long fine dining history, and they know how to use their local connections to score some of the area’s best product. Now they’re finally ready to branch out to their long-awaited second project Bar Le Côte, a seafood-centric, wine-heavy hangout down in Los Olivos, CA.

Whereas Bell’s plays fast and loose with its French perspective, Bar Le Côte will branch out even further play with the many flavors of the European coastline — while relying heavily on California ingredients, naturally (think urchin from Stephanie Mutz and dry-aged fish from the Valley’s own Liwei Liao). Expect Santa Monica halibut with serrano ham, soft shell crab with avocado cream, and Spanish octopus grilled to a deep richness. Chef-partner Brad Mathews, formerly of the Arthur J and elsewhere, is on to execute the menu.

Bar Le Côte opens for walk-ins on Thursday, September 2, with reservations on Tock (and beer and wine) to come soon.

Bonjwing Lee

In other news:

• The Godfrey Hotel is now open at 1400 Cahuenga in Hollywood. The property offers a rooftop hangout, hotel restaurant ALK, two bars, and a swimming pool across 220 rooms.
• Uptown Provisions is ready to go in Whittier. The takeaway restaurant and shop at 12819 Penn Street is hosting a grand opening day on Tuesday, September 14 from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
• Hui Tou Xiang Noodle House is adding a second location in Hollywood, reports What Now LA. The San Gabriel Valley restaurant, first opened in 2012, lands at 1643 N. Cahuenga Boulevard, though there is no timetable yet for opening.
• Eataly is hosting a ton of talent this fall as part of the restaurant and marketplace’s ongoing rooftop pop-ups at Terra. Expect food from Kevin Bludso (September 22), Argentine chef Norberto Piattoni (October 20), and the Bad Jew pitmaster Rebecca King (November 17).
• The Counter takes a hard look at drought-stricken California, and how the lack of water and increasing economic uncertainty is affecting small farms — and, thus, small farmers markets.
• Southern restaurant Yardbird is finally reopening this week at the Beverly Center.