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A Duo of New Drinking Spots to Know About, From Beverly Hills to Chinatown

Plus, Blair’s chef and his pottery obsession, a holiday-themed omakase cocktail tasting at Hotel Figueroa, and more

A pink cocktail with white foam in a cocktail glass at Anna May Bar in Beverly Hills.
Anna May cocktail with Dos Hombres mezcal, Aperol, Peychaud bitters, and a Champagne yuzu foam.
Crustacean

Over the last week, two new bars opened in Los Angeles, one in Chinatown and another in Beverly Hills. Wine bar Cafe Triste comes from the team behind Silver Lake’s Psychic Wines, while Anna May Bar hails from the family that operates Crustacean. The latter is a tribute to the iconic Chinese American actress Anna May Wong.

Cafe Triste opened last Thursday, December 8 inside Mandarin Plaza where partners Zach Jarrett, Quinn Kimsey-White, and Bradford Taylor run the new wine bar. Expect an extensive list and a menu of light bites including Comte cheese toast, greens, cheese platters, and a bouillabaisse. Cafe Triste is open Sunday, Monday, and Thursday from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 5 p.m. to midnight.

This past Friday night, Anna May Bar opened inside Beverly Hills restaurant Crustacean with wines, non-alcohol drinks, and cocktails, like the Daughter of the Dragon with Thai chile-infused Belvedere vodka, Cointreau, and grenadine. Crustacean chef Helene An’s famous garlic noodles and tuna cigars are on the Anna May Bar menu, along with crab toast, salmon sashimi, and dumplings. The family-operated business chose Anna May Wong as the inspiration because the Asian American woman received a number of firsts, including a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and frequent film roles in the 1920s and 1930s. Anna May Bar is open Tuesday through Sunday from noon until 9 p.m.

Los Angeles wine shops

Tasting Table rounded up a handful of wine shops, including ones that showcase natural and biodynamic wines throughout the Southland. There are some well-known favorites, including a few hidden gems to score an excellent bottle.

The chef at Silver Lake’s Blair’s also has a pottery empire

The Eastsider uncovered chef Marshall Blair’s second passion. While operating two Blair’s locations in both Silver Lake and Eagle Rock, he also owns five pottery studios scattered throughout Southern California, with another in Chicago.

A beautiful look inside Great White Melrose

Dezeen Magazine took some eye-grabbing photos at the new Melrose location for Great White, where shades of deep pink dominate the most prominent location for the Australian-owned restaurant.

Apres Ski at Hotel Fig

Hotel Figueroa just launched a new pop-up speakeasy called the Apres Ski Cocktail Tasting Experience with Thunderbolt and Noble 33 (the team behind Toca Madera and Casa Madera). The pair will take over Hotel Fig’s secret space Bar Alta and offer an omakase tasting with eight cocktails and amuse-bouche pairings for $125 per person. The dates run December 15, 16, 17, and 23 with two seatings at 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. It’s a limited room with 30 people per seating, so grab a reservation on Eventbrite.

Crustacean Beverly Hills

468 North Bedford Drive, , CA 90210 (310) 205-8990 Visit Website

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