Spot Check! Where to Find Atlanta-Style ‘Pot Roast Fries,’ Braised Brisket Arepas, And a Fine-Dining Taco Tuesday

Spot Check! Welcome to L.A. TACO’s latest column, where we bring you the latest and most exciting openings, pop-ups, finds, and food events around all of Los Angeles this week.

Bludso's BBQ, which rocketed from a small Compton storefront to a Hoodie and James Beard Award-winning business, has a new location grand-opening in Santa Monica today, with ribbon cuttings both at noon and 6 pm. Kevin Bludso's menu of Texas-style barbecue includes hushpuppies, pork ribs and rib tips, brisket, and pulled pork, with blackberry cobbler, Mexican lime pie, and banana pudding for dessert.

1329 Santa Monica Blvd. Santa Monica, CA 90404. Closest Metro lines and stop: Bus Line 4 - “Santa Monica/14th” or Metro E Line - "17th Street/SMC Station."

One Dope Pizza is popping up in Pasadena's Craft By Smoke & Fire and deserves credit for the following things: 1) Having crazy-ass square pies and $5 slices slathered with colorful vegetables, Halal meats, and sauces. 2) Puns. Like the "Pie Hard With a Vengeance" for its pastrami pie. 3) Its Italian hands icon signals general approval.

Thurs-Sun. 4 PM-until it's sold-out, 30 W. Green St. Pasadena CA 91105. Closest Metro lines and stop: Bus Lines 180, 256, 260, 267, 660 or 686 - “Fair Oaks/Colorado” or Metro A Line - "Del Mar Station."

Eat Sawtelle heralds the arrival of Dong Ting Noodle, now open on Sawtelle for Hunan cuisine, with a specialty of mala-spiced beef noodle soup. Among the many other noodle dishes are Kung Fu chicken dry noodles, pork belly noodle soup, and red braised pork rice noodles. A to-go kiosk is also available for placing your takeout orders.

1947 Sawtelle Blvd. Ste C. Los Angeles, CA 90025. Closest Metro line and stop: Bus Line 4 - “Santa Monica/Corinth.”

Angels & Saints PoBoys is now open for Cajun sandwiches and New Orleans classics for pickup in Inglewood or delivery through Dish Divvy. Your choices include crawfish etouffee, and po' boys, with options like fried catfish, shrimp-and-sausage, fried oysters, and crawfish and spinach "Who Dat?! bowls."

If you want a taste of Atlanta, on the other hand, visit From Tha A To LA, a new food truck opening today in Historic South Central. It's focused on eats from A-Town and flies dueling Braves and Dodger logos on its rear. They're packing egg rolls with 5-hour slow-cooked beef pot roast, Westside, Eastside, and Buckhead burgers (the latter are vegan), wings, cheesesteaks, pot roast fries, and wings and sandwich sets like the Magic City Mondays, available on Mondays only and featuring wings tossed in a peach barbecue sauce. Ooooowee!

358 W. 38th St. Los Angeles, CA 90037. Closest Metro lines and stop: Bus Lines 2, 81 or 550 - “Figueroa/39th” or Metro J Line (910/950) and Bus Line 460 - "37th Street/USC Station."

Michael's, Santa Monica's legendary fine-dining restaurant, is now offering a Taco Tuesday, including beer-battered cod with spicy kimchi and daikon slaw, tuna tartar with cilantro lime creme fraiche, and grilled shrimp with papaya and hearts of palm at three for $18 and pints and margaritas for $7.

1147 3rd St. Santa Monica, CA 90403. Closest Metro line and stop: Bus Line 720 - “4th/Arizona.”

A Korean-Venezuelan pop-up named Loumar is appearing at Koreatown's new Red Room from chefs Marcos Spaziani and Louis Huh starting today through this Saturday. Menu items include arepas borrachas with braised brisket and gochaujang, smoked duck and manchego croquettes, and Havana-inspired chocolate cigars filled with mojito gelato.

6 PM-12 AM, 2580 W. Olympic Blvd. Unit #2, Los Angeles, CA 90006. Closest Metro line and stop: Bus Line 28 - “Olympic/Elden.”