Welcome to Friday’s Weekend Eats Newsletter from L.A. TACO’s Hadley Tomicki, a look at some of the newest and most exciting food-and-drink finds and culinary throw-downs in L.A., made just for members of L.A. TACO. You get this (and more!) every week in your inbox when you become a member of L.A. TACO.
For previous Weekend Eats collections, look here and here.
EL RUSO ~ STUDIO CITY
Walter Soto, the chef made famous for his Sonoran food truck El Ruso on L.A.’s streets and Netflix’s Taco Chronicles, is opening a brick-and-mortar location of El Ruso next Wednesday, July 22, in Studio City, replacing Roadside Taco at the same address and under the same owners.
Soto tells me he’ll be serving his full menu, so you’ll be able to consistently eat his carne en chile colorado, carne asada, chicharrón en salsa roja, adobada, birria de res, and more in burritos, caramelos, and tacos on handmade flour tortillas, only “con mas alcohol,” as Soto says, since the restaurant has a liquor license.
Soto also confirms Julia Silva will be on site, preparing her impressive sobaqueras, massive flour tortillas made by the hands of a pro, for El Ruso’s burritos.
“I’ve been a big fan of Walter for years,” Roadside owner and actor Vinny Laresca tells us. “He is so amazing. So many great chefs need an opportunity to own a brick-and-mortar, and I felt this was the perfect opportunity for me to partner with him and bring his amazing food to Studio City.”
Laresca mentions there will be margaritas made from scratch, and that he’s also planning on adding a rib eye taco and some mariscos specials to the menu.
You can enjoy those on the patio, perhaps after a day full of Minions and Hogwarts at Universal, to beat traffic, or simply just cuz you love El Ruso. The concept opens at 5 p.m. on Wednesday.
10628 Ventura Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 91604
PINECONE BAKESHOP + CAFE ~ ALHAMBRA
Taiwan-born pastry chef Joyce Hsieh, a veteran of Milo + Olive, among others, will open Pinecone Bakeshop in Alhambra on July 18.
The 31-seat cafe and bakery features tarts with crusts made from Tehachapi Sonoran wheat, in flavors like banana miso caramel; almond latte; peach Earl Grey; adzuki hojicha; and mango sticky rice, each featuring in-season fruits and nuts from renowned local farms like Andy’s Orchard, K&K Ranch, Kandarian Organic, Fat Uncle Farms, and Reiger Family Farms.
Coffee comes from a rotating roster of local roasters, with espresso from Counter Culture Coffee.
116 W. Main St. Alhambra, CA 91801
CINEOPERA ~ DOWNTOWN
The owners of LA Cha Cha Cha have turned that rooftop space into a new concept called CineOpera, an all-day space for lingering that features a pastry counter, coffee bar, and bottle shop selling wines, snacks, and dried pasta, in addition to a restaurant and bar focused on Italian dining.
The “Cine” part derives from the centerpiece of a 170” screen showing movies and the occasional major sports event. Recent screenings have included Hitchcock’s Vertigo and Kubrick’s Barry Lyndon.
As for the menu, Watts and KTown-raised chef Paco Moran is leaning into the Italian side of Argentine food, with dishes like milanesa schiacciata; handmade pastas like strozapretti with chanterelles, king trumpet, and oyster mushrooms, and bucatini vongole; grilled provoleta with Calabrian chile oil; prosciutto and provolone-stuffed cherry peppers; empanadas; and octopus stewed in tomato sauce, with classic cocktails like negronis and Aperol spritz.
Pastries come from Santa Canela’s Ellen Ramos, while wines from the shop can be consumed at dinner with a $10 corkage fee.
812 E. 3rd St. Los Angeles, CA 90013
TAQUERIA AMOR A MI POP-UP ~ BURBANK
Burbank’s Amor A Mi restaurant will debut its new taco concept, Taqueria Amor A Mi, this Saturday and Sunday at Downtown Burbank’s World Cup Fan Zone.
“The pop-up will bring the flavors of our native Tijuana and our kitchen in L.A. to our taqueria,” owner Ivan Lopez says. “We’re making grilled and smoked carnes with handmade tortillas and salsas que pican.'“
You’ll have your choice of adobada, bistec, chorizo, and chicken, with options of aguas frescas, sodas, and chips with guacamole. Each taco comes topped with cilantro salsa verde, salsa roja, guacamole, and onions.
While the World Cup watch party there will be ticketed, the street fair where Taqueria Amor A Mi is located is free to attend.
July 18, 12-8 p.m.; July 19, 10 a.m.- 6 p.m., 200 N. San Fernando Blvd. Burbank, CA 91502
GOLDEN TADKA ~ WEST COVINA
Golden Tadka is now open in West Covina, offering a menu of Indian dishes, including some less commonly seen recipes from Southern India.
Your choices include Indo-Chinese manchow soup; chicken cooked on charcoal in a tandoor; Kerala-style chicken curry; tikka masala with smoky paneer; spicy goat mirch masala; chicken-stuffed naan; Goa-style fish curry; Chettinad-spiced chicken; Koliwada-style fish; and a gulub jaman parfait, among other desserts.
360 S. Glendora Ave. West Covina, CA 91790
DALAH ~ PASADENA
Dalah is an inventive new Thai restaurant, now soft-open in Pasadena, and owned by married couple Fai and Peter Maraddeta.
The soft-opening menu offers smoky pad see ew cooked in a wok; a grilled, house-fermented short rib made with garlic; beef cheek in green curry; khao pad bhu featuring egg-rice topped with lump blue crab; gang daeng red curry-braised duck leg confit; and crispy rice balls featuring house-fermented pork. Then comes the mango sticky rice and Thai tea ice cream.
851 Cordova St., Pasadena, CA 91101
