Spot Check! Welcome to L.A. TACO's weekly food column, where we bring you the latest and most exciting openings, pop-ups, and food events around all of Los Angeles to check out.
Shanghai fried bun specialist Little Pan is now soft-open in Exposition Park, near USC. Items include curry pan-fried pork buns, beef and seafood pancakes, Chinese sauerkraut and pork soup, millet congee, corn paste congee, and "pork gut" soup. Get yours today.
3742 S. Figueroa St. Los Angeles, CA 90007. Closest Metro lines and stop: Metro J Line (910/950) or Bus Line 460 - "37th Street/USC Station", Metro E Line - "Expo Park/USC Station", Bus Lines 2, 81 and 102 - “Figueroa/Exposition.”
Crazy Thai Burger has taken over for Super Bowl Asian Kitchen in Koreatown, serving holy basil krapow burgers and sticky rice larb burgers, as well as Thai rice and noodle bowls with shrimp, ribs, beef, pork, and chicken, including spaghetti tom yum shrimp, from the family behind Thai Town's Radna Silom.
4008 W. 3rd St. Los Angeles, CA 90020. Closest Metro lines and stop: Bus Lines 16 and 206 - “3rd/Normandie.”
Rubie, chef and Providence vet Gian Scott's "modern Jamaican" pop-up is holding its next dinner on August 18th, offering a set menu of ackee toast on gochujang sourdough with uni and scotch bonnet chiles, snapper crudo with jerk spice, barbecue quail with nectarine, jerk sauce, and buttermilk fried shallots, and yam fritters with ube ice cream and coconut cream for dessert—$70 tickets sold here.
You're driving down Van Nuys Boulevard in Arleta when a hankering for slow-cooked pork suddenly hits you. Pull over immediately at Carnitas Valley, which prepares Michoacán-style carnitas, including glossily rendered ribs, jiggly skin, crisp chicharron, and maciza, in tacos and on your plates. It's the only sane choice at times like these.
14421 Van Nuys Blvd. Arleta, CA 91331. Closest Metro lines and stop: Bus Lines 233 or 761 - “Van Nuys/Woodman.”
The DJ crew known as Spincats LA is throwing a daytime backyard boogie at Delicious Pizza on Sunset Boulevard this Saturday. Called Springcats Beat Deli, the group will spin rare hip-hop and soul and celebrate a vinyl release while Delicious Pizza does the cooking. Free for all to enter.
Aug. 5, 4-9 PM, 6601 Sunset Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90028. Closest Metro line and stop: Bus Line 2 - “Sunset/Cherokee.”
Thirteen-year-old, family-owned Larchmont Village restaurant Osteria Mamma is now offering its very first tasting menus, with options for both seafood and meat-centric menus. Among them, you'll find gnocchi with lobster martini sauce, porchetta di branzino filled with olives, rosemary, and rapini, beef tartare with marinated yolk and puffed Parmigiano, and lamb chops in yogurt sauce with black kale. Wine pairings are optional and include private labels only available here.
5732 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90004. Closest Metro lines and stop: Bus Line 10 - “Melrose/Larchmont” or Bus Line 210 - "Vine/Melrose."
Mediterranean mini-chain Argo is now soft-open in Studio City, offering its menu of kebabs, lulu, pork belly, and falafel in sandwiches and plates, with sides like hummus, shirazi, lebneh, and dolma.
11923 Ventura Blvd. Studio City, CA 91604. Closest Metro lines and stop: Bus Line 240 - “Ventura/Carpenter” or Bus Lines 218 and 230 - "Ventura Place/Ventura."
Get ready. Morton's the Steakhouse will be offering $2 petite filet mignon sandwiches from 4-8 PM on Sunday, August 13, at the bars of its U.S. locations, including Downtown, Woodland Hills, and Burbank. Sounds great. Unless you have another plan for National Filet Mignon Day?
735 S. Figueroa St. Suite 207, Los Angeles, CA 90017. Closest Metro lines and stop: Metro A, B, D, and E Lines - "7th Street/Metro Center Station" or Bus Line 51 and Metro J Line (910/950) - “Figueroa/7th.”
3400 West Olive Ave. Burbank, CA 91505. Closest Metro lines and stop: Bus Lines 155 and 501 - “Olive/Alameda.”
6250 Canoga Ave, Suite 111, Woodland Hills, CA 91367. Closest Metro lines and stop: Bus Line 161 - “Canoga/Trillium", Bus Lines 150, 164 or 169 - "Victory/Canoga" or Metro G Line - "Canoga Station."
Numerous concepts at Sawtelle's The Colony will rally for Nishikawa Night Market on Saturday, pairing their dishes with Ginza Nishikawa's popular, pricey, and insanely soft Japanese milk bread. In addition to a bar, you can expect such specials as steak and grilled cheese sandwiches served on the bread, a dessert from Sweet Rose Creamery, and a few promised surprises to be unveiled that day. Free, RSVP here.
Aug. 5, 5-10 PM, 11419 Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90025. Closest Metro line and stop: Bus Line 4 - “Santa Monica/Corinth.”
