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What to Eat This Weekend: ‘Sea-Cuterie,’ Al Pastor Rigatoni, and Oxtail Curry Pizza

Plus, a new spot to get huitlacoche quesadillas—with cheese—in the San Fernando Valley and a new delivery-only bento box to order in.

Delivery

Two boxes of colorful raw fish topped with edible flowers in bento boxes from Wafu Bento
Bento boxes from Wafu Bento, photo courtesy of Wafu Bento

Wafu Bento launched this month to offer pickup for its preparations of seafood from Japan's Toyosu Fish Market, offered in chirashi bowls, bento boxes, and sushi. Boxes are delivered directly as soon as they're made, without the use of 3rd party apps. Your choices include the "Abalone Special," "Tuna Festival," and a bento box of Kyoto-style temari, among others. Delivery to come.

Watts

A flyer image for Watts Culture Fest showing Hawkins House of Burgers and the Watts Towers

Watts Culture Fest will be held this Saturday, Feb. 17, at WLCAC in Watts. Expect food from Alta Adams chef and Watts local Keith Corbin, roller skating and skateboarding, a youth video game lounge, games, crafts, and food, DJs, a sneaker painting workshop by Zapatos, and much more.

Free, 12-6 PM, 10950 S. Central Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90059. Closest Metro line and stop: Bus Line 53 - "Central/108th."

Pasadena

A seafgood tower with shrimp, oysters, crab claws, and agauchile shooters
Photo by Jakob N. Layman for Pez Coastal Kitchen.

Pez Coastal Kitchen is now open in Pasadena from the owners of Downtown's Pez Cantina. Expect a focus on cured fish and European influences, including chilled seafood towers with aguachile shooters, sweetbread fritto misto, various crudos, mussels a la bouillabaisse, and what they're calling "sea-cuterie." Main dishes include smoked baby back ribs, whole fried fish, and spaghetti alla chitarra with Manila clams, mussels, and uni nage.

61 N. Raymond Ave. Pasadena, CA 91103. Closest Metro lines and stop: Metro A Line - "Memorial Park Station", Bus Lines 177, 256, and 501 - "Raymond/Union", or Bus Lines 180, 662, and 686 - "Colorado/Raymond."

Echo Park

A square pizza with curry oxtail from Bridgetown Roti and Quarter Sheets Pizza
Oxtail curry pizza, photo courtesy of Bridgetown Roti

Bridgetown Roti, nominated for an "Emerging Chef" award from the James Beard Foundation, is bringing its oxtail pizza back for the next two weekends at Quarter Sheets Pizza in Echo Park. The square pie has a sesame crust and oxtail curry on top, plus a Fresno mango masala, Maui onions, and serrano oil.

1305 Portia St. Los Angeles, CA 90026. Closest Metro line and stop: Bus Line 4 - "Sunset/Portia."

Hollywood

A black plate with rigatoni and al pastor-spiced short rib
Al pastor short rib rigatoni at Lemon Grove in Hollywood, photo by Hadley Tomicki for L.A. TACO

Lemon Grove, the rooftop restaurant from Marcel Vigneron atop The Aster in Hollywood, offers another pasta for taco lovers. Served as a main course, the rigatoni with al pastor-braised short ribs, lime cream, cotjia cheese, and micro cilantro puts the powers of al pastor into a plate of fresh pasta. No trompo included.

1717 Vine St. Floor 6, Los Angeles, CA 90028. Closest Metro lines and stop: Metro B Line, Bus Lines 180, 210, 217, and 222 - "Hollywood/Vine Station."

San Fernando/Arleta

An open quesadilla layered with huitlacoche and corn from Betty's Tacos and Quesadillas
A quesadilla with handmade tortilla with huitlacoche and corn from Betty's Tacos and Quesadillas, photo courtesy of Betty's Tacos and Quesadillas.

You'll find Betty's Tacos and Quesadillas at locations in San Fernando and Arleta, serving Puebla-style recipes, including cemitas, tacos on handmade tortillas with asada, carnitas, cecina, cueritos, birria, and more, plus quesadillas and huaraches with mushrooms, flor de calabaza, huitlacoche, chicharron, and more.

11818 Glenoaks Blvd. San Fernando, CA 91340. Closest Metro line and stop: Bus Line 92 - "Glenoaks/Arroyo."

9750 Woodman Ave. Arleta, CA 91331. Closest Metro lines and stop: Bus Lines 233 and 761 - "Van Nuys/Woodman."

Downtown

The public is invited to join Jacobs Deliverance Foundation's "From the Heart" event this Saturday, February 17, to volunteer and help feed our neighbors, veterans, and elderly in need in Downtown's Skid Row neighborhood from 6 AM to 6 PM—no RSVP is needed. The event hopes to increase to be a twice, then trice, a month event in the coming months.

6:00 AM to 6:00 PM, 544 Towne Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90013. Closest Metro lines and stop: Bus Lines 16, 18, 53, and 62 - "6th/Towne."

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