Jessica Koslow

Hospitality veteran Abdi Manavi has opened and closed restaurants across Los Angeles, but when it came to grabbing a drink with his friends in his own neighborhood, he couldn’t find a comfortable hangout for his age group. That’s when the 10-year Venice veteran decided to open his own spot, Venice Beach Club, where Rose Avenue meets the Boardwalk.

He said it’s the perfect place for tourists, who number about 30,000 daily on the Boardwalk, and locals, who know they can still order favorites like wings and nachos, holdovers from the menu at Venice Ale House, which previously occupied the space for 15 years.

“Wings and nachos were the two most popular items, and they are very good,” said Manavi. “As a sign of respect to the regulars, I decided to keep them on a secret menu, so they can still order them.” . . .

Read the entire article at The Argonaut.

It might be hard to imagine, but Veggie Grill by Next Level’s new All American Vegan menu features Beyond Steak filet, Oshi salmon filet and Cosmic Bliss Organic Summer Strawberry ice cream — and they are all plant based, and they are available at all Veggie Grill by Next Level locations.

“Oshi is revolutionizing the experience of fish without the fish,” Next Level Burger founder Matt de Gruyter said. “We’re looking at 90-95% reduction in species that we assumed would last forever. They have come up with the process that uses real food and ingredients to create that salmon experience without the mercury, the microplastics and the overfishing.”

It is not just Veggie Grill’s menu that has expanded; in January 2024, Next Level Burger acquired Veggie Grill, adding 17 Veggie Grill restaurants to its 10 plant-based Next Level Burger locations. . . .

Read the entire article at The Argonaut.

In 2024, Carissa Wright and her fiancé, Dan Norville, became the proud owners of four locations of Paradise Bowls — with the Marina del Rey location launching in July and a fifth location in Westlake Village coming soon.

The bowls and smoothies are nearly 100% vegan and use organic ingredients as much as possible. The colorful menu is bursting with fruits and superfoods, and customers can choose from açaí and pitaya bowls, smoothies or the “mindful” section, which is the newest addition to the menu.

“This was something that I felt we were lacking because a lot of the bowls are geared more toward the younger crowd, and I was feeling that as a mother when I go in there, I want something a little less sweet and a little bit healthier,” said Wright. “I was always blending kale and spinach and protein into my bowls, so we added this menu for people like me that want the açai but want it to be a little less sweet.” . . .

Read the entire article at The Argonaut.

Starting in January with the wildfires and continuing until present day with the ongoing ICE raids, Los Angeles eateries have been at the receiving end of a one-two punch. Like a superhero swooping out of the sky, Dine LA Restaurant Week launches this month to help foodies (re)discover what makes LA’s dining scene so special.

“Restaurants throughout the county have shown incredible resilience in recent years,” said Stacey Sun, executive director of Dine LA. “Our hope for Dine LA is that it offers restaurants a platform to increase visibility, attract new diners and boost business during what can otherwise be a slower season. For many, it’s an opportunity to showcase their signature dishes, or debut something new, at a price point that invites exploration. Beyond reservations, the program also generates social buzz, press coverage and real community support.”

For almost two decades, Dine LA has tempted and treated locals and tourists with new restaurants, menus and food. This year, 450 restaurants serving 33 global cuisines across 88 neighborhoods are participating, which is the highest number of participants since the program’s inception in 2008. . . .

Read the entire article at Pasadena Weekly.

The stories about Chez Jay, a beloved Westside restaurant and Santa Monica Historic Landmark as of 2012, are endless. There’s the one about the “Astro-nut,” the peanut sitting in the owners’ safe that Alan Shepard took with him to the moon on Apollo 14. Or the one about the secret meet-up between Marilyn Monroe and JFK, or the passing of the Pentagon Papers to a New York Times reporter at Table 10. The Beach Boys brawled here; Matt Damon, Ben Affleck and Warren Beatty wrote screenplays; and The Rat Pack gathered. In fact, the name Chez Jay is a nod to Chez Joey, the supper club in Frank Sinatra’s film “Pal Joey.” 

Chez Jay is both a dive bar and classy joint where celebrities often hang. Located on Ocean Avenue across from the Santa Monica Pier, it is something of a celebrity itself since opening in 1959. Original owner Jay Fiondella hosted a circus elephant at the launch party, which snacked on peanuts — still the eatery’s signature free offering today. . . .

Read the entire article at The Argonaut.

In the 1940s, a mid-century modern neighborhood called the Mar Vista Tract was popping up near Palms and Beethoven boulevards. This very corner became the home of Beethoven Market, which operated for 75 years before shutting its doors.

Local residents would stock up on snacks, drinks and lottery tickets. One of the market’s customers was Jeremy Adler, a partner at Cobi’s restaurant in Santa Monica. Adler and his business entity 3rd Place LLC acquired Beethoven Market in 2023 and spent 2 1/2 years renovating the 1949 historic building.

“Your home is your first place. Your work is your second place, and your third place is your local hang,” said Isa Roske, Beethoven Market’s general manager. “That is the vision behind this restaurant, and Adler decided to keep the name in honor of the history of this place.” . . .

Read the entire article at Playa Vista Magazine.