CHD, a new mandu and tteok-bokki restaurant opens in Koreatown
Here are some of the notable restaurant openings around Southern California:
Chang Hwa Dang
CHD, which stands for Chang Hwa Dang, is now open in Koreatown. The Korean mandu franchise serves grilled and steamed dumplings with ingredients such as galbi, shrimp, kimchi and pork, along with dishes including mandu soup, udon and tteok-bokki.
3377 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, (213) 334-4333, changhwadang.com
T-Kebob
T-Kebob is open in Monterey Park. Skewers are the specialty, with options including lamb, beef belly, kimchi-wrapped pork belly and squid. Other dishes include spicy chicken feet, lamb soup, bull penis and spicy jellyfish with cabbage.
168 E. Garvey Ave., Los Angeles, (626) 656-6950
DX Lab
DX Lab is open in San Gabriel for dan dan noodles, pork dumplings, red braised pork ribs, boba tea and made-to-order bao in vivid colors that change each day. The Chengdu export also has a “Burn in Hell” spicy dumpling challenge — complete it and you get two free boba drinks.
529 E. Valley Blvd., San Gabriel, (626) 537-1601, dxlab.squarespace.com
Tempura Nagomi
Tempura Nagomi is open inside I-Naba Restaurant in Torrance. The semi-private space offers upscale set and à la carte menus of tempura featuring seafood flown in from Toyosu Tokyo Fish Market. The restaurant comes from chef Hirokatsu Kikuchi, a veteran of Tempura Tenmaru in the Ginza neighborhood of Tokyo.
20920 Hawthorne Blvd., Torrance, (310) 371-6675, restaurantinaba.com/nagomi/home
Richie’s Hot Chicken
Richie’s Hot Chicken is popping up on the streets of Whittier every Thursday through Sunday. The menu includes hot chicken sandwiches and tenders served with toast.
12504 Whittier Blvd., Whittier, instagram.com/richies_hotchicken
Venice Way Pizza
Venice Way Pizza opens March 2 at Hotel Erwin in Venice. The menu includes cheese, vegetable, pepperoni and specialty pan pizza slabs. There is also a takeout window.
1697 Pacific Ave., Venice, instagram.com/hotelerwin
Malama Pono
Malama Pono is open in Sherman Oaks. The Hawaiian-inspired menu includes coconut aguachile, loco moco with porcini gravy, Southeast Asian duck confit and garlic naan bruschetta.
13355 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks, (747) 264-1995, malamaponorestaurant.com
Fritto Misto
Fritto Misto has reopened in a new location in Santa Monica. The menu includes calamari, artichoke shrimp gnocchi, chicken Parmesan and Cajun chicken on New Mexico chile linguini.
620 Santa Monica Blvd., Santa Monica, (310) 458-2829, frittomistoitaliancafe.com
Francesco’s Italian Cuisine
Francesco’s Italian Cuisine is open in Van Nuys. The menu includes minestrone, penne alla puttanesca, lasagna alla Bolognese, meatball panini and Margherita pizza.
15355 Sherman Way, Van Nuys, (818) 909-9080, francescositaliancuisine.com
Chef Tony Dim Sum
Chef Tony Dim Sum is open in Pasadena. The Vancouver export serves modern Cantonese dishes such as deep fried pork dumplings, pandan buns with shrimp, shrimp paste stuffed in eggplant and roast chicken with black truffle, along with deep-fried Japanese octopus and wok-fried rib-eye with Japanese sauce.
2 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, (626) 803-0028, cheftonypasadena.com
These restaurants have closed:
Ttu Rak is closed after 13 years in Koreatown.
Pinches Tacos is closed after 9 years at Santa Monica Place.
Kitchen Story is closed after 4 years on Sawtelle.
The restaurant and bar at Alpine Village will close in mid-April after 51 years in Torrance.
More restaurant news:
Onda is now serving breakfast and lunch in Santa Monica. Dishes include potato hash with poblano chiles, avocado toast with smoked pepita spread and a sandwich featuring turkey pastor with fermented chile guacamole.
700 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica, (310) 620-9917), onda.la
Father’s Office is now offering delivery. It is currently available within five miles of the downtown location, with Culver City coming next week, followed by the Santa Monica location in mid-March. Beer pairings are also available.
Chez Mimi, which closed in Santa Monica in 2014 and in the Pacific Palisades in 2015, will re-open as Le Petit Chez Mimi in the former Le Petit Café space in Santa Monica.
2842 Colorado Ave., Santa Monica, facebook.com/chezmimirestaurant
General Lee’s is now offering tea-and-mezcal flights in Chinatown, pairing three mezcal brands with three different teas from Steep Tea House from 6-9 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday.
475 Gin Ling Way, Los Angeles, (213) 625-7500, generallees.com
