Dudley Market
The Venice neighborhood staple—steps from the beach and iconic boardwalk—once again builds on its daytime menu to offer dinner service. Spearheading the delicious endeavor is new chef Wesley Barden. While chef Barden just arrived at the restaurant, he isn’t new to the neighborhood, having grown up there while he cut his teeth on the LA culinary scene. He then moved on to gain experience in the kitchens of heavy hitters like Jardiniere, Chanterelle and Barnyard. Barden’s dinner service is inspired by his repertoire of inspiration from Italian, Spanish, French and Thai cuisine, in addition to what’s available at the Santa Monica Farmers Market. The menu varies with market offerings but includes dishes like Mackeral Escabeche with nameko mushrooms, soubise and lucques olives; Curried Pork Belly Pinxos with cauliflower cous cous, sultana raisins and basil; and spicy Crispy Black Rice Thai Salad with green papaya, peanuts, chicories, lime and peanuts. Sean Wolcott will continue as Dudley Market’s pastry chef and in-house baker, baking English Muffins, bagels, pastries, desserts and Seany Cakes for brunch. 9 Dudley Ave., Venice, 424.744.8060. dudleymarket.com
Bar Angeles
If you’ve ever wondered what’s behind the mural in Silver Lake made popular by the late musician Elliott Smith, you’ll soon find out. Bar Angeles is a new restaurant inspired by the musician and its dynamic neighborhood from the hospitality force behind local institutions like Horse Thief BBQ, Cafe Birdie, and Good Housekeeping. Expect classic comfort dishes like bone marrow with fried herbs and celery leaf; wild mushrooms with crispy polenta; and short ribs au poivre served with french fries and chives, in addition to a selection of gourmet pizzas. Also find cocktails paying homage to the City of Angels and a curated wine and beer selection. 4330 West Sunset Blvd., L.A. barangeles.com
Double Take
The film industry-inspired bar and restaurant at Hotel Palomar features a state-of-the-art game room alongside modern American cuisine from executive chef Bryan Podgorski. The menu features dishes like housemade ricotta toast and coconut pancakes for breakfast. An array of small and large plates designed to share follow for dinner. Highlights include deviled eggs with Maine lobster; Haas avocado “fries” with spiced lime aioli; and beet “Reuben” with roasted beets, sauerkraut, emmental cheese and thousand island dressing. Double Take debuts as part of Hotel Palomar Los Angeles – Beverly Hills’ $12 million, property-wide renovation led by award-winning, Seattle-based Dawson Design Associates. 0740 Wilshire Blvd., L.A. doubletakela.com
Terra Cotta
The stunning new restaurant next door to the Wiltern has been taking the city by storm with its global menu from chef Danny Ye, which has now expanded to include lunch and happy hour. Take a break mid-day—from 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.—to dine on their signature 8 oz. prime beef burger topped with cheddar cheese, Southeast Asian 1000 island dressing, on brioche with sweet potato fries; a selection of Tobans (aka Korean hot sizzling plates served with rice), like galbi, jidori chicken, ahi Tuna; and kimchi fried rice with egg and Australian Wagyu beef. For the ultimate power lunch, aim for their $40 prix-fixe tasting menu: a chef’s choice starter, main and dessert. Happy hour, from 5-7 p.m., features half-off beers, a selection of $8 wine and cocktails, and $1 oysters accompanied with Korean pear mignonette and kimchi cocktail sauce. 3760 Wilshire Blvd., Koreatown, 213.365.1077. terracottala.com
Cassoulet Night at Lucques
March 5. Chef Suzanne Goin, Caroline Styne and chef de cuisine Javier Espinoza off their third annual cassoulet night at Lucques. Dine on a three-course menu that features a traditional cassoulet of duck confit, sausage and white beans as the star. If you’re craving the dish, but can’t attend the dinner they are also offering cassoulet to go for $38/pp. 5-9:30 p.m. $65/pp. 8474 Melrose Ave., West Hollywood, 323.655.6277. lucques.com
Jinya Ramen Bar
Through April 1. Get your ramen fix while also getting a chance to win the ultimate getaway. Jinya Ramen Bar celebrates cherry blossom season with a coast-to-coast “Ticket to Tokyo” Instagram contest, awarding one winner with a trip for two to Tokyo during the 2018 sakura season. All you have to do is follow @JINYARamenBar on Instagram, snap a photo of your favorite dish during your meal and post it to Instagram, hashtaging #JINYATokyo and @JINYARamenBar in the caption. Ten of the best photos will be selected and regrammed to Jinya’s Instagram page. The grand prize Tokyo trip winner will be chosen out of the ten finalists and announced on April 28. All Jinya Ramen Bar locations. See website for details. jinya-ramenbar.com
The Church Key Sunday Dinners
Starts March 5. Spend Sunday nights with the family at the West Hollywood restaurant. The restaurant offers a three-course dinner and kids menu along with a kid-friendly double feature screened in the restaurant, starting at 5:30 p.m. 8730 W Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood, 424.249.3700. thechurchkeyla.com