Co+Lab dinner with Mei Lin + Friends
Aug. 17. Winner of Top Chef season 12 Mei Lin, along with chefs Melissa King (Co+Lab, Top Chef season 12 finalist), Kei-Ichi Kurobe (exec sous at Hinoki & the Bird), Brooke Williamson (chef/owner Playa Provisions, Hudson House, The Tripel), Nyesha Arrington (chef/owner Leona) and Shirley Chung (chef/owner Twenty Eight) are cooking a six-course collaborative dinner at Hinoki & the Bird. A portion of ticket proceeds will go to the La Cocina organization, a non-profit whose mission is to cultivate low-income food entrepreneurs by providing affordable commercial kitchen space, assistance, opportunities. $275/pp. 6:30 p.m. colabla.eventbrite.com
Three Weav3rs Beer Dinner at Abigaile
Aug. 19. Abigaile—the only Hermosa Beach restaurant with an onsite brewery—presents a five-course beer dinner with pairings from Three Weavers Brewing (Inglewood, CA). Founded by Lynne Weaver, Three Weavers also boasts the only female brewmaster in Los Angeles, Alexandra Nowell. Highlights of the menu include Welsh Rarebit, Bangers and Mash, Fish and Chips, Sticky Toffee Pudding and more. 7-10 p.m. 1301 Manhattan Ave., Hermosa Beach. Tickets
Ceviche Project
Aug. 20. Dine on a five-course seafood pop-up dinner with handcrafted DeLeón Tequila cocktails. The Ceviche Project is a pop-up culinary and cultural experience that brings together people, music and Michelin star restaurant–caliber ingredients in a communal dining experience that features innovative takes and artful, never-repeated seafood dishes. The Ceviche Project, DeLeón Tequila, and Skybar at Mondrian are teaming up to showcase Founder Octavio Olivas’ varied experiments with ceviche and its many variations featuring fresh and premium offerings from fish and farmers markets. $125/pp. Mondrian LA, 8440 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood. Tickets
B.S. Taqueria Happy Hour
Make your week a little happier with BS Taqueria’s revamped happy hour. Enjoy free quesadillas from Chef Ray Garcia and his crew along with $8 cocktails including a few new happy hour-exclusives by Mike Lay, $4 mezcal+tequila blanco shots and $2 Tecate. Sun.-Thurs. 5:30-7 p.m. 514 W. 7th St., downtown, 213.622.3744. bstaqueria.com
Sweetgreen
The East Coast’s go-to for super smartly sourced seasonal salads and bowl opened its West Coast flagship on West 3rd St. back in May. Now it’s second outpost in California is slated to open in Santa Monica on Tuesday. The concept is easy: Build your own salad or bowl from fresh produce or opt for one of the signature or seasonal specialties like the OMG Omega with organic arugula, baby spinach, cucumber, tomatoes, basil, avocado, roasted salmon, nori furikake with a sesame ginger dressing; or the Earth Bowl with warm quinoa and farro, organic arugula, roasted chicken, organic white cheddar, tomato, corn, organic chickpeas, spicy broccoli and pesto vinaigrette; and many more. Also enjoy a selection of soups and house made beverages. 8055 W. 3rd St., L.A., 323.934.3404.; 1343 4th St., Santa Monica. sweetgreen.com
“Raw Material”—Hyde Sunset Kitchen + Cocktails
Aug. 18. Head to Hyde Sunset Kitchen chic new spot for dinner and comedy. Every other Tuesday night you can stop boy for standing room ($20 cover charge, includes a cocktail) or reserve a table ($50 food & beverage minimum) to indulge in Chef Chris Crary’s three-course $30/pp prix-fixe menu. Dinner highlights include fried chicken sliders with a herb buttermilk biscuits; heirloom tomato salad with olive oil crouton and pickled shallot; grilled smokey cauliflower; torchio bolognese; and local black cod with kumquat and puffed rice. Hyde’s cocktails also take center stage with signature creations like Kaffir Cana-Kazi, with Fleur de Cana rum, Sugar Skull coconut rum, lime juice and muddled kaffir lime leaves; Mezcal Penicillin, with El Silencio mezcal, lemon juice, house blended clover honey syrup, hour made “spicy” ginger syrup and lemon oil; and more. The event continues every other Tuesday evening. Door 7:30 p.m.; show 8 p.m. Tickets
Summer Sips at Fundamental LA
Aug. 23-24. Alicia Kemper and the Tippler Club will be hosting their first wine tasting at Fundamental LA. Sip six wines from wines from fundamental’s August menu along with snacks (cheese, olives, nuts, etc.). $25/pp. 6-9 p.m. 1303 Westwood Blvd., L.A. fundamental-la.com
Forma
Montana Ave.’s cheese-inspired dining destination takes a different approach with their weekend brunch. Day dishes seen through a decidedly Italian lens take over the menu and include Frette, two eggs with kale, fennel, Fresno peppers, quinoa, manchego and grilled rustic bread; Pizza & Eggs with pork belly, two eggs; Calabrese, two eggs cooked in tomato sauce with Hawaiian sausages, riduja, green onions and grilled rustic bread; ricotta pancakes; and Nutella bread pudding. Sat.-Sun. 11 a.m.-3 p.m. 1610 Montana Ave., Santa Monica, 424.231.2868. formarestaurant.com
Esters
Whether you want to pick up an exciting vintage to go or linger at the bar or on the outdoor patio over carefully selected wines by the glass, cocktails and craft beer, look no further than Esters in Santa Monica. The shop is from co-owner & Wine Director Kathryn Coker (a veteran of Rustic Canyon) and her husband, Tug, who join Josh Loeb and Zoe Nathan—the team behind beloved dining destinations Rustic Canyon, Milo & Olive, Huckleberry and Cassia. Browse more than 200 wines from small producers and boutique wineries sourced by Kathryn. In addition to drinks, enjoy a menu perfect for pairing from Rustic Canyon Executive Chef Jeremy Fox and Pastry Chef Jun Tan. Edibles include a variety of cheeses and cured meats and fish like smoked California fish in a jar with pickled ramps, Cook Pigs Ranch pork terrine with grape mustard and cucumber panzanella with dill and house-cultured yogurt. The shop is also filled with an extensive selection of grab-and-go artisanal items and rare, limited-edition products like house made sandwiches, Compartés chocolates, raw honey from Massey Honey Co., Solstice Canyon almond butter and Bottle Stock wine accessories. Opens at 11 a.m. Tues.-Sun. (Photo Emily Hart Roth) 1314 7th St., Santa Monica, 310.899.6900. esterswineshop.com
Dudley Market
Newly opened Dudley Market is your destination for a refined dinner in addition to a sandwich for the beach. The multi-concept market, restaurant and retail space from Chef Jesse Barber (Barnyard, Tasting Kitchen) features a large selection of house-made grab-and-go options, hand-picked retail items and an intimate, full-service restaurant focusing on seasonal California dishes for breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner. Dine on everything from eggs Benedict with lox to quiche with artichokes, spinach and gruyere. Dinner brings sophisticated dishes like potato terrine with grilled squid; pork loin with blackened onion, smoked pepper emulsion, marmalade glaze and pickled and grilled ramps; and Lamb Belly with split beans, morels and cava. 9 Dudley Ave., Venice. dudleymarket.com
Belcampo Meat Co. West Hollywood
Feast on Belcampo’s 100% organic and humanely raised meat on a menu led by head chef Brent Thomas (formerly of Belcampo in Grand Central Market). The West Hollywood outpost is their third to open in L.A. and offers a bevy of all-day sandwiches and burgers. The “Fast Burger” is a tribute to a drive thru burger complete with American cheese, house sauce, lettuce, onion and tomato; and their signature Belcampo cheeseburger weighs in with a 1/3 lb. premium beef patty, cheddar, caramelized onions, house sauce and butter lettuce on brioche. Breakfast items include sandwiches and bowls. You can also pick up butcher offerings that include grab-and-go raw and pre-marinated packaged meats, emphasizing cuts that range from steaks and roasts to sausages and bacons. 8053 West 3rd St., L.A., 323.937.0170. belcampomeatco.com