Andaz West Hollywood
The legendary Sunset Strip hotel lands new executive chef Justin Taylor, and with him a new menu at Riot House Restaurant incorporating his creative energy, love of music, and personal cooking style of clean, bright flavors. Signature dishes include yellowtail poke with ginger, purple radish and wonton; burrata with quinoa, apricot and basil; farmers risotto with black garlic Brussels sprouts and mascarpone; and slow-roasted Scottish salmon with Riesling and green apple, braised lentils, and frisée. The restaurant is also offering an Oktoberfest special throughout October that includes a 12 oz. pour of Angel City Oktoberfest beer paired with a quartet of fall bites (think crispy potato cake, blistered pretzel and pork belly). 8401 Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood, 323.656.1234. westhollywood.andaz.hyatt.com
Paper or Plastik Café
Stop by the hidden neighborhood gem for a new fall menu from chef Brian Leitner (Chez Panisse). Highlights of new selections include coffee-braised biscuit hash with fried eggs, sunchokes and mustard greens; hot pastrami Reuben sandwich with Niman Ranch pastrami, Swiss cheese and sauerkraut on rye bread, served with housemade seasonal pickles; and the PoP Burger, grass-fed beef, gruyere cheese, pickled onions and bacon jam with wedge-cut potatoes. This week the cafe is also hosting The Craft of Beer, a pre-Halloween Beer tasting on Oct. 30. The café will be offering some of their finest California beer, hand-selected from their in-house beer & wine curator, Mikey Mikell. Tickets https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-craft-of-beer-a-tasting-intro-tickets-28534442285 are $12 advance/$15 at the door. 5772 W. Pico Blvd., L.A., 323.935.0268. paperorplastikcafe.com
Andare by Cento
Fans of Cento Pasta Bar can now get their fix in Hollywood. The new concept features Avner Lavi’s signature pastas along with an extended menu of sandwiches, salads and desserts. The restaurant takes over Birch’s space in Hollywood for a lunch residency, which extends to monthly Monday dinners on a ticket system. The opening menu includes dishes like chicken liver crostino with Jidori chicken liver; beet spaghetti with goat cheese, poppy seeds and chives; and ricotta gnocchi with homemade ‘nduja sausages, fennel, grana padano cheese. Also find the deli sandwich with prosciutto, mortadella, finochiona, smoked ham, mustard, lettuce, tomato and onion; veggie sandwich with eggplant, mushrooms, tomato and pesto; and fagiolini with mushrooms, truffle, sausage, hen-of-the-woods mushrooms, grana padano cheese. The concept is still in soft-opening with their grand opening slated for Nov. 7. With that comes delivery service and online ordering weekdays from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Walk-ins only, no reservations. 1634 N. Cahuenga Blvd., 323.960.3369. hello@centopasta.com
Dog Haus
Oct. 28. Dog Haus Biergarten in Pasadena celebrates its 5th anniversary with $5 deals all day long. Enjoy all Dog Haus dogs, sausages and burgers for $5, along with with $5 beer and well drinks; show up at 5 p.m. for an hour-long happy hour with $1 PBRs and $1 sliders. 93 E Green St. Pasadena, 626.683.0808. doghaus.com
Cleo L.A. Live
The latest addition to downtown’s entertainment epicenter is modern Mediterranean restaurant Cleo. You know it from its sought-after cuisine from chef Danny Elmaleh at the original Cleo at the Redbury in Hollywood. Downtown’s location includes all meals daily and the addition of a coffee bar and a wrap-around patio. Dine on its signature dips (babaganoush, hummus, muhammara), delicacies (spanakopita, dolmades, borek) and kebabs. The menu also features an array of soups and sides, flatbreads, selections from their wood-fired oven, meat and seafood dishes like Moroccan fried chicken, grilled octopus with peewee potatoes and duck bastilla. 800 W. Olympic Blvd., downtown, 424.888.7818. sbe.com
AR Cucina
Chef/owner Akasha Richmond’s new rustic Italian restaurant brings a strong dinner game to the table and now launches lunch. The downtown Culver City location features dueling patios along with a menu that includes antipasti, salads, panini, pastas and bowls. Highlights include chicken meatballs with Nonna Giovanna’s tomato sauce, pecorino cheese and ciabatta; burrata mozzarella with tomato-almond pesto, Sicilian sundried tomatoes, heirloom tomatoes and ciabatta; tricolore salad with arugula, radicchio, escarole, parmigiano-reggiano, pistachio-pesto and lemon dressing; Kirk’s porchetta panini with sage, rosemary, fennel roasted niman ranch pork shoulder, marinated and grilled red onions; and spaghetti cacio e pepe with black pepper, butter and pecorino romano. L Tues.-Fri, 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.; D Tues.-Sun. from 5:30 p.m. 9531 Culver Blvd., Culver City, 310.558.8800. arcucina.com
Oh Man! Ramen
Starting Nov. 1. Get a taste of chefs Luke Reyes and Phillip Frankland Lee new ramen spot, which is opening for lunch at Scratch|Bar & Kitchen prior to the unveiling of its forthcoming brick-and-mortar location in Encino. The menu includes tonkotsu pork ramen with braised pork belly, confit shoulder, bamboo shoot, green onion, soft egg, shiitakes and bonito flakes; and vegetable ramen with roasted squash, braised black kale, charred garlic sauce, soft egg and sesame. Also find an array of other dishes like General Lee’s octopus rice bowl; pork belly steamed buns; karate chicken sandwich on Hokkaido milk bread; to name a few. They will also be testing out 3-5 new specials each week before they decide what will be on the final opening menu. 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m. 16101 Ventura Blvd. #255, Encino, 747.264.0642. OhManRamen.com
Officine Brera
As the days turn cooler, Officine Brera in downtown’s arts district is the perfect spot for a leisurely lunch or indulgent dinner. The airy dining room envelops you with details of leather, wood and brick with the aroma of wood-fired grills accenting the experience. The menu pays homage to Italy’s Po Valley and reflects what’s available at the market daily. Menu signatures include pillowy vegetable sage fritters; gnocchi Piemontesi, light-as-air housemade potato gnocchi with castelmagno fonduta and chives; and vialone nano rice, with milk-braised salt cod, onions and smoked steelhead trout roe. In November, the restaurant introduces its bi-monthly wine dinner series http://socalpulse.com/blog/2016/10/18/los-angeles-things-november/ with debut winery, Cascina Val del Prete on Nov. 10. Each event will feature a four-course menu from chef Angelo Auriana and wines from a featured partner. 1331 East 6th St., 213.553.8006. officinebrera.com
Spring
Downtown’s destination for flavors from the south of France offers a new fall menu from executive chef Tony Esnault. It ushers in the season with dishes like Soupe de Homard with velvety butter-poached lobster and chestnut soup, chives and cognac, with vegetable paysanne comprised of carrots, celery, celeriac and chestnuts; Risotto aux Champignons with carnaroli rice, lobster mushrooms, chanterelles, black trumpet, parmesan reggiano and extra virgin olive oil; and Selle de Chevreuil, a venison filet accompanied with butternut squash, celeriac, beet, pear and sauce poivrade. If you’d rather let Esnault drive your dining experience, opt for this five-course tasting menu that features highlights of his fall dishes and beyond. 257 South Spring St., downtown, 213.372.5189. SpringLosAngeles.com
Sawyer
Chef Sydney Hunter III continues to make his mark in Silver Lake at Kettle Black and now also steps in to man the kitchen at Sawyer. Get a taste of his new fall seafood-focused menu starting Oct. 27. Highlights of new dishes include octopus potato salad with housemade aioli, fingerling potatoes, fine herbs, pickled red onions and za’atar spice; Hokaido scallops with satsuki rice risotto, shishito peppers and parmesan cheese; hanger steak with baby carrots, parsnip puree, bloomsdale spinach and carrot ginger glaze. Also find new cocktails from beverage director Jordan Young like the Herman Blume with scotch, spiced tea, pomegranate cordial, lemon and bitters. 3709 W Sunset Blvd., L.A., 323.641.3709. sawyerlosangeles.com
Valerie Confections
Opens Oct. 28. Revered Los Angeles chocolatier Valerie Gordon, opened her latest chocolate boutique in south Silver Lake (adjacent to its founding location), just in time for Halloween and National Chocolate Day. Gordon’s full chocolate line will be available at the boutique, as well as a menu of cookies, petits fours and other pastries. Shop for Valerie Confections’ preserves, marmalades and everyday indulgences in bulk, like granola, almond toffee treats, durango bark and sugar cookies. Specialty larder items, handpicked by Gordon, will also be stocked, including premium olive oils and unique salts, as well as select housewares. Mon.-Sat. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. 3364 W. 1st St., L.A. valerieconfections.com
Toscana
White truffle season is here and executive chef Hugo Vasquez at Toscana is showing them off by shaving them over a menu of delicately prepared dishes. Highlights include velvety chestnut soup and shaved white truffles; soft polenta with organic egg and white truffles; carnaroli rice, white asparagus and white truffle; 14 oz. sliced Wagyu ribeye steak, fingerling potato puree and shaved white truffle. 11633 San Vicente Blvd. #100, L.A., 310.820.2448. toscanabrentwood.com