Erven
The newest addition to LA’s thriving scene of plant-based cuisine is Erven from Chef Nick Erven (Saint Martha) and Midcourse Hospitality Group (Eric Greenspan, Jim Hustead and James Moon). Erven, who pushed boundaries with vegetable dines at Saint Martha, takes his creativity to the next level at Erven. Dine on eclectic vegan signatures like sunchoke bread pudding with braised maitake mushroom, crispy rice and pho gravy; summer squash with buckwheat hoisin, smoked eggplant, hoja santa and cashew; and a beer-battered tofu sandwich with celery slaw, thick pickle and manchamantal. The restaurant also offers a wine list with over 60 selections by the bottle, focusing on those that are organic and biodynamic. Erven opens with sit-down casual lunch service with a more sophisticated dinner experience to arrive in coming weeks. 516 Santa Monica Blvd., Santa Monica, 310.260.2255. ervenrestaurant.com
Rosaliné Test Kitchen
July 22. Get a first taste of what Chef Ricardo Zarate is working on for his upcoming restaurant, Rosaliné. Zarate is popping up downtown at a Feastly in downtown’s arts district with five courses that include dishes like a crostini with prime beef, sea urchin, pecorino, popped quinoa and aji soy dressing; lamb ragu, fromage blanc dumplings, szechuan peppers, caucha chulpe, chili garlic heirloom tomato sauce; and caurtas, pork belly chicharrones, pachamanca sauce, huacatay choclo pepian. $75/$115 with wine pairings. 7-9:30 p.m. eatfeastly.com
Rum 101: Life’s a Beach
July 23. Learn everything you need to know about making cocktails with one of summer’s favorite spirits—rum. The talent behind the bars at M.B. Post, Fishing with Dynamite and The Arthur J start with the basics followed by a hands-on opportunity for you to refine your bar skills with classic rum cocktails and the team’s own Manhattan Beach variations. Peruse all your recipes over a complementary cocktail and bar bites following the class. 2-5 p.m. The Arthur J, 903 Manhattan Ave. Manhattan Beach, 310.878.9620. thearthurj.com
Cosa Buona
Get a taste of Zach Pollack’s new restaurant before it officially opens in Echo Park this fall. Dishes like boiled egg tonnato; smoked mozzarella sticks with marinara; soft-shell shrimp scampi on polenta; and white clam pizza al taglio are now available on Alimento’s dineL.A. menu through July 31. Housed inside the former Pizza Buona space, Cosa Buona will continue to showcase Pollack’s inspired Italian cuisine with a focus on antipasti, salads, and pizza, as well as a selection of classic Italian sandwiches. 1710 Silver Lake Blvd., L.A., 323.928.2888. alimentola.com
dineL.A. Restaurant Week
July 18–31. Hundreds of restaurants across the county offer specially priced prix-fixe menus for lunch and dinner. New for this year, five “avocado ambassadors” including David LeFevre of M.B. Post and Ted Hopson of the Bellwether are curating menus around the much-Instagrammed fruit. See website for list of participating eateries. discoverlosangeles.com
Picnic on the Promenade
Through Aug. 26. Escape from the cubicle and enjoy lunch at downtown Santa Monica’s Picnic on the Promenade. This annual summer series eases locals and Promenade walkers into the weekend every Friday afternoon with classic board games, interactive challenges and free services from downtown merchants. This week, Santa Monica Bike Center will be offering free tutorials on tire changes, essential bike repairs and valuable maintenance instruction. Bring a lunch or grab-and-go from one of downtown’s eateries and soak in the sun. Noon-3 p.m. 1300 block Third Street Promenade (between Arizona and Santa Monica Blvd.), Santa Monica. santamonica.com
71Above
Dining in Los Angeles reaches new heights—950 feet above downtown to be exact—with the opening of the restaurant on the 71st floor of the U.S. Bank Tower. Take in expansive views of the LA basin while you dine on modern American cuisine from Chef Vartan Abgaryan, either in the bar, lounge, main dining room or chef’s tables. Also indulge in an extensive wine program helmed by Master Sommelier Reggie Narito and mixology program from Lead Barman Darwin Manahan. The restaurant opens with dinner and bar service, adding brunch and lunch in the coming weeks. Their TOCK reservation system will let you see your exact table and experience. While the bar and lounge don’t require reservations, you will have to check in with the hostess in the lobby and will only be sent up to the restaurant if space permits. Dinner 5-10 p.m. nightly. (photo by Wonho Frank Lee) U.S. Bank Tower, 633 W. 5th St., 71st floor, downtown, 213.712.2683. 71above.com
Gwen
Meat is the centerpiece of Chef Curtis Stone’s new restaurant and butcher shop now open in Hollywood. Inside the dining room you are surrounded by a glassed-in dry age room displaying ingredients for the five-course tasting menu. Each dining experience begins with charcuterie from the adjacent butcher shop and moves on to salad and pasta courses. The main event is a whole animal broken down into multiple dishes—Stemple Creek Ranch lamb served three ways to start. The restaurant also accommodates vegetarians, with options available for each course of the menu. Also find a wine program lead by an alum of The French Laundry and a hyper seasonal cocktail menu. (photo by Clay Larsen) 6600 Sunset Blvd., L.A., 323.946.7500. gwenla.com
Citizen
The rebellious style and glamour of the 1960s pairs with eclectic American fare from Chef Scott Howard at the new Beverly Hills dining destination. Highlights of the social dining experience include signature dishes like housemade burrata with grilled red grapes and La Querica ham; white corn and zucchini fritters; Devil’s Gulch pork belly with chorizo, clams and bacon dashi; and desserts like warm brioche doughnuts with lemon custard and blackberry jam. Soigne Group’s Josh Goldman mans the mixology program that teams melds transportive tiki cocktails with irreverent straightforward drinks. The restaurant opens with dinner service; lunch service is set to start Aug. 22. 184 N. Cannon Dr., Beverly Hills, 310.402.5885. citizenbeverlyhills.com