Michele StuevenCulver City is coming around with restaurant re-openings like Tito’s Tacos and Piccalilli, Portuguese Bend is going Tiki, and MiniBar is getting mobile with Martinis — here’s what’s popping up.
Portuguese Bend has launched a new menu starting today. The menu is inspired by tropical summers, colorful cocktails and Hawaiian dishes and includes loco moco (sirloin charbroiled patty, sticky white rice, mushroom gravy and two eggs). There’s a North Shore Lunch Plate of teriyaki chicken, three marinated Korean short ribs with white rice and mac salad and Hawaiian Punch and Hurricane cocktails. The distillery is located in Long Beach, one of the first cities in L.A. County that moved forward with a plan this week to make room for more outdoor dining.
MiniBar is taking the Martini Mobile to the streets on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. The brainchild of Jeremy Allen, MiniBar’s beverage director, the Martini Mobile starts its journey on foot, leaving Little Dom’s at 1 p.m. to make its way to outside MiniBar from 2-4 p.m., then back to Little Dom’s from 5-7 p.m. Currently, the menu consists of their Slushee Pouches (two cocktails per pouch) in frozen flamingos, frosty margaritas and cucumber mint martini’s as well as martini shots.
Breakfast sandwich (Courtesy Win-Dow at American Beauty)
The Win-Dow at American Beauty has launched a new breakfast service. Available from 8-11 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, the new menu includes a breakfast sandwich with egg, cheese, grilled bologna and a spicy sauce.
The Venice hotspot also offers a steak and egg burrito with house-made brisket and French fries inside and a cheeseburger with an egg on top. Breakfast at The Win-Dow is available for takeaway, pickup via americanbeauty.la, and delivery through Uber Eats, Grubhub, Postmates and Doordash.
Conceived by the oldest family-owned cheese company in California to help unite and support its fellow artisans and the restaurant industry during the pandemic, Board at Home has launched curated kits of artisanal cheese, wine and charcuterie with same-day delivery in Los Angeles.
Every Board at Home kit supports small-scale cheese producers, dairy farmers, wineries and other artisanal makers whose businesses have been severely impacted by COVID-19. And 5 percent of proceeds from every purchase is donated to The LEE Initiative to provide emergency assistance to independent restaurants and their workers.
Available in two sizes, the stay-at-home survival kits feature a rotating selection of small-batch California wine, handcrafted cheeses, and paired accompaniments. “The Little Guy” Board at Home includes two wedges of cheese, crackers, and a bottle of wine. “The Big Fella” Board at Home includes three wedges of cheese, two types of charcuterie, two crackers and two bottles of wine. Free no-contact delivery is provided by The Wine House, Monday through Friday, in more than 40 zip codes within Los Angeles. Orders placed by 1 p.m. are available for same-day delivery. Users can also schedule a future delivery date or send a Board at Home kit as a gift to friends and family.
Piccalilli co-owners Bryan Kidwell (left) and Macks Collins back in business. (Michele Stueven)
Piccalilli has re-opened for takeout from 4-9 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday with a limited menu that includes their signature green papaya salad, Bangkok chicken katsu sandwich, confit pork shank sandwich and plenty of pickles. The Wines and Provisions General Store will also open daily at 1 p.m. and features a selection of natural wines, spirits, cocktails, sauces, pickles, gooey graham cracker cookies, and other rotating goods. Takeout is available on the website and delivery is available with @ubereats, or order by phone: (424) 298-8540.
Starting June 1, and for the first time in its 60 year history, Tito’s Tacos will permanently offer private delivery service. To facilitate food delivery, Tito’s is partnering with fellow L.A.-based small business StreetSmart Messengers. Fans of Tito’s Tacos can visit their website to order online and choose either takeout or delivery. Delivery will cost $10 within a five-mile radius, increasing by $2 per mile thereafter. All delivery fees and tips will go directly to StreetSmart and all delivery drivers are required to complete both a California Certified Food Handler course and a Tito’s Tacos course designed by food safety consultant, Jeff Nelken.
Additionally, Tito’s Tacos implemented operational changes including no-tamper packaging for all deliveries, sanitation machines used to clean physical money, and six foot markings for both customers and workers in the food service line.
Courtesy Tito’s Tacos
On the opposite side of town, Zach Pollack is re-opening Alimento Thursday through Sunday, starting today with a limited menu of the restaurant’s classics including the chopped salad, chicken liver crostone, Milanese sandwich and a couple of pastas in addition to the full wine list available for pickup and delivery. Pantry items like dried pasta, the house sourdough, gloves and toilet paper are also available.
Budweiser, brewed in the San Fernando Valley, has unveiled a new, patriotic-themed family pack of products with a portion of the proceeds going to Folds of Honor. The red, white and blue camo-designed cans and large packs that honor the five branches of the United States Military are available for a limited time from May 25-July 4. The Budweiser patriotic cans and large packs are available in 24 and 30 packs of 12 oz. cans, as well as 25 oz. single cans. With each large pack sold, Budweiser will donate $1 to Folds of Honor, to fund scholarships for military members and their families.
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