Local BBQ goddess Chef Winnie Yee has teamed up with Lee Kum Kee, the  Asian sauce and condiment maker, to debut a limited-time holiday BBQ dish, Sticky Pork Ribs with Chili Crisp Cranberry Glaze. Featuring a bold fusion of smoky barbecue and Asian-inspired flavor, the fall-off-the-bone ribs pack a fiery punch with Lee Kum Kee’s Chili Crisp Oil and a tangy sweetness of traditional holiday cranberry glaze. The limited-time menu creation will be exclusively available through the end of the year at Smoke Queen Barbeque in  Garden Grove at $24 for a half rack.

For December,  LaSorted’s in Chinatown is collaborating with neighborhood pals at Philippe’s on a special pizza, a round, thick-crust Sicilian dough topped with mozzarella, provolone, parmesan, and Philippe’s legendary roast beef and mustard, plus their au jus for dipping.  It’s the same special pizza served exclusively at the Family Style Food Festival, available for both dine-in and take-out,  at $8 per slice and $48 for a whole pie (8 slices). LaSorted’s will be closed Christmas and Christmas Eve and open New Year’s Day. 

Chef Winnie Yee

LaSorteds Chinatown Philippes Collab Pie Slice (Tommy Brockert)

Salt & Straw ice cream and Sidecar Doughnuts are hosting a holiday-themed popup at Salt & Straw’s Silver Lake and Pasadena locations on  Friday, Dec. 13, and  Saturday, Dec. 14.  The popup will be held from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. their signature trailer. Sidecar’s seasonal holiday flavors include   Snowy Amaretti, Cookies & Créme, Gingerbread (vegan and GF), and  Old Fashioned. Then, head inside the shop to pair the chosen doughnut with a scoop of Salt & Straw ice cream. Choose from holiday flavors like  Gingerbread Cookie Dough and Almond Brittle with Salted Ganache or classics like Double Fold Vanilla and Arbequina Olive Oil.

 Lucky Strike has opened at the Beverly Center with  22  bowling lanes, more than  60 arcade games, and a chic ambiance that blends Old Hollywood glamour with a modern twist. The venue also features an elevated food and beverage menu created in partnership with the popular Mike’s Hot Honey brand that includes  Mike’s Hot Honey Chicken Sandwich, Mike’s Hot Honey Pepperoni Pizza, Firecracker Shrimp Bao Buns, and Moroccan Steak Bowls as well as a colorful cocktail lineup.

National Roasted Suckling Pig Day is Wednesday, Dec. 18. Palma Ristorante in Burbank is offering its signature whole Ibérico suckling pig, priced at $395 or  $124 per quarter pound,  and must be ordered up to 48 hours in advance. Sourced from Fermin in Salamanca, Spain, the young piglets are brined overnight with imported herbs and spices from Spain, marinated the second night with a proprietary rub, and roasted in a brick oven using time-honored techniques. The process results in crispy skin and juicy, tender meat. The pig is only available for dine-in, will feed 6-8 people,  can weigh 11-14 pounds, and comes surrounded by grilled vegetables, including eggplant, assorted bell peppers, zucchini, and potatoes. 

What’s Popping Up is a column in the L.A. Weekly that explores everything new in food and drink.

 Chef Winnie Yee

Cocktails at Lucky Strike