Sports hotspot on Melrose, Pawn Shop LA, is launching  Sinatra Supper Wednesdays. Beginning Wednesday, Oct. 21, a weekly $72 family-style dinner celebrating classic Italian-American comfort food. Led by James Beard Award-winning Chef Tony Messina, a Boston native of Italian-American heritage, it will feature a menu of favorites like garlic bread, Little Gem Caesar, chicken parm with spicy vodka sauce, house rigatoni, braised meats including meatballs, fennel sausage, pork chop and braciole, and tiramisu, accompanied by themed music inspired by Old Blue Eyes. Super Chefs  Josiah Citrin (Melisse), Suzanne Goin (A.O.C.), Raphael Lunetta (Lunetta), Nancy Silverton (Osteria Mozza) and Sherry Yard­ (Desserts by the Yard) will join Chef Suzanne Tracht at her restaurant JAR,  the critically acclaimed modern chophouse in Beverly Grove, for a one-night-only Friends of Suzanne Dinner. The multi-course collaborative event takes place on Monday, Nov.  2 and will celebrate JAR’s 25th Anniversary.  

Founded by  Tracht and Chef de Cuisine Preech Narkthong, JAR has stood the test of time as a quarter-century anchor in the highly competitive Los Angeles restaurant landscape.

Highlights include Maine sea scallop with braised savoy cabbage and lobster reduction from Lunetta, spiced Liberty Duck Margret with honey-glazed celery root, Meyer lemon, Bautista Farm dates from Citrin, Tracht’s braised oxtail with Hakurei turnip, and Yard’s caramel pain perdu with flambéed fall fruits and whipped creme fraiche for dessert.

A portion of the evening’s sales will benefit Stop the Void, a non-profit that combats the use of illegal fentanyl. Reservations for Friends of Suzanne Dinner at Jar may be secured through the OpenTable Experience. 

Sinatra Supper

Courtesy The Hart and the Hunter

 The Hart & The Hunter is coming back to Palihotel Melrose, in its original home on the corner of Melrose and Hayworth, serving comfort food favorites,  brunch,  and the biscuits voted best in the city by Jonathan Gold.. 

Under the guidance of the brand’s executive chef, Jon Maley, THATH will open its doors again on Melrose with a daily menu of original classics and new favorites, including the chicken pot pie, sticky toffee pudding and the biscuits.

Spooky spirits to put on your radar: 

Teleféric Barcelona locations known for tapas, signature paellas, handcrafted cocktails, a 100+ bottle Spanish wine program, and live entertainment have created The Joker cocktail, available through Saturday, Oct.  31. Made with wasabi-infused gin, Fino Sherry, house-made parsley syrup, and a balanced acid solution, The Joker delivers a combination of herbal brightness and subtle heat,  finished with a delicate skeleton leaf garnish. The secret behind its mesmerizing glow is riboflavin (Vitamin B2), a naturally fluorescent ingredient that comes to life under UV light. 

Sinatra Supper

Courtesy of Pete’s Spookeasy

Pete’s Spookeasy  Halloween pop-up at the Hyatt Regency Resort & Spa in Huntington Beach returns for its second year with a cocktail menu built for spooky season, available through Monday, Nov.  2. The Black Magic Margarita pairs Lalo Blanco Tequila with fresh blackberries, lemon and lime juices, and agave nectar, finished with a black salt rim.

Potion No. 13 leans into fall with pumpkin-washed Templeton Rye Whiskey and pumpkin pie spice syrup, while the Creepy Colada adds a tropical twist. Halloween-themed dishes include the Grill-Reaper’s Ribeye and Witches Brew Tiramisu.

 Grain, the speakeasy-style whiskey bar tucked in the back of Top Chef Winner Brooke Williamson’s beachside restaurant Playa Provisions in Playa del Rey, is serving a Pumpkin Spice Espresso Martini this fall. Lead Bartender William Tully builds the cocktail on a from-scratch pumpkin spice syrup, simmering fresh kabocha squash with whole cinnamon sticks, star anise, allspice berries, and clove for a depth no store-bought syrup can match. Shaken with vodka and espresso, the result is dark, velvety, and warmly spiced, a seasonal twist on the popular espresso martini.

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