Michele StuevenCelebrated Cassia chef Bryant Ng and his wife, Kim, ’s fast-casual Chinese American restaurant, Jade Rabbit, is opening in the next few weeks inside the historic space that once housed Bruce Marder’s Rooster, The Bistro, and one of the first grocery stores in Santa Monica. Expect Chinese Peruvian beef and broccoli, Cantonese steamed salmon, spicy minced lamb, orange mango chicken, garlic chili shrimp, and chickpea curry among the lineup, with mango creamsicle pudding for dessert.
Courtesy Jade Rabbit Origins Zine
The standard order will be a combo in regular and large sizes, which will include a choice of two bases (fried rice, chow mein noodles, cold noodles, house salad mix, white or brown rice), two vegetables, and one main course with two mains for the large size. Everything can be ordered à la carte, and there will be family and kids’ meals. Beverages made in-house include Hong Kong milk tea, Cantonese lemon iced tea, and citrus/passion fruit iced tea. The couple shared their Origins Zine with us.
And speaking of Chinese Modern, Men & Beasts will officially launch its brunch service on Saturday, Aug. 2, building on a debut menu of bold, plant-based takes on classic Chinese dishes in Echo Park. With their new brunch offering, Chef Alex Falco and Minty Zhu blend recipes from Zhu’s upbringing with familiar brunch classics. Menu highlights include:
Binglish Muffin: A flaky, pan-fried sesame bread that’s fork-split and loaded with green onion. Served with house-made plant butter and optional steamed or poached egg. Based on the da bing or sesame pancake, a popular Shanghai breakfast street food.
Avocado Bao: A crispy, open-faced bao bun is topped with smashed avocado, sunflower sprouts, green onion, house-made coconut yogurt, and a drizzle of chili oil. Served with optional steamed or poached egg. A dim sum–inspired take on avocado toast.
Bao Beignets: House-made bao dough, fried to order and generously topped with powdered sugar infused with Chinese five-spice. Served with black sesame caramel sauce for dipping. A Chinese twist on Louisiana-style beignets.
Souffle Pancakes: Three thick, steamed blueberry pancakes, topped with plant butter and maple syrup.
Brunch will be served weekends from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the restaurant’s dining patio and indoor tea lounge. Select favorites from the dinner menu will also be available, alongside premium oolong teas from Yoshan Tea, served hot or cold-brewed.
Gelson’s annual Hatch Chile Roasting events are in full swing. The Hatch hype has been growing year after year, and these peppers are only available fresh for a short window. Each event features live chile roasting, street fair-style favorites like Hatch burgers and roasted corn, vendor tastings, and seasonal dishes from Gelson’s Kitchen made with the seasonal chiles.
Known for their smoky heat and subtly sweet flavor, Gelson’s Kitchen is also rolling out a lineup of ready-to-eat Hatch Chile-infused dishes available in stores, including mac and cheese, Hatch chicken and cheese quesadilla, lump crab cakes, and Hatch egg salad. The events take place on Saturdays at La Cañada on Aug. 2, Westlake Village on Aug. 16, Long Beach on Aug. 23, and in Dana Point on Aug. 30.
Sweet and sour mushrooms at Men & Beasts (Tim Sullens Photography)
Genghis Cohen moved from his home of 42 years on Fairfax in late May and is now in a temporary spot a few blocks south until they find a permanent location. The former restaurant’s attached venue had been a local hangout for musicians, comics, and performers. Since their new temporary location in the former Sweet Chick space on Fairfax cannot host live shows, Genghis is collaborating with fellow Fairfax legend Canter’s Deli and will be doing a weekly “Genghis Cohen Live” at the Kibitz Room taking place weekly on Wednesdays and Thursdays as a way to continue and nurture the up-and-coming comedy and the alt, shoegaze and punk bands they are known for.
The global Gelato Festival World Masters competition will be taking place Labor Day Weekend on Saturday, Aug. 30, and Sunday, Aug. 31, at Ovation Hollywood (corner of Hollywood Blvd. & Highland Ave.)
The family-friendly send-off to summer, Gelato Festival World Masters, will showcase the best artisanal gelato craftsmanship with ten of the most talented gelato chefs from across the country vying for a chance to represent North America at the World Finals in 2026. Attendees of all ages will get to experience an exciting lineup of activities, including interactive gelato tastings, live gelato-making demonstrations, and the ultimate competitions to determine the best gelato flavor. This year, the festival is partnering with the Hollywood Food Coalition to help support their mission of tackling food insecurity in Los Angeles. Tickets are now available here.
What’s Popping Up is a column in the L.A. Weekly that explores everything new in food and drink.
Courtesy Gelato Festival World Masters