Michele StuevenRejoice, seafood lovers, it’s halibut season. The Water Grill locations in downtown L.A. and Santa Monica are celebrating with the return of their Wild Alaskan Halibut menu that highlights the flat fish from snout to tail. Channel your inner mermaid while chomping on halibut tail tacos with roasted tomato salsa and pickled mango. Also on the seasonal menu are pan-roasted halibut cheeks with local artichokes, tempura fried halibut cheek salad with arugula and Fuji apples, marinated halibut collar alongside Okinawan potatoes and pickled bean sprouts. For traditionalists, there’s a pan-seared halibut with spring peas, fingerlings, braised leeks and lemon velouté.
All The Smoke (Courtesy Proudly Serving)
Chef Kevin Malone is taking a page from his fine-dining background with his new burger, All The Smoke, which is a double smash burger with cheese, caramelized onions, pickles, slab bacon and BBQ aioli. It’s stuffed into a plastic shell and mesquite smoked to create a BBQ bacon western burger feel. It will be available beginning this Saturday, August 7 at the weekly Proudly Serving pop-up in Redondo Beach at Select Beer Store.
Danny Boy’s Famous Original opens today inside Halo, the new dining and retail destination in downtown L.A. It will feature New York-style pizza slices and pies along with hot hero sandwiches, salads and Italian ices. Everything will be available for dine-in and takeout for the first month, with delivery to the surrounding area launching later this summer. In addition to build-a-pie options, the menu will feature a range of classic and specialty pizzas that will also be available by the slice, like cheese, meatball, Greek salad, and Buffalo Chicken. Most pies can be made vegan and there will also be a gluten-free Sicilian-style option.
The virtual life continues: Chef Gino Angelini, along with his wife, Elizabeth, owners of Angelini Osteria and Angelini Alimentari, will be sharing recipes for two of their Italian specialties as they host Gelson’s Markets’ first online cooking class featuring Gino Angelini Sauces. On the Zoom-class curriculum: Angel Hair al Limone and Gino’s Meatballs in Marinara Sauce. Attendees to the Thursday, August 19 event, which begins at 6 p.m., can follow along at home with DIY cooking kits, available for advance pick-up at Gelsons across Southern California and included with registration: https://www.gelsons.com/angelini. Deadline to pre-pay and register is Sunday, August 15.
Hot Honey Chicken Sandwich (Courtesy Shake Shack)
Shake Shack is on the move and has rolled out its first food truck on the West Coast. The Shack Truck will be popping up at hot spots and summer events all over L.A. serving up classic Shack Burgers and fries, as well as featuring their summer menu hero, the Hot Honey Chicken Sandwich. The truck will be available to experience or rent out in the L.A. area for the duration of the L.A. tour (Aug. 6 – Sept. 6). Shack fans can learn more about the truck and submit a request to book the Shack Truck here. Stops include the Comedy Store, MadCap Motel, The Drive-In at Santa Monica Airport with Rooftop Cinema Club, Unique Market, The Brig in Venice and more to be announced (current list is here).
As an homage to National Mustard Day on Saturday, August 7, the brand that brought you French’s Mustard Ice Cream and French’s Mustard Beer, the iconic yellow condiment has teamed up with Piantedosi Baking Company to bring you French’s Mustard Buns. The buns will be available starting August 7 at select landmarks and while supplies last, free hot dogs on mustard buns can be sampled at noon at Pier Burger hot dog cart on the Santa Monica Pier.
Additionally, French’s is releasing two recipes for home bakers including a French’s Mustard Challah Bread and French’s Mustard Beer Bread. at Frenchs.com/MustardBuns.
French’s Mustard Buns
Off The Menu is bringing BBQ Pitmaster Avi Yalin (aka @avi_cue) back again for a one-night takeover at Roadside Taco in Studio City on Monday, August 9. From 5 – 10 p.m., Avi Yalin, known for his eclectic style of BBQ and his modern take on Middle Eastern cuisine, will be firing up the grill and cooking up his signature Wagyu Shawarma pitas. Guests can wash it all down with cold Stella Artois and Karbach Ranch Water hard seltzer. While the event is open to the public, guests must make a reservation to attend.
What’s Popping Up is a weekly column in the L.A. Weekly that explores all that’s new in food and drink.
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