Michele StuevenDöner Haus’ first West Coast location is now open at Juanita Tate Marketplace in South LA, bringing aromas of fresh vegetables, Juicy zabiha halal chicken and beef, and custom-baked bread to a South LA food desert.
Founded in New York City in 2023 by German-born entrepreneur Nikolaus von Solodkoff, Döner Haus pairs a tightly focused menu of freshly prepared, filler-free, and 100% halal meats with a sense of humor that regularly pokes fun at corporate jargon and fast-food conventions.
Very close to its Munich street-food origins (minus the mountains of sliced onions, red cabbage, and greens,) the menu features Döner sandwiches, wraps, and boxes made fresh in an open kitchen with high-quality organic ingredients. Must order: the tender, flaky, and dripping-with-honey baklava that matches any of the pistachio-filled desserts in the city. And keeping it German, Sunset Spezi is also on the menu, a drink many describe as cola kissed by an orange.
Döner Haus (Michele Stueven)
It’s not gyro, shawarma, or a traditional Turkish preparation. German döner is a street-food format of its own, pairing hot, freshly carved meat with cold vegetables and creamy garlic sauce inside crisp, toasted Turkish pide.
Unlike the brand’s grab-and-go New York storefronts, the Central Ave. restaurant introduces Döner Haus’ first dedicated dining room for residents, commuters near USC and families. Don’t be surprised when LA native and franchise owner Sebastian Martinez greets you at the door.
Sandwiched between the usual wing shops and pre-fab burger drive-thrus, Döner Haus has already developed a streaming regular clientele with its competitive prices and whole food mission. The 700-square-foot space goes through two 70-pound skewer stands (imported from Germany) of beef and chicken a day.
Döner Box (Courtesy Döner Haus)
Baklava (Courtesy of Döner Haus)
Starting Wednesday, Sept. 2, Chao Krung Thai, one of LA’s oldest & original Thai restaurants, launches Kanom Jeen Curry Night, a new Wednesday-only menu inspired by the casual, communal street stalls of Thailand.
Choose from a selection of house-made curries, each served with unlimited kanom jeen (rice noodles), fresh herbs and vegetables, with sizzling Ping Ping (charcoal-grilled skewers) and traditional Thai snacks available à la carte.
The Bungalow Kitchen is officially returning to Long Beach on Wednesday, Sept. 16, reopening at 2ND & PCH with a completely refreshed culinary direction led by longtime Long Beach chef Eric Samaniego.
After more than a decade at Michael’s on Naples, Samaniego is taking the reins at Bungalow Kitchen with a new menu that combines French technique and Italian influence. Think saffron cavatelli, grilled Spanish octopus, steak frites, The Bungalow Burger, farmers market salad, and more, with an emphasis on organic and regeneratively sourced ingredients from local farms.
The space is also returning to its roots as a true neighborhood restaurant: the waterfront patio will anchor the dining experience, alongside an indoor lounge serving the full menu and elevated bar bites, a new private dining space, and the popular game room and pool table.
Moules Frites (Courtesy of Bungalow Kitchen)
To celebrate the return, John and Caitlin Stamos, Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson, and Brent Bolthouse will host a special opening event on Thursday, Sept. 24, with proceeds benefiting the Mayor’s Fund for Long Beach and its work supporting children, youth, and families throughout the city.
Casa Vega will celebrate its 70th anniversary with the community that has made those seven decades possible.
On Thursday, Sept. 10, Casa Vega will host an open-to-the-public, day-long community birthday party, rolling back the price of its #1 House Combo Plate to $2.15 (its price in 1956) from 11:30 a.m. to 12:Midnight. The plate, normally $27, includes a choice of two traditional items, served with Spanish rice and refried beans.
The celebration marks the latest chapter in a big year for the Vega family and the restaurant founded in 1956 by Ray Vega.
Earlier this year, Casa Vega opened the Ray Vega Patio, expanding the restaurant while honoring the legacy of its founder. In May, the City of Los Angeles officially named the corner of Ventura Boulevard and Fulton Avenue “Vega Square,” recognizing the Vega Family’s contribution to Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley.
What’s Popping Up is a column in the L.A. Weekly that explores everything new in food and drink
Kanom Jeen Curry Night (Courtesy of Chao Krung Thai)