Michele StuevenThe historic Los Angeles roadside burger stand, Irv’s Burgers, reopens on Friday, July 1, in West Hollywood. Founded in 1946 on Route 66, Irv’s cheeseburgers have drawn in regulars Frank Sinatra & The Rat Pack, Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin. The shack was immortalized on Linda Ronstadt’s Living in the USA album cover. It closed in its original location in 2018, and in 2021, Lawrence Longo, founder of Off The Menu, partnered with previous owner Sonia Hong on a one-day, pop-up in celebration of National Burger Day and unveiled a new home for the beloved burger joint.
With Hong and new Culinary Director Armen Piskoulian helming the kitchen, Irv’s will continue to serve its famous double cheeseburger and pastrami sandwiches on paper plates filled with Sonia’s famous illustrations, but also will be introducing new dishes to the menu, including Irv’s Dog, Tuna Melt, Chili Cheese Fries, and Milkshakes including the Bday Cookie Milkshake. The Menu also has “Brady’s Way,” an add-on option of cheese sauce and fries to any dish, and $1 from each Brady’s Way add-on sold will be donated to the Neurological Program in the Children’s Orthopedic Center at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. Brady’s Way is named after Brady Slater who was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy as an infant.
Sonia Hong at Irv’s Burgers (Wonho Frank Lee)
Two Schmucks, the Barcelona cocktail bar that recently placed number 11 on the 2021 World’s 50 Best Bar List, is returning to the U.S. this summer with a pop-up event from July 9 -10 at Broken Shaker LA at Freehand LA.The Schmucks US Tour 2022 will take the bar across five states with events at some of the country’s most renowned bars showcasing its signature “Five Star Dive Bar” concept. Cofounder and owner, Moe Aljaff, creative director Juliette Larrouy, and rising star bartender Heena Kewalramani will be offering up cocktails featuring Fords Gin including:
Melon, Cheese & Pepper: Fords gin, dolin dry, cantaloupe cordial, peychaud’s bitters, mozzarella cheese foam, black pepper
Ice Cream For Astronauts: Fords gin, lime juice, simple syrup, basil, coconut ice cream
Alpha: Fords gin, apple-celery shrub, absinthe, lemon juice
Disco Infante: Fords gin, palo santo-infused pisco, peach liqueur, orgeat, lime juice
Schmuck 2020: Beer with a mini fords gin martini
JAPAN HOUSE’s Movie & Bites series continues with a third program relating to ramen – Episode 10 of the TV series Midnight Diner (Shinya Shokudo). Midnight Diner is a Japanese television series starring Kaoru Kobayashi, that tells the stories of ordinary people who eat at a small, late-night restaurant, or shinya shokudo, in Tokyo, that opens from midnight to 7 a.m. The series explores the triumphs, hardships, humor and grace of the people working the glamorous, yet seedy, Tokyo night scene, shown through their stories and the foods most memorable to them in their lives.
The screening will be followed by a presentation by Chef Ryu Isobe including a simple recipe demonstration, and a ramen tasting featuring vegetarian ramen. The chef will provide cooking tips for vegetarian ramen soup and a variety of toppings including tōfu, as well as how to take your homemade ramen to the next level. He also will share his perspective on ramen culture including its regionality and adaptability to local context, in Japan and beyond. Guests will receive take-home Sun Noodle ramen kits to try on their own.
*All program participants will be required to show proof of primary vaccination (two doses of Pfizer or Moderna or one dose of Johnson & Johnson) and complete a temperature check as they enter the venue. Masks are strongly recommended to be worn, except while eating and/or drinking in the designated areas.
Recording artist Wiz Khalifa, and Nextbite have rolled out the new delivery-only restaurant brand Packed Bowls by Wiz Khalifa® in cities nationwide. The new Packed Bowls menu features flavor mashups like crispy tater tots layered with creamy mac & yellow (cheese), proteins and sauces. Each bowl is finished with a variety of toppings like Hot Cheetos, Lay’s BBQ or Doritos dust. For dessert, the menu offers a gooey fried peanut butter and grape jelly sandwich dusted with powdered sugar.
Courtesy Coolhaus
In celebration of the Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan 40th anniversary, Coolhaus will be offering free ice cream on National Ice Cream Day, Sunday, July 17. The truck will be parked in Santa Monica at Second Street and Santa Monica Boulevard to bring the celebration and a custom pecan flavored ‘Wrath of P’Khan’ ice cream to trekkies.
Rock & Brews, the brainchild of KISS frontman Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons, is celebrating the holiday weekend starting on Friday, July 1, with the Smokin’ Setlist BBQ Plate, mounded with ribs, chicken, pulled pork, coleslaw, grilled corn, and homemade jalapeno cornbread with honey butter available at the El Segundo, Redondo Beach, Tustin, Corona and Buena Park locations. On Monday, July 4, and National Fried Chicken Day on Wednesday, July 6, there will be a Demon Chicken Sandwich (fried chicken breast tossed in hot sauce-pepper cheese spread, chipotle slaw, marinated red onions, jalapenos and chipotle ranch).
The second annual Sushi and Sake Festival rolls back into the Pechanga Resort Casino on Saturday, July 9. The afternoon will include tastings of more than 40 premium sakes (daiginjo, ginjo, junmai and sparkling) including many award-winning brands and styles from all over Japan and around the world. Pechanga chefs will prepare thousands of fresh sushi pieces to pair with the sake selections. Chefs Kiyo Ikeda, head chef of Umi Sushi & Oyster Bar, Kok Che, executive sous chef of Pechanga’s Asian restaurants, and Andre Pinto, Pechanga executive chef, will be on hand to share their suggestions for matching sushi with sake. A traditional Japanese Taiko drummer, a Japanese guitarist and a “Koto” – Japanese harpist will serenade the festival.
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