Last year was rough and many restaurants in Los Angeles could not weather the financial storm. After 28 years of business, Orso closed in November, and just last month Gardens on Glendon, a Westwood staple for 21 years put out a For Lease sign. But while some eateries folded, others such as Bouchon Bistro and The Gorbals opened with high anticipation and even a reservation wait list.

Looking not-so-far into the past, we've compiled a list of restaurants that closed in 2009 as well as a list of the industrious folk who saw the light at the end of the tunnel. A look at the list of new restaurants might give you enough motivation to stash that Red Bull and vodka for something more along the lines of a Flame of Love cocktail with bay leaf-infused vodka from the Tar Pit.

Tar Pit; Credit: A. Scattergood

Tar Pit; Credit: A. Scattergood

RESTAURANTS THAT OPENED IN 2009

Ado: 796 Main Street, Venice; (310) 399-9010.

Antigua Coffee House: 3400 North Figueroa Street, Los Angeles; (323) 539-2233.

Barbrix: 2442 Hyperion Ave., Los Angeles; (323) 662-2442.

Bawarchi: 10408 Venice Blvd., Culver City; (310) 836-8525.

Bellini Osteria Restaurant and Lounge: 351 S. Westlake Blvd., #102. Westlake Village; (805) 497- 8482.

Bouchon Bistro: 235 N. Canon Drive, Beverly Hills; (310) 271-9910.

BP Oysterette: 1355 Ocean Ave., Santa Monica; (310) 576-3474.

Buffalo Wild Wings: 127 East Palm Ave., Burbank; (818) 524-2373.

Celadon Thai Kitchen: 11364 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City; (310) 823-8100.

Capitol City: 1615 N. Cahuenga Blvd., L.A. (323) 465-1750.

Choza Mama: 96 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena; (626) 432-4692.

Crumbs: 3939 Cross Creek Road, Malibu; (310) 456-3700.

Cacao Mexicatessen: 1576 Colorado Blvd., Los Angeles; (323) 478-2791.

Elements Café: 107 S. Fair Oaks Ave., Pasadena; (626) 440-0100. Elements Restaurant: 37 S. El Molino Ave., Pasadena; (626) 440-0044.

Eva: 7458 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles; (323) 634-0700.

Fifth Amendment Alehouse: 129 Broadway, Santa Monica.

FIG Restaurant: 101 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica; (310) 319-3111.

Fraiche: 312 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica, (310) 451-7482.

Ix tapa Cantina: 119 E. Colorado Boulevard, Pasadena; (626) 304-1000.

John O' Groats: 16121 Ventura Blvd., Encino; (818) 501-2366.

L.A. Bento: 3329 Division St., Los Angeles. (323) 221-1060.

La Bottega Marino: 9669 Santa Monica., Beverly Hills; (310) 271-7274.

Lazy Ox Canteen: 241 S. San Pedro St., Los Angeles; (213) 626-5299.

Lemonade: 1661 Abbot Kinney. Venice; (310) 452-6200.

Marche: 13355 Ventura Blvd. Sherman Oaks; (818) 784-2915.

Mr. Cecil's California Ribs: 1209 North Highland Ave., Manhattan Beach; (310) 546-5400.

9021Pho: 490 N. Beverly Dr., Beverly Hills; 310-275-5277.

Nate 'n Al: 2200 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd., Suite 150, Thousand Oaks; (805) 494-3354.

Octopus: 729 W. 7th St., Los Angeles; (213) 402-1500.

Oliverio: The Avalon Hotel, 9400 W. Olympic Blvd., Beverly Hills; (310) 277-5221.

Pa-Ord Noodle: 5301 Sunset Blvd., No. 8, Los Angeles (in a mini-mall at the corner of Sunset and Hobart); (323) 461-3945.

Pancho's Taco's: 2920 Lincoln Blvd., Santa Monica; (310) 452-2970.

Recess: 1102 N Brand, Glendale; (818) 507-0592.

Samosa House East: 10700 Washington Boulevard, Culver City; (310) 559-6350.

Sunnin Lebanese Cafe: 1779 Westwood Blvd, Westwood; (310) 477-2358.

Swirls Desserts: Fashion Square, 14006 Riverside Drive, Sherman Oaks; (888) 997-9475.

Syrup Desserts: 611 S Spring St., Los Angeles; (213) 488-5136.

Tar Pit: 609 N La Brea Ave., Los Angeles; (323) 965-1300.

Tender Greens Hollywood: 6278 West Sunset Blvd., Hollywood; (323) 382-0380.

The Point: 8522 National Blvd., Culver City; (310) 836-8400.

T-Salon: 7111 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles; (323) 954-8327.

The Gorbals: 501 South Spring Street, Los Angeles; (213) 488-3408.

The Counter: 140 Shoppers Lane, Pasadena; (626) 440-1008.

The Oaks: 1915 N. Bronson Ave., Los Angeles; (323) 871-8894.

The Mercantile: 6600 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood; (323) 962-8202.

The Village Bakery and Cafe: 3119 Los Feliz Blvd., Los Angeles; (323) 662-8600.

Umami Burger: 1520 N. Cahuenga Blvd., #7. Los Angeles; (323) 469-3100.

Wine Detective: 146 S. Lake Ave, #109, Pasadena; (626) 792-9936.

Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill: 800 W. Olympic Blvd., Suite A180, Los Angeles. (213) 748-9700

Next: Food Trucks and Closures

Food trucks are on the rise and last year many of your favorites started rolling around town. In recognition of the mobile food truck increase, we've included a list of trucks that opened last year.

Credit: Baby's Badass Burgers

Credit: Baby's Badass Burgers

FOOD TRUCKS THAT OPENED IN 2009

Asian Soul Kitchen

Baby's Badass Burgers

Barbie's Q

Border Grill: (213) 542-1102.

Buttermilk Truck

Calbi

Cool Haus: (323) 823-1246.

Dainty Cakes

Del's Lemonade

Dogtown Dog

Don Chow Tacos

Dosa

FishLips Sushi: (310) 634-2999.

Flying Pig Truck: (714) 234-5107.

Frysmith

Get Shaved

Grill Em All

King Kone: (323) 208-1408.

Kogi BBQ

Komodo

Indiana Jones Truck

LA FuXion

Lets Be Frank

Lomo Arigato

Mattie's Kitchen

Nom Nom Truck: (562) 533-8474.

Slice Truck

The Grilled Cheese Truck

The Place LA

The Sweets Truck

Next: Restaurant closures.

RESTAURANTS THAT CLOSED IN 2009

An empty Gardens on Glendon; Credit: Celia Soudry

An empty Gardens on Glendon; Credit: Celia Soudry

Algabar: 342 S La Brea Ave., Los Angeles; (323) 954-9720

All' Angelo: 7166 Melrose Ave., L.A., (323) 933-9540.

Blue on Blue: The Avalon Hotel, 9400 W. Olympic Blvd., Beverly Hills; (310) 277-5221.

BYJ Restaurant: 1144 S. Western Ave., Los Angeles.

Chili My Soul: 4928 Balboa Blvd., Encino.

Chichen Itza: 2501 W 6th Street, Los Angeles.

Danube: 1303 Westwood Blvd., Los Angeles.

Du Pars: 75 W Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks

Gardens on Glendon: 1139 Glendon Ave., Los Angeles.

Green Village: 1390 Fullerton Rd # 101, Rowland Heights.

Koromaru: Marukai Supermarket, 1620 W Redondo Beach Blvd., Gardena

Meltdown, ETC: 9739 Culver Blvd., Culver City; (310) 838-6358.

Mimosa: 8009 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles

Pastis: 8114 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles

JuJu Cereal Bar: 1248 Westwood Blvd., Los Angeles.

Heavy Noodling: 153 E. Garvey Ave., Monterey Park.

Lucky Dragon: 321 W Garvey Ave. Suite A. Monterey Park

Lutece French Restaurant: 110 E Lemon Ave., Monrovia

Macau Street: 429 W Garvey Ave., Monterey Park.

Max Restaurant: 13355 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks

Minh Phat Supermarket: 15709 Crenshaw Blvd., Gardena.

Cobras and Matadors: 4655 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles

Foxtail: 9077 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood

Galangal Thai Dish: 742 E Garvey Ave., Monterey Park

Orso: 8706 W. 3rd Street, Los Angeles; (310) 274-7144.

Royale: 2619 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles.

750 ML: 966 Mission Street, South Pasadena.

Shula's 347: Sheraton Gateway, 6101 W Century Boulevard,

Los Angeles.

Spike's Teriyaki Bowl: 1430 San Gabriel Blvd., San Gabriel.

Stevie's on the Strip: 3403 Crenshaw Blvd., Los Angeles.

Surya Indian restaurant: 8048 W. 3rd St., Los Angeles.

The Kitchen: 203. W Valley Blvd., Alhambra.

The Pines: 4343 Pearblossom Hwy., Palmdale.

Triumphal Palace: 500 W. Main St., Alhambra.

Tung Lai Shun: 140 W. Valley Blvd., No. 118C. San Gabriel.

Uwink: 6100 Topanga Canyon, Woodland Hills.

Wilson Food & Wine: 8631 Washington Boulevard, Culver City.

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