A savory present at downtown's Takami restaurant.
(Credit: Takami)
Takami
Twenty-one stories up, Takami feeds downtown’s nightlife revival with a swanky room that is bound to draw early revelers looking to get their raw-and-robatayaki fix before sidling over to Elevate, the sister club just on the other side of the elevators. Robata selections should be straightforward enough—they are just grilling meat after all; even the sushi looks relatively California-traditional. The kookiness, however, takes flight in things like katsu-style mozzarella and camembert cheese or daikon foie gras. But we’re game for just about anything. Especially when paired with the equally tricked-out cocktails and a highfalutin’ view down into The Standard’s rooftop swimming pool. 811 Wilshire Blvd. 21st Floor, between Flower and Figueroa Sts., 213-236-9600.
Honda-Ya
Thanks to tireless food boards and the growing cult of izakaya, insatiable foodies have ventured into the deep south of Orange County to sample the hallowed wares of the Tustin progenitor. With the opening of its second location in Little Tokyo, only time will tell whether the OC transplant is up to snuff or just a beneficiary of very little competition and very good blog-marketing. A source at the Tustin site says that the menu won’t deviate from the original, although nightly specials will change to suit the demo. We’re interested in seeing whether the pricing will also reflect the L.A. scene. 333 S. Alameda St. #314, at 3rd St., 213-625-1184
The Beach on Sunset
Sunset Beach is now The Beach on Sunset. Got that? The change may seem inconsequential, but it lends a measure of specificity lest unwitting tourists think the beach is right dab in the middle of the boulevard. A blowout party with DJ Steve Aoki signaled the coronation of the new name, while a bonafide chef—Michael Brown, ex of Brasserie Vert—has been brought in to revamp the menu. Excess may be the real goal here: an entire portion of the menu is dedicated to “crispy” foods; weekend afternoons are all-you-can-eat with bottomless Bloody Marys and mimosas; and cocktails might as well come with their own area codes. They’re just that big. 8240 W. Sunset Blvd., two blocks west of Crescent Heights Blvd., 323-654-8100.
Nonna
Just down the way from The Beach and with less fanfare, Nonna opened quietly—just like the soothing tenor of its name—in the former Joss space. The chef/owner is Paolo Giovani, formerly of Il Sole, and the classic Italian menu of pizza, primi, secondi is sure to hit all the right comfort points. The limited dinner hours have just recently expanded to include lunch. If any stretch of Sunset were ever to get “cozy,” it would be where Nonna is. 8256 Beverly Blvd., west of Doheny Dr., 310-270-4455
Intelligentsia
The Chicago-native was supposed to arrive in April. Then May, maybe July; yes, the usual waiting game. In the eve of Sunset Junction’s glorious all-weekend music party, Intelligentsia opened its award-winning, socially-conscious-before-social-consciousness-was-hip counter to the caffeine junkies of Silverlake. Fans of the Black Cat espresso are legion while expertly micro-roasted coffee is coaxed from not one but two Clover machines. La Mill zealots are likely to wait it out for their own brick-and-mortar, (possibly) come fall. Let the coffee bean-turf wars begin. 3922 Sunset Blvd., and Hyperion Ave., 323-663-6173.
For a bigger list of summer restaurant openings, mosey on over here>>
Jiyeon Yoo is Restaurants editor for Metromix Los Angeles.
