Quick Bites: Where to Eat in 2022

Big news for beer fans, Glendale’s new Paperback Brewing Co. is rereleasing its award-winning “Tucked in by Strangers” West Coast–style IPA, which received a gold medal at the California Craft Brewers Cup. The new can labels will feature a QR code that will take imbibers to a comic book that further explores the brew’s label art.

Located inside Burbank’s legendary Castaway, craft cocktail destination The Green Room is open with a new food and drink menu. It includes whimsical creations like the complimentary fountain arrival drink “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” and “Summer Nights,” the Grease-inspired Grey Goose with Champagne, garnished with cotton candy.

Silver Lake’s female-centric wine shop Vinovorehas opened a second location with a marketplace on York Ave in Eagle Rock. Owned and operated by Santa Barbara native and sommelier Coly Den Haan and Angelica Luna, new additions include sandwiches from nearby Spanish haven Otoño, sourdough donuts from Gemini Bakeshop (Silver Lake), and Canyon Coffee (found at Amara in Highland Park and Altadena).

Located in the same bow truss building as Tilda wine bar, Bacettitrattoria in Echo Park features chef Joel Stovall, formerly of Orsa & Winston, cooking Roman classics with a California twist. Menu standouts include cinnamon roll–shaped focaccia bread with black olives, green rice fitters, potato pizza with rosemary, and lots of interesting veggie options such as kabocha squash with crème fraiche and hazelnut saba.

Adam Fleischman (Umami Burger) has landed in Echo Park for his latest concept—an Asian smokehouse called Slow Burn in an industrial space with a large back patio. The menu is comprised of Asian flavors made with classic smokehouse techniques, including boba beef spicy tartare, pork belly burnt ends with Asian BBQ sauce, yuzu kosho potato salad, and teriyaki rainbow carrots.

In Hollywood, chef Evan Funke (Felix) returns with Mother Wolf in the Citizen-News building. Chef Wes Avila (Angry Egret) has a new Ka’teenventure as the flagship at the new Tommie hotel, offering fans a twist on his signature Alta California cuisine, with ceviches, tacos, seafood tostadas, and vibrant cocktails.

For an A-list taco crawl, start at Tacos 1986’s new location in Old Pasadena on Union, then head to Gogo’s Tacos in Silver Lake from chef Brittney Valles of Guerrilla Tacos (who hired a Le Cordon Bleu Pasadena chef, Christina Galtman); stop at The Line hotel in K-town for Hot Tacos from Austin, then end on Sunset at Tacos Don Manolito from Mexico City.

DTLA is experiencing major flips, starting with chef Jon Yao who moved his West L.A., Michelin-starred Taiwanese tasting menu concept, Kato, to Row DTLA in the former M. Georgina space. The Ace Hotel opened veggie-forward signature spot LOAM, featuring mushroom risotto and a plant-based burger, while Hotel Figueroa has a new coastal Italian concept, Sparrow, featuring Wagyu Alla Vodka pizza and Lamb Shank Osso Bucco. The old Firehouse space in the Arts District is now a Ryokan hotel with multiple food options by Kensho eatery in Hollywood. Nearby, De La Nonna is a market-driven pizza spot by a few folks formerly of Tartine and Felix. And acclaimed French chef Laurent Quenioux has joined The Wolves Parisian-style bar in the historic core, which recently reopened as a destination dining spot.

Just in time for watching sports at home, chef Roy Choi of Kogi fame has partnered with Field Roast for the first-ever vegan signature stadium “Home Run Dog,” aka the Field Roast Kogi Dog, which you can now order by the half dozen on Goldbelly.