Small Bites: Build Your Own BBQ at Zeke's, Mr. Cecil's bottles barbecue sauce

Multi-Meat Meal Deal: Because sometimes you like mixed grill, Zeke’s Smokehouse (with locations in West Hollywood and Montrose) has begun offering a “Build Your Own BBQ Special” (3-10 p.m., Mon. - Thu. & 11 a.m-4 p.m., Sat. - Sun.) that lets diners choose two meats (pulled pork, pulled chicken, smoked ham, 1/4 dark meat chicken, hot link) and two sides (baked beans, collard greens, mashed potatoes, green beans, potato salad, cole slaw, apple sauce, kettle chips or fries) for $9.95. 7100 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood. (323) 850-9353. 2209 Honolulu Ave., Montrose. (818) 957-7045l, www.zekessmokehouse.com.

Barbecue in a Bottle: Mr. Cecil's California Ribs has bottled their signature barbecue sauce and is selling it at all their locations ($8.25) as well as at Cost Plus ($6.99) and a few gourmet markets including Monsieur Marcel and Bel-Air Foods. 1224 W. Pico Blvd., L.A. (310) 442-1550. 13625 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks. (818) 905-8400. 1209 Highland Ave., Manhattan Beach. (310) 546-5400. www.mrcecilscaliforniaribs.com.

-- Elina Shatkin

Photo: Bob Carey / Los Angeles Times

Small Bites: Steven Arroyo sells Church & State, Mr. Cecil’s opens today in Manhattan Beach, Lemonade opens Thursday at MOCA

Beachy barbecue: California-style barbecue joint Mr. Cecil's California Ribs, which already has locations in West L.A. and Sherman Oaks, today opened its newest spot. Formerly Le Creperie Café, the downtown Manhattan Beach outpost features a bar and a new 60-seat dining room that dishes out beef ribs, St. Louis-style ribs, smoked tri-tip, catfish and more. 1209 Highland Ave., Manhattan Beach. (310) 546-5400, www.mrcecilscaliforniaribs.com.

Church & State changes hands: Yassmin Sarmadi has negotiated a purchase of ownership from Steven Arroyo, co-owner, of Church & State. Thankfully, Walter Manzke is still the chef. 1850 Industrial St., L.A. (213) 405-1434, www.churchandstatebistro.com.

New museum cafe: Lemonade's newest location opens Thursday at 11 a.m. when it becomes the official cafe of MOCA in downtown L.A. 250 S. Grand Ave. L.A. (213) 628-0200, www.lemonadela.com.

-- Elina Shatkin

Photo: Chef Walter Manzke (third from right) looks over a dish before it goes out at Church & State. Credit: Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times

Sampler Platter: Warm ice cream, canned bacon, secret fast-food menus and West Coast vs. East Coast barbecue wars

Cali-style burgers in Philly, secret fast-food menus, a new barbecue joint in Mid-City West and more in today's food news roundup.

--Unilever is working on producing "ice cream" that can be sold at room temperature. Popsop
--The Smokin’ Joint barbecue restaurant opens at 3rd Street and La Cienega Boulevard. Sweetzer + Blackburn
--Food Marathon visits -- and likes -- New York BBQ on La Brea Boulevard.
--Need a bacon fix but too lazy to cook it? Enjoy some Tac Bac - Tactical Canned Bacon. Think Geek
--How to order off the secret menus from In-N-Out Burger, Fatburger, Jamba Juice, Kogi BBQ and Starbucks. Squid Ink
--Gizmodo says Chipotle's new iPhone app, which allows you to build your meal, add special instructions, send your order to any Chipotle outlet and pay for it, "sets the standard for deliciously unhealthy fast food convenience."
--The New York Times hops on the Mexican hot dog bandwagon.
--Food She Thought reviews Ortolan's Bourdeaux dinner, held Aug. 26.
--Pat Saperstein of Eating LA reviews Allston Yacht Club. Los Feliz Ledger
--P.Y.T., the hot new burger joint in Philadelphia, has people raving about their "California-style burgers" -- even Roots drummer Questlove. Burgatory
--The winner of Ben & Jerry's "Do the World a Flavor Contest" is Toni Gunnison of Mount Horeb, Wis., who invented a caramel ice cream with almonds and a caramel swirl.

--Elina Shatkin

Photo: Pecan-crusted spareribs with Kentucky bourbon barbecue sauce. Credit: Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times

Korean BBQ Festival and Cook-off Saturday

Our own Russ Parsons will join chef Evan Kleiman and LA Weekly food writer Jonathan Gold to judge the Korean BBQ Festival and Cook-off Saturday from 12 to 8 p.m. at Summit on Sixth.

Hosted by Yelp and located in the heart of Koreatown, you can gorge on kalbi, bulgogi and more from 10 local restaurants including: Beverly Soon Tofu, Beul Dae Po (Star BBQ), Ham Ji Park, Moo Dae Po, Park's BBQ, Seoul Jung, So Hyang and Soowon Galbi.

Highlights include an eating contest with a mystery ingredient at 2 p.m.; a cooking demo at 3:30 p.m. and the cook-off at 5 p.m.

The after-party starts at 8 p.m. at nearby R Bar.

Location: parking lot, Summit at Sixth: 3223 6th St., L.A. 
Cost:$10-15 per plate of food.

-- Elina Shatkin

Photo: A waitress prepares bulgogi beef next to a plate of kimchi at a North Korean restaurant in Beijing. Credit: Nick Fischer / Bloomberg News

Sampler Platter: Sonoran hot dogs, Central American chicken, coffee taste test

Sonoran hot dogs, Central American chicken, bad meat becoming good power, BBQ at Verdugo and more in today's food news roundup:

• Tesco's program to convert spoiled meat into power outrages vegans. Los Angeles Times
• Is is Lars Kuprik Backman the real Swedish Chef? ABC
• Coney Island Nathan's could be saved by landmark status. N.Y. Daily News
• Robot chefs run restaurant in Japan. Fox News
• Wolfgang Puck sued for "overly slick" floors. TMZ
• Sabores Sin Fronteras: The Sonoran hot dog crosses the U.S.-Mexico border. NPR
• Kokomo owners may turn Eat Well space on Sunset into K2. Eater LA
• BBQ and beer at Verdugo next two Sundays. Eating L.A.
• Dunkin' Donuts and McDonald's both beat Starbucks in Slate's coffee taste test.
• KCRW's Rob "Martini Shot" Long loves Central American chicken. LAist
• LA Foodie checks out J N J Burger & Bar-B-Q.
• A con man who claimed to be friends with Jamie Oliver and Gordon Ramsay has been jailed for fraud. BBC

-- Elina Shatkin

Photo: Pollo Campero's three-piece chicken meal. Credit: Pollo Campero

8 food events you should know about: Summer festival weekend edition

FRIDAY

Wines of the people Join James Beard award-winning wine importer Terry Theise for a tasting of boutique Champagnes made by farmers (he calls them "Farmer Fizz") as well as a selection of Rieslings from a single vineyard. Pourtal Wine Tasting Bar, 104 Santa Monica Blvd., Santa Monica. 5 to 8 p.m. $33 for a flight of three. (310) 393-7693. www.pourtal.com.

Eating downtown Celebrate the downtown renaissance with the "Taste of dtownLA" festival. A feast cooked by downtown restaurants Magnolia, Provecho, Remedy, Maria's Italian Kitchen, Urth Caffe, the Daily Grill, Takami, Rock 'n Fish, Gram and Papas and Wokano will help celebrate the launch of dtownLA.com, which dubs itself "the only online fashion and lifestyle publication catering to downtown residents." There will also be cocktails and a silent auction benefiting the Midnight Mission. Brunswick Studio, 843 S. Los Angeles St., L.A. Food tasting, 6 to 9:30 p.m., tickets $40. Launch party, 10:30 p.m. to 2 a.m. $40, alcohol included. www.dtownla.com.

SATURDAY

Deepak thoughts If you've wondered what kind of mystical calm Deepak Chopra lives in, you can find out at a dinner hosted at his 2-acre Palos Verdes estate, which is fashioned after a Tuscan villa. "Dancing With the Stars" dancer Jonathan Roberts will show off his moves and chef Enrico Glaudo of Frascati Ristorante in Rolling Hills Estates will prepare an Italian-themed menu of pizza, quiche, pork medallions, caprese salad and more. Proceeds benefit the nonprofit Palos Verdes Art Center. Time and address provided with reservation. (310) 541-2479. www.pvartcenter.org.

Cajun fun It's time for the 16th-annual Long Beach Crawfish festival featuring dancing, live Cajun, Brazilian and Zydeco music as well as plenty of delicious crawfish, red baby potatoes, corn on the cob and remoulade dipping sauce. Rainbow Lagoon, 400-403 Shoreline Village Drive, Long Beach. Sat. noon to 11 p.m.; Sun. noon to 10 p.m. $13 in advance, $15 at the gate. www.longbeachcrawfishfestival.com.

Tasting San Pedro Another festival is upon us: the 21st-annual Taste in San Pedro, which features food and drink from many of the area's favorite restaurants as well as live music, dancing, fireworks, face painting, photo booths and a Ferris wheel with gorgeous ocean views. Point Fermin Park at Gaffey and Paseo del Mar, San Pedro. Sat. 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sun. 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. $10, adults; $7 seniors; $5 children 6 to 17. (310) 832-7272. www.tasteinsanpedro.com.

Sharpest knife in the drawer Get your knives, scissors and garden tools professionally sharpened while you shop at Red Carpet Wine & Spirits Merchants. They'll have a pro on hand in the parking lot and during that time you'll also get 10% off your purchases. Red Carpet Wine & Spirit Merchants, 400 E. Glenoaks Blvd., Glendale. 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Knives $5, scissors $8, gardening tools $6 to $9. (818) 247-5544.

Cooking at the market Join JoAnn Cianciulli, the author of "L.A.'s Original Farmers Market Cookbook," for a showcase of her summer grilling recipes. She'll heat up the grill to make grilled barbecue chicken pizza, skirt steak tacos and avocado-corn salsa. Samples will go out to the crowd and she'll sign copies of her new book "Barbecues Galore." Farmers Market Plaza, 6333 W. 3rd St., L.A. 5 to 7 p.m. Free.

SUNDAY

Brunch for singles If you're looking for Mr. or Ms. Right, you may enjoy the "Stylish & Single in the City" brunch at Catherine Malandrino Cafe. Celebrity stylist Marcella Reynolds will be there to dish out advice on appearance so wear or bring a photo of your favorite outfit for dates, and "dating expert" Evan Marc Katz will provide mini-consultations to the first 15 RSVPs. A complimentary 100-calorie TY KU cocktail will be served with brunch, so you can get boozy and watch your figure all at once. Catherine Malandrino Cafe, 651-653 N. La Cienega Blvd., West Hollywood. 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. $30. (310) 652-0078.

-- Jessica Gelt

Photo: A pile of shellfish rubble sits on the table where seafood lovers spend the evening shucking crawfish, crab and shrimp at the Boiling Crab, a popular Little Saigon eatery. Credit: Los Angeles Times  

Sampler Platter: higher dairy prices, heavier Padma Lakshmi, barbecue boom in Ventura

Burger-mobiles, gorging on seafood and Prohibition-era restrictions on beer lead today's roundup of food news.

• The coolest cheeseburger-shaped truck you'll see all year. Slashfood
• You still can’t buy a six-pack of beer at most Pennsylvania stores. The Daily Review
• Padma Lakshmi: I gain 12 to 15 lbs. every season filming "Top Chef." Chicago Examiner
• Get ready for higher prices on milk, cheese and butter. Arkansas Democrat Gazette
• Greener diet reduces dairy cows' methane burps. Natural Products Marketplace
• There's a barbecue restaurant boom in Ventura County. Ventura County Star
• L.A. & O.C. Foodie, Mattatouille, Choisauce, Gourmet Pigs, ConBon and Rickmond of Rameniac dig into Hungry Cat's Crabfest V this past weekend. 
• Fans upset at Houston Astros, the only MLB team to forbid bringing food or drink into the park. Houston Business Journal
• Would you like a sham marriage with your pad thai? Seattle Business Journal

-- Elina Shatkin

Photo: Padma Lakshmi eats a burger in a Carl's Jr. ad. Credit: Doria Anselmo / Business Wire

Sampler Platter: Cocaine gives Red Bull Simply Cola wings, French fried burritos and prison thyme

Burritos made from French fries, drug-addled Red Bull and the craziest barbecue grills you could ever imagine in today's roundup of food news.

• From a baby carriage to a fire-breathing dragon, 10 insanely bizarre BBQ grills. Funny Or Die
• Now we know why Red Bull Simply Cola gives you wings (in Germany): traces of cocaine. Wall Street Journal 
• Nobu tells diners not to eat the endangered bluefin tuna on its menu. Telegraph 
• Doing hard thyme: Ohio prisoners grow their own vegetables to save money. Dayton Daily News 
• A French fry burrito? LAist eats the amazing spuderito at Rick's Drive-In in Pasadena. 
• Costco will begin accepting food stamps in two of its New York City stores -- one in Astoria, Queens, and the other in Sunset Park, Brooklyn -- on a trial basis, starting in June. New York Times
• Celebrity chef John Burton Race of the New Angel in Dartmouth, Devon, is bankrupt. BBC

-- Elina Shatkin

Photo: Bigeye bluefin tuna lines the floor of the United Fishing Agency's auction house in Honolulu. Credit: Eugene Tanner / Associated Press

Beer Belt: The timesaver you've been looking for?

Ah, Memorial Day: a long weekend perfect for hanging out in the backyard and catching up with old friends.

And who wants to miss a minute of the action by going back and forth to that pesky cooler? Urban Outfitters literally puts the hip in hipster with this balancing act of a solution: the Beer Belt. The plastic holders mean you can strap in and sling back a six-pack while slinging burgers at the grill.

Aside from the serious repercussions of too much alcohol intake, we also have to point out that there's no cooler. In this climate, you'd have to drink fast in order to keep your PBR nice and chilled.

Want to belly up to this belt? It's yours for $18 at UrbanOutfitters.com. Don't want to get on the belt-wagon? The Image section has a list of much tamer barbecue attire essentials.

-- Whitney Friedlander

The Food section's Beer of the Month: Sierra Nevada Summerfest Lager

Weekly obsessions: Memorial Day clothing essentials

Join us on Twitter @LATimesFood

Photo credit: Urban Outfitters

Datebook: Strawberries, BBQs, Alice Waters and more

FRIDAY

Down Under fun Spend a couple of hours after work at the Grove, where Qantas Airways and Tourism South Wales will team up to attempt to make you long for Australia by playing host to "The Great Sydney BBQ" in the grassy park. The festive event will feature Australian food, beer, wine and entertainment. The Grove, 189 The Grove Drive, Los Angeles. 5 to 7 p.m. Free. (323) 900-8080. www.thegrovela.com

SATURDAY

Berry nice Fill your tummy with fresh-picked strawberries at Oxnard's California Strawberry Festival. The two-day event packs plenty of action. There'll be a tart toss, a pie-eating contest, a berry-dish cooking demonstration by former "Top Chef" contestant Fabio Viviani, a berry decorating workshop and much more. Strawberry Meadows of College Park, 3250 S. Rose Ave., Oxnard. Sat. and Sun. 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. $12, general admission. (888) 288-9242. www.strawberry-fest.org

SUNDAY

Chef-tastic The 5 X 5 Chefs Collaborative dinner series is back, featuring five notable L.A. chefs who host one another and a guest chef at each of their respective restaurants for a night of fun and culinary creativity. This week brings guest chef Gabriel Kreuther of the Modern in New York to the kitchen of Mélisse to cook and kick back with the collaborative's founders Michael Cimarusti, Josiah Citrin, David LeFevre, Gino Angelini and Neal Fraser. Mélisse, 1104 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica. The first seating is 5:30-6:15 p.m.; the second seating, 8:15-9:15 p.m. $150, $215 per person with wine pairings. (310) 395-0881. www.melisse.com

TUESDAY

Edible education Alice Waters discusses her experiences bringing "edible schoolyards" into public schools. She'll be accompanied by 15-year-old Sam Levin, who founded a sustainable garden for his school district in Massachusetts. She'll also sign copies of her books, "The Art of Simple Food" and "Edible Schoolyard." All proceeds benefit Canyon Charter School. Aero Theatre, 1328 Montana Ave., Santa Monica. 7 p.m. $25. (917) 825-6505

-- Jessica Gelt

Photo Credit: California Strawberry Festival.