Take a Bao opens in Studio City

Take a Bao's newest addition on Ventura Boulevard is now open. After opening the fast casual restaurant in the Century City Westfield mall three years ago, the trio of owners decided to expand with a second location in Studio City.

In conjunction with American tastes and French technique, chef Gavin Portsmouth's Asian-inspired menu explores dishes from all over Asia. There are traditional Chinese steamed, filled bao buns (made in the San Gabriel Valley), fresh noodles, local produce and all-natural meats.

The buns are rolled out flat and then stuffed with various fillings such as duck confit, fried chicken and slaw or a Korean barbecue short rib. Besides the eatery's bao, other offerings include salads, noodles such as the "drunken tomato tamarind" and rice bowls. With a locally sourced menu, the restaurant's desserts come from Milk on Beverly Boulevard while Silver Lake's LA Mill supplies its coffees and teas. Rumor has it, the chocolate s'more bao is a crowd pleaser, but there are others in case marshmallows aren't your "thing": a banana Nutella bao, a beer float and a macaron ice cream sandwich made the cut-off too.

11838 Ventura Blvd., Studio City, (818) 691-7223, takeabao.com.

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-- Caitlin Keller

Photo credit: Mieko Takechi Arquillos

El Pollo Loco is feeling the heat

Apparently, people aren't so crazy about the chicken anymore. So El Pollo Loco is trying to reinvent itself. As The Times' Sharon Bernstein reports in the Business section, other "fast casual" places have supplanted it, relegating it to the realm of "fast food." Didn't know there was a difference? There's a lot of interesting background on this underreported industry. Among the features being considered:

It has dropped slow-selling items like steak tacos and tried to create buzz with a limited-time offering of fish tacos. New side dishes meant to appeal to more upscale consumers include sweet-potato fries, sweet corn cakes and grilled cut corn.

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-- Russ Parsons

Photo credit: Mariah Tauger/ Los Angeles Times

Larry King’s new calling: Unveiling 'Brooklynized' bagels

Armed with trademarked "Brooklynized" water, Larry King proves it's never too late to realize a dream.  After retiring from his television show, it seems King has discovered a new purpose: bagel restaurateur for the West Coast Original Brooklyn Water Bagel Co. in Beverly Hills, which opens Friday.

VIPs such as the mayor of Beverly Hills will help King launch the shop with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Thursday, partying like rock stars as Brooklyn borough President Marty Markowitz presents the Brooklyn Bridge via video. 

After the 6 a.m. opening, King will offer the first 100 customers a free half-dozen bagels.  At the shop, customers can marvel at the processing equipment that produces Brooklynized water. It's encased in glass and sits under 24-hour spotlights. It is Beverly Hills, after all. 

-- Max Diamond

Photo credit: Charles Sykes/Associated Press

Beer cheese and pizza-sized pretzels: Dodger Stadium's new menu items for 2010 season

Few things about sporting events make me giddy. I mean, I like the cheering, the good-natured rivalries, the spirit colors -- but the part that really makes me swoon? Game food. So when it comes to baseball -- where it is completely acceptable to hang out with friends and guiltlessly down hot dogs and beer -- I say count me in.

Dodger Stadium understands that the food gets (almost) as much attention as the game. So Executive Chef Joseph Martin and restaurant partner Levy Restaurants have made sure that when the Dodgers play the Arizona Diamondbacks on Opening Day next Tuesday (April 13), fans will be able to munch on exciting new food while warming those bleachers.

New on the menu is the giant Victory Knot pretzel with beer cheese dipping sauce, gourmet Niman Ranch sausages and the spicy Picante Dog, back by popular demand (literally -- it has its own Facebook fan group which was dedicated to bringing it back from menu dormancy).

The new pizza-sized Victory Knot is made with two pounds of dough, topped with sea salt and served with three dipping sauces -- chipotle honey mustard, sweet cinnamon crème, and beer cheese. The calorie information wasn't available when we wrote this, but we can surmise that it's best not to try and eat one by yourself -- it’s supposed to serve four.

If hot dogs and beer cheese don’t sound like something you want to stomach for nine innings, three Health Plate carts serve healthier fare: spicy shrimp cocktail, fresh seasonal fruit salad, curried chicken lettuce wraps and sushi. Spicy tuna rolls at a baseball game, though? I might just stick with my $5 Dodger Dog.

(Keep reading about Dodger Stadium's new grub after the jump.)

Small Bites: 9021Pho opens in Beverly Hills, Alcove to get a bar, Lazy Dog Cafe opens in Valencia

Pho in Beverly Hills: As its name implies, 9021Pho serves pho (four types, to be exact) in the 90210 ZIP Code. The restaurant, which opens today, is overseen by chef Kimmy Tang, who emphasizes market-fresh produce and a health-conscious menu of stir-fry dishes, bento boxes and other Vietnamese eats. 490 N. Beverly Drive, Beverly Hills, CA.

Alcohol at the Alcove: The upscale market inside the Alcove Cafe and Bakery will reopen as a bar in early 2010. More details to come. 1929 Hillhurst Ave., L.A. (323) 644-0100.

Lazy Dog gets its day: On Monday, the latest outpost of expanding pan-ethnic chain the Lazy Dog Cafe opens inside the Valencia Town Center. (Soft opening this Thursday.) The brainchild of father/son duo Thomas and Chris Simms (dad is the founder of the vaguely New Orleans-y Mimi's Cafe chain), Lazy Dog's menu is a magpie collection of the most accessible dishes from around the world: pizza, pasta, hummus, burgers, wok-fried dishes, tacos, fish and chips, ribs, pot pies, salads and more. Plus, it has a full bar. 24201 Valencia Blvd., Valencia. (661) 253-9996, www.lazydogcafe.com.

-- Elina Shatkin

Photo: Salon's "sexiest man living," Jon Hamm, 38, of "Mad Men" relaxes at the Alcove in Los Feliz. Credit: Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times.

Sampler Platter: Meat grown in a lab for first time; we're wasting more food than ever; road food flowchart

Would you eat meat grown in a lab? Or drink wine made by a stockbroker? This and more in today's food news roundup.

-- Scientists reportedly grow meat in a lab for the first time! Telegraph
-- Eating the Road debuts its Where Should I Eat? Chain Restaurant Flowchart.
-- After East, David Judaken's next venture will be Hollywood nightclub MY Spot. Eater LA
-- Music to inspire chef José Andrés: Elton John, Ennio Morricone, Counting Crows. KCRW
-- Every Thanksgiving turns into a pie fight at Mommie Helen's in Colton. Wall Street Journal
-- The 99 Cent Chef makes holiday stuffing cupcakes with cranberry frosting.
-- A wave of MBAs and bankers turn winemaking into the second career du jour. New York Times
-- Americans waste more food than ever before -- nearly 40% of the food supply. Discover
-- Philadelphia restaurant firebombed. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
-- Full Yield dietary program thinks health savings start in the company cafeteria. New York Times
-- Where Washington D.C.'s elite go to eat: Komi, Charlie Palmer, the Palm, the Oval Room, Bombay Club, Ben's Chili Bowl and more. CNN

-- Elina Shatkin

Photo: Spencer Weiner / Los Angeles Times

Today only: Free flatbread lunch at Jamba Juice (and some fine print)

Today, your meal could be on Jamba Juice. The chain's giving away free food as part of a promotion for its California Flatbreads, which come in four flavors: Tomo Artichoko, Smokehouse Chicken, MediterraneYum and Four Cheesy.

So what's the catch? First, not all outlets are participating -- just the ones that offer flatbreads -- so you might want to look up your local Jamba Juice here and check before you head out. Second: Only the first 150 people will get the freebie. Third: The giveaway won't start until 2 p.m. and runs until 5.

But still ... it's hard to beat the price tag: Free.

Another highlight: The flatbreads are all less than 330 calories, with no preservatives, no artificial flavors, no trans fats and, if you care about such things, no high fructose corn syrup.

Have you tried the flatbreads? Which flavor do you suggest? I think I need to round up three friends and try them all.

-- Rene Lynch

Photo: Smokehouse Chicken flatbread. Credit: Jamba Juice

Sampler Platter: Veterans Day deals, Toshi Sushi celebrates anniversary, Ruby Tuesday gets posher, bacon envelopes and chocolate mousse Peeps

Even among fast casual eateries there's a caste system. And Ruby Tuesday wants to move out of the neighborhood it shares with Applebee's and Chili's and into the classier 'hood alongside Olive Garden and Outback Steakhouse. All this and more essential food news:

--Speaking of Applebee's, they're giving a free meal to Veterans today. Krispy Kreme giving away free doughnuts. Consumerist
--Ruby Tuesday upgrades with fancier decor, more expensive food. New York Times
--Toshi Sushi, "greatest omakase bargain in Little Tokyo," celebrates anniversary. Sinosoul
--Mendocino Farms to open 2nd downtown venue at 5th and Flower streets. Blog Downtown
--Portland brewer makes beer from Bac-O Bits, Nutella and more. Houston Chronicle
-- Food pioneer: Chef Fergus Henderson. The Times
--The folks who made Bacon Salt bring you Bacon Envelopes. J&D Foods
--Crispy tripas at Rambo's Taco Truck in Eagle Rock. Gourmet Pigs
--Miniature finger-food plates: Absurd or absurdly practical? The Kitchn
--Everyone loves the cheese dust. Dorito's DIY commercial contest returns.
--Burlingame officials try to run Curry Up Now truck out of town. California Taco Trucks
--Chocolate mousse-flavored Marshmallow Reindeer Peeps, new for the holidays.
--A roundup of pumpkin-based restaurant specials. Caroline On Crack

--Elina Shatkin

Photo: Toshihiko Seki, owner and chef of Toshi Sushi in downtown Los Angeles, prepares a plate of sashimi and rolls. Credit: Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times

'EAT: Los Angeles 2010' hits the shelves soon

Finding not just good food but the right food for the moment in this sprawling multicultural city can be enough work to make me stay home and eat oatmeal for dinner. Or go to the same spot over and over. So I, for one, am happy that "EAT:Los Angeles 2010" is scheduled to hit stores Dec. 1.

The second edition of the guide has more than 1,200 listings, from food trucks to fancy restaurants, all over the city, with 250 new listings. "I really was surprised that we had more new places than had closed," says editor Colleen Dunn Bates.

The 2010 guide also has a new section of a dozen tours of top food-loving neighborhoods such as Little India, Abbott Kinney Boulevard and Boyle Heights. The book was written by a group of food writers, including Linda Burum, an expert on international foods who writes for The Times; Amelia Saltsman, author of the "Santa Monica Farmers Market Cookbook"; and Pat Saperstein of Eating L.A.

Bates says there's been an increase in neighborhood gourmet markets such as the Larchmont Larder and the Oaks in Hollywood. She also took note of the food trucks trolling the city, found via blogs and tweets. While "EAT: Los Angeles" includes some of them, she says they're not so easy to keep track of.

-- Mary MacVean

Sampler Platter: Mignon coming to downtown L.A., Santa Monica resists food trucks, loads of contests

How is it possible that Farrell's is opening a location in Orange County before opening another location in Los Angeles? I have no idea, but it's true. This and more in today's food news.

-- Mignon, from the owners of Bacaro LA Wine Bar, is set to open this winter next to Cole's/Varnish. Eater LA
-- Santa Monica resists nouveau food trucks. California Taco Trucks
--Farrell’s Ice Cream Parlour makes its Orange County return on Wednesday, opening a new location in Mission Viejo. Fast Food Maven
-- The New Yorker profiles Jonathan Gold (and mentions local food blogger Teenage Glutster!).
-- With the demise of Gourmet magazine, Jane and Michael Stern will now be e-mailing their Roadfood newsletter once a week. Eating LA
-- Mattatouille has some lovely pictures from his recent foodventures in Japan, Indonesia and Korea.
-- New York firm recalls ground beef due to possible E. coli contamination. Safe Tables
-- Challenge Butter recently launched its "Taste of the West" contest. Prizes include a seven-day / six-night trip to Montana and an $850 kitchen package from Spice Islands and OXO.
-- Check out this infomercial, supposedly the first one ever, made in 1949. It's from Vita-Mix and features founder William G. “Papa” Barnard and a blender. Make your own absurd video and you could win Vita-Mix's Pitch Me! contest.
-- Marly Billings of Newport Beach, Shelly Mayo of Brentwood and David Walter of Los Angeles won Wahoo's Fish Tacos' recent naming contest with the three following dishes: Power Chopper Salad, Wafu Bowl and Baja-ladas Platter.

-- Elina Shatkin

Photo: 28-year-old Justin Dervaes (right) secures a smoothie being blended as his sister Jordanne pedals in the backyard of the family's urban homestead in Pasadena. Credit: Al Seib / Los Angeles Times.