Restaurant preview: The Mercantile

New York entrepreneur George Abou-Daoud has a spanking new place for Hollywood hipsters to hang. That would be the gourmet market and wine bar called the Mercantile just a few blocks west of his popular Bowery and Delancey venues. And this time, he's nabbed a name chef to do the food -- Kris Morningstar, who comes fully credentialed from stints at A.O.C. and Blue Velvet, not counting a short tenure at Casa downtown as opening chef. Morningstar will be handling both the Mercantile and the restaurant District next door (slated to open soon). Read more here:

Photo caption: Chef Kris Morningstar chats with a customer at the Mercantile, a new wine bar and restaurant, off Sunset Boulevard. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

Small Bites: Southern Girl Desserts brings cupcakes to Lucy Florence; Frysmith truck officially launches today

Cupcakes come to Lucy Florence: Southern Girl Desserts, whose sweet potato pie cupcakes placed third in the Best Original Cupcake category at last year's LA Cupcake Challenge, has opened its first storefront at Lucy Florence Image. In addition to cupcakes, owners Catarah Hampshire and Shonijeh Robison specialize in Southern favorites like pineapple obsession, banana pudding and cobbler. 5671 W. Pico Blvd., L.A. (310) 686-8916, www.southerngirldesserts.com.

[UPDATED: A previous version of this post listed the telephone number incorrectly.]

Gourmet fries on the move: The Frysmith truck that we first covered back in July officially launches today, bringing its rajas fries (roasted poblano chiles, caramelized onions and shawarma-marinated steak with Jack cheese); kimchi fries (kimchi with Kurobuta pork belly, onions and cheddar cheese); vegan chili fries and chicken sweet potato fries to the hungry masses. Follow them on Twitter @frysmith, or keep up with all of L.A.'s food trucks.

--Elina Shatkin

Photo: Sweet potato cupcakes from Southern Girl Desserts. Credit: Rob Takata / For The Times

Nate 'n Al opens new location today in Thousand Oaks

What's old is made new again as Nate 'n Al deli opens a new location in Thousand Oaks. In its 64 years of existence the famous deli has not expanded, so that alone is cause for celebration.

The original Nate 'n Al opened in Beverly Hills is 1945 and swiftly became a destination for the Hollywood crowd who loved its signature rye bread and juicy pastrami sandwiches.

Owner David Mendelson, grandson of original co-owner Al Mendelson, had been looking to open in a new location and decided he found one when he saw the Lakes, the outdoor shopping complex where the new Nate 'n Al resides. In the wintertime, the Lakes sets up an ice skating rink, so there's an added bonus if you decide to stop by for a visit.

The new Nate 'n Al joins California Pizza Kitchen, P.F. Chang's and the Claim Jumper as a dining option at the center.

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

-- Jessica Gelt

Photo: Brothers Mark, left, and David Mendelson run Nate 'n Al in Beverly Hills. Credit: Ken Hively / Los Angeles Times

Sampler Platter: Top 100 Wines of 2009, best late-night diner, best gay bar, Soda Pop's sandwich shop opens this week, tofurky gravy soda

The world's grossest soda and manicured nails made to look like bacon are in today's food news roundup.

• Main Street merchants want a crack at the Santa Monica Farmers Market. Santa Monica Daily Press

• Soda Pop's sandwich shop to open this Wednesday on La Cienega at Beverly. La Brea Dining Japanese restaurant to open at Crescent Heights and West 3rd Street. Blackburn and Sweetzer

• While the rest of the world tries to reduce its plastic use, Aussie winemaker Peter Yealands switches to plastic wine bottles. Stuff

• Playboy names Original Pantry Cafe as a Top 10 Late-Night Diner

• TripOut names the Abbey as Best Gay Bar in the World. Brand X

• Nov. 23 is the New Yorker's food issue with John Colapinto on the secrets of the Michelin guide, Calvin Trillin on poutine, Adam Gopnik on cookbooks, Mimi Sheraton on spit cakes; Evan Osnos on Beijing's love of wine, Raffi Khatchadourian on the Givaudan flavor factory and more.

• Jones makes tofurkey and gravy soda (read: carbonated vomit). Chicago Sun Times

• Wine Spectator will announce its Top 100 Wines of 2009 on Wednesday. Members get a sneak peek today.

• Prospectors set to drill for Shackleton's booze in Antarctica. Metro

• Meat manicure: bacon nail tips. Jezebel

• All About Beer celebrates 30th anniversary edition: "Revolution!" versus "What Revolution?"

• Elizabeth Hurley's diet tips: vodka and one meal a day. Daily Mail

• Yes, people do win McDonald's Monopoly game. (Daily Finance) In other news, McDonald's will open 1,000 new restaurants in 2010. CNNMoney.com

-- Elina Shatkin

Photo: Stan Augustyn handles oils at Givaudan-Roure Corp. Credit: Joe Tabacca / For The Times

Preview: Philippe by Philippe Chow in West Hollywood

 

One of the great joys of life in Los Angeles is its aspiration toward casualness at all costs. In this city, the more dressed down you are at an upscale restaurant the more likely it is that you are someone important.

And so it was that on a recent Wednesday night at West Hollywood's new chichi Chinese restaurant, Philippe by Philippe Chow, a sizable turnout of meticulously informal diners found themselves seated in the resplendent red-white-and-black dining room, nibbling on thimble-sized crispy duck rolls and sipping exotic fruit-based martinis. Read more here:

Photo: The main dining room at Philippe by Philippe Chow, a recently opened ultra high-end Chinese restaurant in West Hollywood. Credit: Alex Gallardo / Los Angeles Times

Hatfield's update: An end-of-December opening is planned (and yes, the former Red Pearl space gets a new paint job very soon)

"It's all anyone ever asks about on Twitter," chef Quinn Hatfield says. "When's the red paint going away? When are you going to paint? What color are you going to paint? It's a real touch-point for people."

Well, people, the space on Melrose Avenue that Quinn and Karen Hatfield are moving into (once Citrus, Alex, Meson G and most recently Red Pearl Kitchen) gets a new coat -- er, several coats? -- of paint as early as the end of this week (it will be off-white). The Hatfields expect their new incarnation of Hatfield's to open by the last week of December.

Having outgrown their former 40-seat restaurant on Beverly Boulevard, the couple is readying for a debut in a storied location (Michel Richard's Citrus was there for 11 years, but others haven't had such a great run).  The new Hatfield's seats 70 in the main dining room, 20 on the patio, 20 more in the private dining room, and at least that many in the bar and lounge. "It was pretty claustrophobic" in the old space, says Karen Hatfield. "And we were tired of having to tell people no, not being able to accommodate their requests. ...

This Just In: Umami Urban to open in Hollywood's Space 15 Twenty on Friday

Umami Burger owner Adam Fleischman confirms that the third outpost of his savory Japanese burger joint, this one called Umami Urban, will open Friday at  Space 15 Twenty (which is also home to an Urban Outfitters store) in Hollywood. There will be an attached full bar called Chu-Hi, which will specialize in Japanese cocktails. 

Considering that it's half a block north of Sunset Boulevard and right across from Amoeba Music and the ArcLight, it's a safe bet the restaurant will make for many a happy hipster.

Umami Urban is large, featuring 70 seats both indoors and out. The menu will feature classic Umami burgers, sandwiches and daily specials. The venue is also equipped with a space for private parties, movie screenings, art exhibits and concerts with Umami food and drink on offer. (If you're familiar with the space, there is a courtyard where bands occasionally play.) For availability, contact info@umamiburger.com.

Eat your heart out, Hollywood.

Umami Urban, 1520 N. Cahuenga Blvd., Los Angeles. (323) 469-3100. 

-- Jessica Gelt

Photo: An Umami burger and hand-cut fries. Credit: Ringo H.W. Chiu / For The Times
 

LudoBites comes to Royal/T in Culver City starting Dec. 2

Chef Ludovic Lefebvre's pop-up restaurant LudoBites at Breadbar was a smash success, and when it ended in August, his newly expanded L.A. fan base hungered for more. Amid the swirling rumors that he would launch a brick-and-mortar restaurant -- still a distinct possibility -- Lefebvre has partnered with art gallery/Japanese maid cafe Royal/T for another incarnation of LudoBites, which debuts in December.

The 13-day engagement (Dec. 2 to 4; 9 to 10; 13 to 17; and 20 to 22) is presented in conjunction with Jane Glassman's "In Bed Together" exhibit. We suggest making reservations as soon as possible.

-- Elina Shatkin

Photo: Chef Ludovic Lefebvre works behind the counter while diners eat LudoBites at Breadbar. Credit: Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times

Cafe Habana: Why Malibu?

The 'Bu seems an unlikely spot for a new branch of Cafe Habana -- a New York-based mini-chain of hip Cuban cafes located in Manhattan's Nolita and Brooklyn's Fort Greene. But the way partner and bar impresario Rande Gerber (Whiskey Blue, Stone Rose) sees it, he and his family -- including wife Cindy Crawford -- needed a place to eat besides Giorgio Baldi.

"I live in Malibu and have always wanted to open a restaurant here in the neighborhood for my friends and family," says Gerber. "Something casual, family-friendly, a place you can go on a date, or with the kids at 6 o'clock, or for a late-night meal.

"I think there are a few good restaurants in Malibu, very few. You can have a great Italian meal, there are a few places for sushi, but no place you'd really want to go more than once a week."

So Gerber approached Cafe Habana owner Sean Meenan, who says he jumped at the opportunity. "Rande had been to the restaurant and dug it, and he found the space," Meenan says. "There had been a few other offers, I'd been thinking about the Country Mart in Brentwood. I wasn't in the right mindset. But I'm so excited to be opening up in Malibu."  The Malibu Cafe Habana, at the Malibu Lumber Yard shopping center, is set to open "at the very beginning of the year," he says.

Meenan has a place in Venice and calls the drive from Venice to Malibu "one of the best drives in the whole world, especially for a New York guy; it's like 'Wow, this is God's country.' " Expect a Venice Cafe Habana to follow.   

-- Betty Hallock

Photo credit: Cafe Habana

Small Bites: Gobi Mongolian BBQ drops prices and Samba Brazilian Steakhouse opens

Discounted Mongolian barbecue: Gobi Mongolian BBQ in Silver Lake has launched a deal that's good Mondays through Thursdays until Dec. 31, dropping the price of its lunch to $8.95 and dinner to $11.95. Happy Hour (Mon.- Fri, 4-7 p.m.) also features $3 select beers, $4 wines by the glass, $4 cocktails and $1 off artisanal ales. 2827 W. Sunset Blvd., L.A. 213-989-0711, www.gobimongolianbbq.com.

A dash of Brazil: Featuring Brazilian churrascaria, a dedicated Caipirinha cocktail bar and free nightly entertainment like Samba dancers and Brazilian bands, Samba Brazilian Steakhouse & Lounge opens this Thursday at Universal CityWalk. 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City. www.citywalkhollywood.com.

--Elina Shatkin

Photo: A dancer makes a big impression at Samba Brazilian Steakhouse & Bar in Redondo Beach. Credit: Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times.