Midtown Lunch

A Bowl of Ramen “So far ahead of its competition…”

• RAMEN Jonathan Gold names his top 10 bowls of ramen in L.A. [LAT]
• DTLA The 2nd location of Ikemen is now open… [Squid Ink]
• DTLA … and this guy’s already been there [Darin Dines]
• MID CITY It sounds like Sycamore Kitchen has some pretty great new lunch specials [Table Conversation]
• VENICE El Huarique looks super promising! [Grub Street]
• EVENT Tickets are now on sale for the event FKA “The Gold Standard” [LAW]
• PODCAST Top Chef contestant CJ is this week’s guest on the Food is the New Rock podcast.  He’s doing a pop up here in L.A. Feb. 14-17th at Square One [FITNR]

• CULVER CITY The chef from El Camaguary is back on the west side [LAMag]
• DTLA The new food court inside Fig at 7th has been packed [Brigham Yen]
• KTOWN Castle 2 has take over Bulgogi House on Wilshire [Eater]
• WESTWOOD 800 Degress is contemplating a separate to go window [Eater]
• WEST LA Tsujita to take over old Miyata Menji space [Grub Street]
• LUNCH Hollywood Reporter Releases its Top 25 Power Lunches in L.A. list [THR]

And speaking of FIGat7th, I’ll be on Good Food w/ Evan Kleinman this weekend talking about all the different options at the new DTLA food court… because… well… I love food courts.  The show airs Saturday morning at 11am on KCRW, or you can stream the episode after it airs on their website.

The L.A. Smashburger. Photo courtesy of A Hamburger Today

• CULVER CITY Your first look at Smashburger [AHT]
• DTLA Mariscos Jalisco has a 2nd truck now on 9th [LA Taco]
• DTLA Get 3 things for $11 at Kagura for lunch [The Minty]
• MID CITY Lemonade is coming to Larchmont… [Eater]
• MID CITY … and so is Pinches Tacos [LarchmontLA]
• MID CITY Plan Check is opening a 2nd location on Fairfax [Eater]
• SAMO Hole in the Wall Burger has moved to a new location [Unemployed Eater]
• WEHO Shoop’s European Deli has opened a 2nd location [Grub St.]
• MOBILE Wood fired pizza from a truck!? [Unemployed Eater]
• TACOS The 25 Best Tacos in L.A. right now [Food Republic]

• TACOS Marisco Jalisco’s shrimp taco is the taco of the year [Great Taco Hunt]
• BRENTWOOD Curry House CoCo Ichibanya is coming soon to Wilshire [Grub Street]
• DTLA Ikemen is expanding to Little Tokyo [Eater]
• DTLA Grand Central Market is getting a massive overhaul [LAT]
• DTLA Bar Ama is open for lunch! [Grub Street]
• DTLA Uncle John’s Cafe makes a great wonton soup [The Minty]
• DTLA Umamicatessen’s b’fast sando might make me break by $10 rule [The Minty]
• ECHO PARK First look at the new Guisado’s [Grub Street]
• ECHO PARK TiGeorges is closing up shop [LADTN]
• HWOOD The 10 best things to eat in Thai Town [Squid Ink]
• HWOOD Jon Shook recommends Ruen Pair and Mario’s Peruvian [Squid Ink]
• HWOOD A look at every single hot dog on Pink’s menu [Serious Eats]
• KTOWN Castle BBQ now has a 2nd $10 ayce location [Grub Street]
• WEST LA Hannosuke makes JGold’s top 10 of 2012 list [LAT]

RIP U-Sushi. We might be the only ones… but we’ll miss you.

• BEVERLY HILLS U-Sushi has closed [Eater]
• CULVER CITY A katsu specialist is coming to Washington next month [Grub St.]
• CULVER CITY Hello Cafe Creole! [Squid Ink]
• DTLA People are really excited about The Melt [Eater]
• DTLA Urbano Pizza Bar is moving [LAT]
• KTOWN Kalbi Burger has closed [Eater]
• SAMO Hole in the Wall Burger Joint is expanding [Eater]

The Oroshi from Japadog in Vancouver

• NEWS Japadog is coming to Los Angeles!!! [Grub Street]
• CULVER CITY Good Brazilian food is now available at El Camaguay [LAMag Digest]
• DTLA R.I.P. Fat Spoon. We will miss you. [Eater]
• KTOWN This black sesame pooridge looks super tasty [Squid Ink]
• WESTLAKE Good Cuban food in L.A.?  Yes please. [LAMag Digest]
• WEHO Gaucho Chicken looks like our kind of place [Eater]
• WESTWOOD It’s taken 2 yrs but somebody else finally noticed Attari Grill! [Food GPS]
• WESTWOOD Chick Fil A is coming to Westwood [LAist]
• LUNCH Hollywood writers fight over where to order lunch from [THR]

Pitfire Pizza’s Tuscan Pie. Photo courtesy of Gourmet Pigs

• PIZZA Pitfire is celebrating 15 years by offering their Tuscan pie for $8 all month [Gourmet Pigs]
• DTLA The NY style pizza is better than the margarita at Urbano [Slice]
• DTLA Shekarchi looks like a pretty great Persian food option [The Minty]
• HWOOD Dine in at Hollywood Pies soon (but will they be open for lunch!?) [Eater] 
• HWOOD House of Tacos is now open, and everything is 2 for 1 [Grub Street]
• HWOOD Vim Thai is now open next to Mario’s Peruvian [Grub Street]
• WEST LA A soba place is taking over Orris on Sawtelle [Grub Street]
• WEST LA Hole in the Wall Burger is moving to Santa Monica [Grub Street]
• WESTWOOD Your first look inside U-Mini… [Eater]
• WESTWOOD … and here’s a look at the food [Unemployed Eater]
• WESTWOOD The Lime Truck’s brick and mortar is now open [Squid Ink]
• LISTS 5 must try food truck burgers [Zagat]
• PODCAST This week’s Food is the New Rock guest is Rick Bayless… and we get him to talk about the criticism he faced when he opened Red O [FITNR]