Camphor
A modern bistro from two seasoned chefs is now open in the Arts District. Max Boonthanakit and Lijo George, who worked alongside one another in Bangkok at the Michelin-starred restaurant Blue by Alain Ducasse, have teamed up to open Camphor as co-executive chefs. The new 65-seat restaurant is housed in the former home of Nightshade (where Boonthanakit served as opening pastry chef) and offers South Asian flavors — such as “gunpowder” seasoning dusted on fried baby shrimp or a saffron jus with black cod and basmati rice — and bistro-leaning dishes like lobster with coral bisque, and oysters with amaretto mignonette. The cocktail program is headed by bar director Andrew Paniagua, formerly of Lock & Key, and will include classics with French flair, such as a martini made with pear eau de vie and a vodka that’s been infused with herbes de Provence. Camphor is open Wednesday to Monday from 5 to 11 p.m.
923 E. 3rd St., Suite #109, Los Angeles, (213) 626-8888, camphor.la
Inside Camphor, which opened last week inside the former Nightshade space.
(Josh Telles / Camphor)
Ryla
A new restaurant blending Taiwanese and Japanese flavors is open in Hermosa Beach. Ryla, from husband-and-wife team Ray Hayashi (MB Post, Fishing With Dynamite) and Cynthia Hetlinger (Providence), features a menu that includes umeboshi roast chicken; karaage with charred-scallion yuzu mayo; truffle-topped fried rice with Chinese sausage; agedashi Meiji tofu with uni; ox-tongue curry rice; and matcha tiramisu. The bar offers cocktails plus sake and Japanese whiskey programs; the wine list leans toward California and French labels. Ryla is open from 5 to 10 p.m. Sunday to Wednesday and 5 to 10:30 p.m. Thursday to Saturday; brunch is expected to follow.
1220 Hermosa Ave., Hermosa Beach, (424) 247-9881, eatryla.com
Ryla serves Japanese and Taiwanese dishes with a nod to California, such as the tonkatsu made using Peads & Barnetts pork.
(Dylan James Ho / Ryla)
KazuNori Koreatown
Sushi restaurateur Kazunori Nozawa’s popular hand-roll bar KazuNori has added a sixth location to its L.A. roster. KazuNori Koreatown, now open in Chapman Plaza, offers the chain’s signature hand rolls and sashimi, with the addition of an exclusive ankimo (monkfish liver) hand roll featuring miso sauce and warm rice. KazuNori Koreatown is open from 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday to Thursday, 11:30 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday, and noon to 10 p.m. Sunday. Takeout, delivery and dine-in are available.
3465 W. 6th St., Suite #50, Los Angeles, (213) 338-2284, handrollbar.com
Civil Coffee’s new downtown location features a full espresso bar and indoor seating.
(Civil Coffee)
Civil Coffee downtown
After beginning their operation selling coffee from the back of a truck, brothers Alan and Alex Morales opened a Highland Park coffee shop focused on thoughtful sourcing and balanced caffeinated drinks in 2015; this month, they’re expanding the bricks-and-mortar operation for the first time. On March 7 Civil Coffee will debut in the Fashion District’s former Stumptown Coffee Roasters space, offering 34 seats, a full espresso bar, grab-and-go items and all-day fare. Some of the Highland Park’s signature drinks and food items can be expected, including fresh croissants, parfaits and overnight oats. A third location, opening in Studio City’s the Shops at Sportsmen’s Lodge, will follow this spring.
120 E. 8th St., Suite #400, Los Angeles, civilcoffee.com
Eighty Pho
Every Tuesday to Thursday there’s a new lunchtime-only pho shop popping up in Koreatown. In Hospitality Group — which operates Hanchic, Kinn and Chimmelier and co-runs Jail Joa — launched a weekly Vietnamese-food concept out of Hanchic starting March 1. Eighty Pho, a play on Vietnam’s country code, was created to showcase chef Kyungbin Min, who spent years training and cooking at Little Sister. Running indefinitely, the pop-up will serve a limited menu of beef pho, chicken pho, fried spring rolls and fresh spring rolls from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
2500 W. 8th St., Suite #103, Los Angeles, (213) 375-7095, instagram.com/eighty.pho
The new pho operation within Hanchic launched March 1.
(Jesse Hsu / Eighty Pho)
Abernethy’s
The Music Center’s restaurant featuring a revolving residency of chefs and eclectic culinary styles has reopened for the first time since March 2020. Abernethy’s, located on the performance venue’s Jerry Moss Plaza, spotlights emerging and acclaimed chefs for months at a time; previous stints have included menus and appearances by Niki Nakayama, Shirley Chung and Curtis Stone. The first chef to cook in the space in two years is Ryan Costanza, formerly of Freedman’s and Post & Beam. Costanza’s Abernethy’s residency will focus on food from Mediterranean islands, including Sicily and Sardinia, with dishes such as uni carbonara with bottarga, and Catalan lobster with tomato jelly. Chef Geter Atienza, formerly of Broken Spanish and Alice, will have a residency in July. Abernethy’s is open from 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday to Friday, 4:30 to 8 p.m. Saturday, and 3 to 7 p.m. Sunday.
220 N. Hope St., Los Angeles, (213) 972-8088, abernethysla.com