Suzy’s sold, Addi returns, luxury seafood in ES, more Mexican in RB, events, and other dining news
After years of being denied a full liquor license, Suzy’s owner Sal Longo is selling the popular music club. Longo is pictured with wife Deborah “DK” Kahlo, who passed away last year. File photo
Last Call On Aviation: Suzy’s, the East Hermosa bar and grill that has been a popular music venue for decades, has sold, and both the buyer and their plans for the space are surprising. New owners Adnen and Lenora Marouani of Barsha in Manhattan Beach, plan to renovate the space, upscale food, and keep offering live music. Expect a revamping during the next few months and a reopening sometime in late August…
And More Changes: That shopping center on Aviation that hosts Suzy’s is already in transition since Kochi closed in late May. The restaurant offered expensive but excellent South Indian food, but never seemed to find a local audience. It didn’t help that they had a very small sign and always looked like they were closed. I hope the next tenant does something about that… Down the street at the former Angel City Grill, remodeling work is in progress and a sign announces the arrival of a new restaurant this summer. The name is El Barrio, so I’m guessing they won’t be serving Chinese food… Elsewhere around the South Bay, Chicago For Ribs shuttered after a year and a half in business. The restaurant had been conspicuously unsuccessful since they opened, so this isn’t a big surprise. The space will become Kalaveras Cantina, the third in an upscale Mexican chain based in Orange County. Since the tenant before Chicago For Ribs was Casa Pulido, maybe this space really wanted to be a Mexican restaurant all along… Meanwhile in North Redondo, Four Brothers Burgers closed after decades in business, catching their large following by surprise. The space will become a new business called Top Tenders, and it’s a surprising choice to open a chicken restaurant here, because the extremely popular Chicken Maison is only a few doors away. No word yet on when the doors will open, but work is going on at a fast pace…
Addi’s Returns: There was much surprise when the beloved Addi’s Tandoor suddenly closed, and much confusion when a confusingly similar sign for “Addi’s Darbar” went up at the same location. To clear up what has happened, the restaurant is being renovated and when it’s done Addi Decosta will be back with new partners. Darbar means “gathering place” or “royal court,” and either way the change in the name makes sense. While tandoor ovens are central to the cuisine of Northern India, Addi has always served many items from South Indian cuisine. His place was the first Goa-style restaurant in greater LA and a destination for gourmets from all over. Expect an opening sometime in July or early August – you’ll have time to work up an appetite for vindaloo between now and then…
Still More Changes? Yes: The former McCormick and Schmick’s on Rosecrans has been vacant for well over a year, but a new tenant has been announced. It’s Eddie V’s Prime Seafood, an upscale chain that began in Texas before being acquired by the Darden mega-group of restaurants. Eddie V’s specialty is seafood classics in a luxurious atmosphere, the same concept as the previous restaurant, but at a somewhat higher price point. It’s a move with some precedent, since the Fleming’s a few blocks away is doing just fine, and we’ll soon see if there’s room for two with that formula… Elsewhere in El Segundo, there’s a “coming soon” sign up for the Tyler Coffee Bar & Surf Lounge near the Slice and Pint on Grand Avenue. I haven’t been able to find out anything about this operation yet, and if anybody knows I’m always happy to get the inside intel…
Event Alerts! The spirits pairing dinner at Lido di Manhattan Beach on June 20 is a must attend for the cocktail crowd, because how often do you get a chance to sample Italian cuisine with mixological concoctions and pours of neat whiskey? The spirits are all from R6 Distillery of El Segundo, so you can both eat and drink with local ingredients. Five courses with cocktails will set you back $115 – check brownpapertickets.com and enter Lido to find it… There are always a few outdoor gala events now that we can count on decent summer weather. (Or at least we used to be able to count on it — things have been a bit weird lately.) The first big one is Celebrate Wellness, the benefit event for the Cancer Support Community in Redondo Beach. It’s a garden party on June 23 in our lushest of landscapes, the South Coast Botanic Gardens in Palos Verdes. Tickets are $175 per person and include food from many restaurants, beverages from breweries, wineries, and baristas, and all the pretty and weird plants you care to enjoy. Details and tickets are at celebratewellness.org… There’s a big event for fans of Duckhorn wines on June 28 at Fleming’s – a four-course dinner at which the winery will unveil their new Greenwing Cabernet Sauvignon. Price is $100. (310) 643-6911 for details or to reserve… No matter what you drink there’s something for you this summer, because Chez Melange is hosting a dinner with three San Diego brewmasters on July 8. It’s $55 plus tax & tip. (310) 540-1222 to reserve… And for those who actually plan stuff in advance, the Chefs & Cellars event at Catalina View Vineyards is July 14. This is your one chance of the year to visit this lush working vineyard in Palos Verdes, and the benefit for the PV Arts Center always sells out. Price is $125 per person for an afternoon of tasting and sampling with an ocean view. Tickets at Eventbrite or buy them at the PV Art Center – and while you’re there, enjoy their art, because there are always interesting things to see…
And In Conclusion: Your tips help me keep up with what’s happening around the neighborhood. Any openings I missed, any events, any other places where I can get great ravioli with cocktails? Please send an email to Richard@RichardFoss.com. ER