Support for Monterey Park in Highland Park | Plant-based pizza and vegetarian eats in Echo Park | A collection of closures across the Eastside

Highland Park: Jeff’s Table, the elevated deli-style joint, will donate $1 per sale this week to the Monterey Park victims fund. In a statement posted to Instagram, they wrote that they are “sending love to the incredible Monterey Park community, without their influence on Southern California food culture, we wouldn’t be here.” 

New on the Menu 

Echo Park: Vegetarian restaurant Elf has reopened, according to Eater LA. The restaurant will be open Thursday through Sunday from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. after closing at the start of the pandemic. 

Highland Park: Spanish restaurant Otoño launched a lunch menu this week and is planning on expanding in late spring 2023. Otoño Mercat will open directly behind the current Otoño space. The title originated from a pandemic market concept but will now provide specialty Spanish items, space for pop-up chefs, and a bar for obscure vermouths and cocktails. There are plans to open in May or June of this year, according to What Now Los Angeles. In the meanwhile, the new lunch menu is available now, featuring ham and chicken croquettes, a Spanish Embutido board,  and bocadillos on housemade stecca bread. 

Echo Park: Plant-based pizza restaurant Forever Pie will be opening in the next few months on Sunset Boulevard, reports What Now Los Angeles. The location was initially planned to open in spring or summer 2022, but was challenged by mechanical and electrical systems in the building and permits. 

Eagle Rock: If you’re looking for a place to rest your tired green thumbs, you’re in luck. We reported last week that Creature's Plants & Coffee plans to open in the spring, offering both plants and pastries alike.

Closures

Echo Park: Both Konbi and Aldea by Farmcup have closed. Konbi, the Japanese cafe and sandwich shop that won immediate acclaim when it opened five years ago, closed again for good on Friday, according to the L.A. Times. That includes both locations in Echo Park and Culver City. Echo Park's Konbi had reopened only last November with a new menu and format. But an Instagram post said the owners are now selling their equipment and looking for other jobs. Chef and co-owner Akira Akuto blamed not only the pandemic for the closure, but also inflation, state labor policies, and a scarcity of ingredients. Aldea by Farm Cup closed in late December after only eight months. Winsome, the previous tenant of the space, also only lasted a few years. 

Silver Lake: Eszett announced on Instagram that they are closing on Monday, Jan. 30 after three years of business. Eszett opened in December 2019 and faced a myriad of challenges throughout the pandemic. But a new beginning is on the horizon for the space. According to Eater LA, the restaurant’s general manager will be taking over the lease to launch a new concept soon. 

Historic Filipinotown: The Filipina-owned Genever, one of the nation's best bars of 2022, closed on Jan 25. The Los Angeles Times reported that the business did not negotiate to secure a new lease. The three owners hope to keep their liquor license to invest in another woman-of-color owned business. 

Highland Park: Customers of taco restaurant La Estrella noticed a sign that they were closing down after 25 years of business. CBS News reported that the owner of the land sold the property, which forced the location to close upon the finalization of the sale.

Write-Ups

Echo Park: In case you missed it, our own Merrill Shindler wrote about the “delicious downhome”  flavors of local Thai restaurant Sticky Rice.

Boyle Heights: LA TACO highlighted six street vendors in the neighborhood—with two food and drink businesses. Margarita Vargas has helped run Tacos San Juditas on the corner of Soto and 1st for about a year and  Julián Anguiano from Mystic Cafe began a coffee stand two and a half years ago, but is set to open a brick-and-mortar location in East LA.

More Restaurant News

Echo Park: Building sales are also threatening Ms. Donut. We reported earlier this week about how community members are rallying to help the business stay open after learning of plans to sell the building at the beginning of February. 

Highland Park: The Northeast Local Los Angeles Tenants Union called for a boycott of Gloria's Cuisine last week. The union said that, as the restaurant plans to expand, the owner wants to evict a local plant and water store owner. Gloria’s Cusine released a detailed statement on Instagram and said that they are offering to help relocate the tenant.