Restaurant news: Jessica Koslow heads to West L.A., Pink's hot dogs in the South Bay, Vincenti's revamp - Los Angeles Times
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Restaurant news: Jessica Koslow heads to West L.A., Pink’s hot dogs in the South Bay, Vincenti’s revamp

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This week in restaurant news, we take a look at Hollywood-famous hot dogs in a South Bay mall, Jessica Koslow’s expanding empire and a veteran Brentwood restaurant’s face-lift:

West L.A.’s newcomer: Koslow, the chef behind the popular East Hollywood restaurant Sqirl, announced plans to open a restaurant in West Los Angeles, just off Sawtelle Boulevard. Expect a lot more of your favorites from Sqirl (grain bowls, toast and jam), including items for takeaway, as well as dinner and a bar. The restaurant has yet to be named and is expected to open some time next year. And Sqirl fans are still waiting on Koslow to open Sqirl Away, a takeout extension next to the original restaurant. 2231 S. Barrington Ave., Los Angeles. sqirlla.com.

Food as art: Manuela, the new restaurant at the Hauser Wirth & Schimmel arts complex in the Downtown L.A. Arts District, has opened for weekend brunch, and will open for lunch on Wednesday. Tapping into his north Texas roots, chef Wes Whitsell is smoking items in-house as well as fermenting, preserving and pickling locally sourced seasonal ingredients. Menu highlights include fried quail with watermelon, almond and lime; a deer burger; smoked baby back ribs; and a salad with preserved lemon and smoked tomato vinaigrette. The restaurant will feature a kitchen garden and a house for the restaurant’s 12 rare-breed chickens. The restaurant’s hours will eventual extend to daily breakfast, lunch and dinner. 907 E. 3rd St., Los Angeles, (323) 849-0480, www.manuela-la.com.

Famous mall dogs: Pink’s will open a location at the Del Amo Fashion Center in Torrance on Wednesday. The South Bay location will have a menu featuring more than a dozen hot dogs and hamburgers, including the classic chili cheese dog and one called the Del Amo Spicy Dog, which comes with a spicy Polish sausage, sliced cheese, spicy nacho cheese, tomatoes and grilled onions. This will be the first Pink’s in a mall. 3525 W. Carson St., Torrance, (310) 542-8525, www.simon.com/mall/del-amo-fashion-center.

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Vincenti’s face-lift: Vincenti Ristorante, the lauded Brentwood Italian restaurant, is celebrating its 20th anniversary next year. And to get ready, the restaurant has gotten a face-lift. Included in the revamp is a shorter name (now it’s just Vincenti), new decor in the dining room and a complete menu overhaul. Highlights from chef Nicola Mastronardi’s new menu include polipo e seppia arrostita, a warm salad of octopus and roasted seppia; tortelli filled with osso buco and porcini mushrooms with a black truffle sauce; and a new three-course family-style tasting menu. 11930 San Vicente Blvd., Los Angeles, (310) 207-0127, www.vincentiristorante.com.

Italian tapas in Glendale: The team behind the Italian tapas restaurants Bacaro L.A. near USC and Bacari PDR in Play del Rey, have announced plans to open Bacari GDL, a sister restaurant at the Americana at Brand in Glendale, later this year. The restaurant, by brothers Robert and Daniel Kronfli along with partner and executive chef Lior Hillel, will feature an expanded Bacari menu that includes brunch, lunch and dinner, with wood-fired pizzas. Bacari GDL is the latest to join a growing number of restaurants adding Glendale locations, including Shake Shack, Eggslut and Mainland Poke. 889 Americana Way, Glendale, www.bacarigdl.com.

New night life in town: Hospitality powerhouse sbe has announced plans to open its newest concept, Nightingale Plaza, in the former Greystone Manor space on North La Cienega Boulevard, later this month. Architectural and design firm the Rockwell Group is designing the 6,500-square-foot venue to be a re-imagined European courtyard. Guests will enter through three terraced chambers to find dancing, a porch bar, a VIP back bar and an outdoor garden. And yes, there will be VIP bottle service. 643 N La Cienega Blvd., Los Angeles.

Still hungry? Larry Monaco has been named new executive chef at Viceroy Santa Monica’s Cast restaurant. Wolfgang Puck has named Eric Klein as new head chef for culinary Wolfgang Puck Catering (that means he’ll be handling the Oscars’ Governors Ball). Van Leeuwan ice cream has opened a location in Franklin Village. Fritzi DTLA has started serving what its calling a Danish-style brunch, meaning you choose what you want to eat and how much. The Crossing in downtown L.A. is now Birdies X Multiply, a restaurant and bar with food by Birdies, the coffee, doughnuts and fried chicken restaurant.

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I always have room for dessert. Follow me on Twitter & Instagram @Jenn_Harris_

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