Socalo opens in Santa Monica with a menu featuring lamb birria and tacos vampiros

Openings

My SoCal life

Socalo is open at the Gateway Hotel in Santa Monica from Susan Feniger and Mary Sue Milliken of Border Grill. The menu includes lamb birria, tacos vampiros with steak, platters of Baja seafood and grilled arrachera.

1920 Santa Monica Blvd., Santa Monica, (310) 451-1655, socalo.com

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Breakfast granola — a choice between oat milk or Straus yogurt with chia passion fruit and berries — at Socalo.  (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

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Socalo’s vampiros: steak and shrimp with griddled cheese and salsa macha, or vegetarian with griddled cheese.  (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

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Lamb birria made with slow-braised lamb shoulder and served with consommé, escabeche and tomatillo salsa at Socalo.  (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

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A dish of crispy chicken skins with crudités, lemon crema, house-made tajin and avocado tomatillo salsa at Socalo.  (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

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Inside Socalo, Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger’s new restaurant in Santa Monica.  (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

Mediterranean on Melrose

Olivetta will open Jan. 6 on Melrose Avenue with chef Michael Fiorelli, formerly of Love & Salt. A coastal Mediterranean menu includes rye macaroni with fennel sausage, grilled Spanish octopus with fried peppers and salsa verde, and grilled branzino with lemon conserva.

9010 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles, (310) 307-3932, olivetta.la

Part time cover

All Time will open part-time on Jan. 7 in Los Feliz. The dinner-only takeout business plans to offer salads, rotisserie chicken, mac and cheese, vegetarian entrees and more, seven days a week.

2044 Hillhurst Ave., Los Angeles

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Steam room

Qi Steam Kitchen is open in Mid-Wilshire for steamed Hubei-style cuisine. The menu includes spiced rice with lamb chops, pearl pork balls, and steamed garlic prawns with vermicelli.

5966 W. Olympic Blvd., Los Angeles, (323) 879-9313, qisteamkitchen.com

Halal la land

Halal House recently opened in Northridge. The menu includes Moroccan-style falafel, popcorn chicken, gyros and burgers.

9514 Reseda Blvd., Northridge, (818) 527-1440, instagram.com/halalhousela

Seafood pho in Long Beach

Pho K-Tea has a new location in Long Beach. The Vietnamese menu includes goi cuon, cha gio and pho with filet mignon, chicken or seafood.

2612 E. Anaheim St., Long Beach, (562) 438-9499, phoktea.com

Food

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Live to Sawtelle

The 70-year-old Tempura House recently reopened as Sawtelle Tempura House under chef Satoru Yokomori, formerly of Del Rey Kitchen and Sawtelle Kitchen. The menu is currently absent tempura but now includes karaage, udon, tonkatsu and ponzu chicken.

1816 Sawtelle Blvd., West Los Angeles, (310) 479-5989, facebook.com/pages/Sawtelle-Tempura-House/

Kurobuta tonkotsu in Hollywood

Kota Ramen is open in Hollywood for Hakata-style ramen and Japanese whisky from chef-restaurateur Kevin Fung of Montreal. The menu includes organic, 12-hour tonkotsu extracted from Kurobuta bones, plus fried goat cheese, white fish carpaccio and vegetable tempura.

1624 N. Cahuenga Blvd., Los Angeles, (323) 745-0888, instagram.com/kotaramen

Inherent rice

Mr Rice is open in Westwood for Yunnan-style mixian rice noodles and hot pot. The menu includes double chile fatty beef mixian, kimchi lamb hot pot, braised pig feet with rice and curry fish balls.

1010 Broxton Ave., Los Angeles

Admission possible

General Admission is open in Hollywood Hills. The sports bar’s menu includes avocado toast with lobster, pork belly-topped burgers, tacos and sushi.

3311 Cahuenga Blvd., Los Angeles, generaladmissionla.com

The one who ox

The Ox is open at Oxford Palace Hotel in Koreatown. The cafe serves cortados, mochas, teas and pastries from Baker’s Kneaded, such as croissants with guava or Nutella.

745 S. Oxford Ave., Los Angeles, theoxla.com

Hi-fi-fo-fum

Hi-Fi Espresso has a second location open in Redondo Beach. The cafe serves Counter Culture coffee and August Uncommon teas alongside items such as mushroom porridge, omelets and toast with peanut butter, banana jam and blueberries.

1815 S. Catalina Ave., Redondo Beach, (424) 247-8649, hifiespresso.com

Closings

Roy Choi’s A-Frame is closed after nine years in Culver City.

Mama Petrillo’s closed on Dec. 31 after 58 years in Temple City.

Inn Ann closed at Japan House on Dec. 31 to make room for a new restaurant, which is slated to open in January.

Doomie’s will close on Dec. 30 after eight months in Culver City. Locations in Hollywood and City Terrace remain open.

Curry House is closed after 14 years on Sawtelle.

Baroo Canteen is closed at Union Swapmeet after seven months in East Hollywood. On Instagram, the owners wrote, “It’s time to focus on the new Baroo and another project or two for 2020.”