NEW VENUES - CAFE ENTOURAGE

So right in the W building in Hollywood a new venue is opening up tomorrow...Cafe Entourage. The spot is 24 hours between the days of Thursday to Saturday so you can grab dinner, late food and turn around and come right back again for breakfast...and then do it all over again.  With things like rib-eyes, pizza and breakfast food you really can't lose.  1600 N. Vine in case you were wondering...

NEW VENUES: ROXBURY

This is the only picture I could find but I can tell you that it opens up this Friday.  Supposedly this club is somewhere between the feel of TRON and a romance novel...I don't know either but it looks fly from this one pic.  I can at least give you the address and phone number though...

1661 Ivar Ave
(south of Hollywood)
Los Angeles, CA 90028
323-469-0040

GOOD FOOD: THE SMOKIN' JOINT (VIDEO)

My mother actually told me about this spot the other day...turns out one of my aunts is friends with one of the owners somehow.  So she said I should check it out and sent over a link to this video for the restaurant as it has been voted a 2010 nominee for best new BBQ place in Los Angeles on Best of LA TV.  Looking at the video the portions look huge and tasty.  The restaurant is located in West Hollywood on 3rd, pretty much near places like Berri's, the Beverly Center and more.  So when you get a chance peep out The Smokin' Joint and tell your friends.  Seeing it's about lunch time it seemed like this would be the right time to show this to ya'll...

NEW VENUES: 1616 in DOWNTOWN LA

So from the folks who brought you the Spearmint Rhino comes their first non-stripper venue.  Keeps a "sex appeal" to it but definitely more Rated R than XXX.  I've been invited to a few private events but supposedly the soft opening is for a Halloween event later this month.  The venue also has grilled Tuscan Rib-Eye, cotton candy and housemade lollipops...interesting.  Peep the website here.

NEW VENUES: TINGA..."THE MEXICAN ROSCOES...?"

So I've been hearing this rumor of a new restaurant that's something between a traditional Mexican food restaurant meets Roscoe's Chicken & Waffles.  Seems odd but then again they are food types that us "Angelenos" love to eat.  The restaurant is right there on La Brea near American Rag and all the other festive stores that section of La Brea is known for.  For the most part they stick to the traditional mexican food items and put their twist on things...like the "Dog Snout" salsa...because it's that hot apparently it'll make your dog's nose run.  On Sunday is when they really get festive and give you their take on chicken and waffles.  You get fried chicken with a tequila syrup drizzle served over a bed of buckwheat waffles made with horchata.  Sometimes they even make a french toast or "Pan Dulce French Toast(that would be Mexican sweet bread with homemadedulce de leche)".

142 S. La Brea Los Angeles 90036; Open Now.

NEW VENUES: TE'KILA

I have no pictures of the food so far but this was formerly La Cantina right on Hollywood Blvd.  It's a barn style set up with the wood walls and offers many of the mexican food favorites including an array of tacos.  Now, though I don't know how the food is or what is on the food menu we should embrace the fact that this place has 100 different tequilas...there is one that goes for 75$ a shot.  With a tequila menu like that you can make the food work for you.  The restaurant will open on August 9th.

6541 Hollywood Blvd
(west of Hudson)
Los Angeles, CA 90028
323-960-2404

NEW VENUES: RED O RESTAURANT

The only restaurant of Rick Bayless not in Chicago opens next week right here in Los Angeles right on Melrose, west of Crescent Heights.  A mexican restaurant that you wouldn't guess was a mexican food place looking at the pictures.  You can start making reservations on Tuesday and the restaurant doesn't open until May 26th.  The place has 14ft chandeliers, antique bells and other decadent items.  You can sit at the bar, a communal family style table or more intimate settings.  You can get real intimate and sit along a 25ft fireplace with floating candles and try sample premium tequilas...nice.  There are also leather swings near the bar...hmmmmm.  Website is right here.  And you can call 323.655.5009 for that reservation...someone lucky can take me here for my bday.

NEW VENUES: ANGELS & KINGS

A new spot over on 1708 N. Las Palmas Ave brought to you by the Dolce Group.  Not their typical hangout with expensive drinks, needing to know the doorman and bottle service requirement if you think you're going to have a"Guys Night Out"...this is more of a bar bar...cheap beers ($3) and well drinks ($5).  They also have Vodka-Marinated Beef Tips and Homemade Chips.  If you want to know more check out the site.

NEW VENUES: DRAI'S HOLLYWOOD

Well if you've been to Vegas in the last decade then you've been told to check out Drai's for partying (whether during normal or afterhours) so you know how it goes.  Well now Drai's is expanding to Los Angeles and it pops up at the new W in Hollywood, opens Thursday actually.  So now we can get a bit of Vegas in Hollywood...might want to book a room at the W if that's the case.  The venue isn't accessible from the W per say either...a corridor near the Hollywood and Vine subway stop has an undercover elevator with a choice of two floors: 1 & 12.  So on the W rooftop covering over 20,000 square feet you'll find Drai's Hollywood.  Poolside cabanas for the daytime action as well as dining.  There are half moon booths facing a dance floor.  Oh those cabanas can get curtain drawn bottle service after dark.  The spot stays open until 3am...do the math.  Let's say this will be one of the biggest summer spots this year (and beyond).  Want to learn more...go HERE.

NEW VENUES: WESTSIDE TAVERN & THE LANDMARK THEATERS at WESTSIDE PAVILION

So it's not brand new but fairly new and to be honest I've been sleeping on the spot.  But a meeting brought me over to this spot and I was very much feeling it.  The new Landmark theater has plenty of state of the art things going on with the marquee boards, ticket kiosks, concession menu displays and more.  The layout is very modern and spacious and the entertainment factor almost surrounds you.  The lifestyle elements are very trendy with a lounge in the lobby that features a full bar and flatscreens so you can catch that game score and a drink before taking your date to see the popular movie choice of the evening.  You can even do the whole dinner and a movie experience if you eat at the Westside Tavern just below the theater.  With many choice entrees, appetizers, a full bar and decadent layout, you can impress your date and not feel rushed between the dinner and movie venues.  To check the menu go here and to see what movies are playing, go here.

NEW VENUES: BAR210 & PLUSH

So inside of the Beverly Hilton on Saturday two new venues open to our city courtesy of DNA (a Las Vegas nightlife company with quite a rep).  Bar210 is a more intimate place with dim lighting and golden chandeliers that cascade the spot.  They have a Tiger Prawn Ravioli as well as Pork Belly Sliders and interesting drinks like the Black Berry which consists of Hennesy Black, cranberry, apple juice and blackberries.  The food is courtesy of a Top Chef alum so that should make for some tasty selections.

Plush is the adjacent club and is meant for a more festive and social time.   A tunnel of banquettes, enclosed patio and a fire pit are some of the highlights.  I may need to do something with this here.  Stay Tuned.