It's hard to keep up with all the restaurant and bar openings, closings, chef swaps and revamps that happen every day in this city. What's worth spending your money on and what's all just hype? We're here to help you out with that. At the end of each month, I'll give a recap of the most exciting additions to enter LA's dining and drinking scene, whether it's a new ice cream shop or a creative cocktail bar. Here are a few August openings that are worth a visit:
Wanderlust Creamery (Tarzana): We've gone through a surge of artisanal ice cream shops popping up in LA, but this might be the first one that inspires us to hop on a plane. The scoops at Wanderlust Creamery in Tarzana (which took over a Cold Stone—a serious upgrade, in our opinion) include Thai Iced Tea, Vietnamese Coffee, Abuelita Malted Crunch, and Sticky Rice + Mango—essentially, the vacation you've been meaning to take. Everything is made in-house, including flavored cones (the green tea is fantastic) and macarons (like honey lavender and earl grey blueberry).
Block Party (Highland Park): Jason Eisner may be best known for his creative mezcal and tequila cocktails at Gracias Madre, but Block Party, which opened last Friday, is all about beer. The Highland Park bar features craft beer and wine, gourmet hot dogs, and a massive deck that makes you feel like you're in a friend's backyard. Oh, and did we mention there's a giant shuffleboard?
Maple Block Meat Co. (Culver City): Is it just us or has the Westside been blowing up with amazing restaurants lately? The latest to hit is Maple Block Meat Co. from pitmaster Adam Cole, where the art of butchering, smoking and grilling meat is held in high regard. Come for the brisket, turkey breast and chopped pork sandwiches (lunch only, though dinner service will begin in a couple of weeks).
House of Macau (Hollywood): Macanese cuisine isn't the easiest to come by in LA, which is why I'm excited about the arrival of House of Macau. The restaurant-lounge hybrid brings food from Macau, with a mixture of Chinese and Portuguese influences, to Hollywood. Expect to find dishes like grilled chicken satay, salt and pepper calamari, and minchi hot pot.
Forman's (Toluca Lake): If you're a fan of Laurel Tavern in Studio City, chances are you're going to dig Forman's from the ACME Hospitality Group (who are also behind Spring Street Bar, Beelman's Pub and Sixth Street Tavern). The New York-inspired gastropub seems like the perfect place for a stiff glass of whiskey or a thick burger in a space that touts taxidermy.
Blue Window at Mud Hen Tavern (Hollywood): Susan Feniger may have left Street, but Street never left her. The perpetually smiling chef missed the street food at her former restaurant, so she recently opened Blue Window, a take-out window attached to Mud Hen Tavern. Here you'll find Asian-inspired bites like Korean potstickers, BBQ bao and stuffed tempura, but you better hurry—the menu will change every six months into an entirely new concept.
Did you miss our favorite openings from July? Check out the list from last month.