Time Out Los Angeles news

The king of the Kogi empire is no stranger to spice, but for those looking to try Roy Choi’s cooking with a different kind of heat, you’re in luck. Next week, Choi is teaming up with Cheetos to coat Hollywood denizens' fingers with a sheen of red-orange powder at the Flamin’ Hot Spot, a pop-up restaurant slinging dishes made with—you guessed it—Flamin’ Hot Cheetos.  From September 18 to 20, this stoner’s dream of an eatery takes over the Madera Kitchen space in Hollywood, offering an à la carte menu of Choi-designed dishes such as the Hot Cheetos Burrito, stuffed with Flamin’ Hot Cheetos, cheese, a chili sour cream sauce, and either avocado or short rib; and the Xxtra Flamin’ Hot Rice Bowl, which layers rice and Xxtra Flamin’ Hot Cheetos (honestly, who knew that product even existed?), then tops it with cilantro, toasted sesame seeds, chili sour cream and either grilled chicken or broccoli. There are even Cheetos churros, because why not at this point? What’s more, the restaurant even provides the recipes for all of these plates, so you can recreate the red-hot mayhem at home. Why is any of this happening, you might ask? According to Adweek, who broke the story, this is the Flamin’ Hot counterpart to last year’s Cheetos pop-up restaurant in New York City. Take a peek at the dishes that will be served, make your reservation, then try not to think about the red powder that will inevitably cover you. Our tip? Don’t wear white.  Photograph: Courtesy Cheetos Photo

The wait for Simone is finally over—or, we should say, almost over. After at least three years of planning, preview dinners and menu teases, Jessica Largey’s first restaurant is set to open next Thursday in a historic Arts District building, an Art Deco-inspired dream complete with a tasting table, private dining rooms and a standalone high-concept bar.   There’s been national focus on Simone since Largey took home the James Beard Rising Star Chef award in 2015, and according to her business partner, Joe Russo, it’s taken them, and partner Bruno Bagbeni, roughly since then to assemble the staff and artisans to bring the restaurant to life. Next week, L.A. will finally taste the fruits—and vegetables—of Largey’s seasonal, produce-forward labor, a menu informed by the chef-owner’s Ventura County upbringing and fine-dining experience in Michelin-starred kitchens. Simone is an ode to Southern California produce, but don’t expect meat to take a backseat. The final menu is still in the works, but a few certainties include grilled pork collars and dry-aged rib eyes; black cod with roasted corn and blistered shishitos; charred squash with nectarine and a macadamia salsa macha; pork with grilled long peppers, ’nduja and an olive tapenade; and brown-butter maitake mushrooms with turnips and a shallot miso. Photograph: Courtesy Simone/Rob Stark Photography Pole beans with chili crème fraîche, almonds and purple tomatillo Expect the cuisine to be approachable but dotted wi

There’s no shortage of expert cocktail bars in L.A., but as anyone who’s done a citywide tipple tour can tell you, the cost of drinks can add up. Fortunately, there are a number of resources to aid your quest to make the perfect tipple at home, saving your wallet some stress in the long run. And if you want to make drinks just like they do at Apothéke, a 2018 Time Out L.A. Bar Awards winner, there’s a new, secret series of classes to help you do just that. Welcome to Apothéke Academy, a handful of private cocktail courses. While New York City’s Apothéke proudly displays its Academy classes—currently focusing on agave, absinthe, Prohibition Era and Market Fresh Mixology—the L.A. outpost of the apothecary-inspired bar launched its classes quietly a few months ago, and is slowly building its curriculum. But beyond the breadth of courses, the biggest difference between the two bars is access: You have to email to get on the L.A. list.  Photograph: Stephanie Breijo O’Connor leading a Market Fresh Mixology class in Los Angeles Nick O’Connor, Apothéke’s lead mixologist, began the Academy in New York and now is slowly growing the program here in L.A., on the outskirts of Chinatown. Throughout the last few months, the only people who've been in on the program have been bar regulars or fans already aware of the NYC sessions. He likes to intersperse tips as he goes, little things the students can remember when mixing at home: apply pressure and roll a lime on the counter be

We curate an L.A. weekend itinerary of the city’s best concerts, culture and cuisine, every week, just for you. Friday Escort your pooch to dOGUMENTA, an art exhibition designed for dogs at FIGat7th. Roam the Los Angeles Zoo after-hours during Roaring Nights, a late-night bash featuring live bands, food trucks, boozy drinks, a dance party, zookeeper talks and live animal encounters. Get an early start to Halloween on the opening evening of Halloween Horror Nights. Universal Studios’ big-budget terrifying tradition includes mazes themed to Stranger Things, Poltergeist, The First Purge and more. Saturday Get to know Downtown Glendale at the Glendale Open Arts & Music Festival, a free community festival with music from Allah-Las, arts and craft markets, beer and wine gardens and more. Meet more than 120 local writers, designers, cartoonists and artists at the Long Beach Zine Fest, a showcase of independent publishing at the Expo Arts Center. Keep outdoor movie season going as Street Food Cinema screens Selena at Los Angeles State Historic Park and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off at Brand Library Park, Cinespia shows Saturday Night Fever at Hollywood Forever Cemetery and Eat|See|Hear wraps up its season with A League of Their Own at the North Hollywood Recreation Center.  Sunday  Peruse handmade wares from 55 independent designers during the Unique LA Pop-Up, this free event at Culver City’s Platform from the celebrated market series. Head to the Geffen Playhouse for a matine

What better way to take in the Las Vegas Strip’s kaleidoscopic beauty than from the air? Adrenaline junkies: Get ready for your next road trip, because the Strip’s first permanent zipline experience is ready to launch. Starting November 9, the FLY LINQ Zipline promises to rocket as many as 10 brave participants at a time over LINQ Hotel & Casino Promenade, the hotel’s open-air shopping stretch. Before you can shoot through the air 12 stories above ground, however, you’ll embark from a tower that’s 114 feet tall. It’s not exactly ideal for those who fear heights, but it seems like a rush for thrill seekers. There are two ways to ride: seated and upright, or “superhero,” where you’re strapped into your harness lying down, facing the ground. (Um, no thank you.) And yes, there are two similar ziplines nearby—SlotZilla’s Zipline and Zoomline, which also allow you to sit or fly “superhero-style,” respectively—though both are located in Downtown Las Vegas, a few miles from the actual Strip.  At LINQ, the attraction will run all day and night, meaning one can, theoretically, stumble out of the casino as late as 2:30am and make a spur-of-the-moment decision to ride. Worse choices have been made in Vegas, we’re sure.  Photographs: Courtesy FLY LINQ Zipline Just look at how much fun they’re having. Tickets for riding in the “superhero” position run $10 more than the seated option, and because the LINQ knows the Strip’s twinkling lights are possibly the biggest draw of it all

The best things in life are pink, or at least they are when it comes to the world of Sanrio’s iconic kitten. This Friday, fans of Hello Kitty—the brand’s too-cute-for-her-own-good cartoon character—can get a taste of these sweeter, pinker, bow-topped things when Sanrio launches Hello Kitty Grand Cafe and the Bow Room at Hello Kitty Grand Cafe: the company’s first permanent dual-concept food-and-drink outpost, and one that involves a full-fledged cocktail bar. Situated in the Irvine Spectrum Center, near the Ferris wheel, Grand Cafe offers a 12-seat, pink-accented space dotted with Hello Kitty art created just for this concept. It’s here you can snag a few Hello Kitty Cafe staples—such as the cookie “pocket pies,” shaped like the brand’s eponymous cat and littered with sprinkles—in addition to a few new, exclusive items. Currently there are Hello Kitty Cafe offshoots in San Diego, San Jose and Rancho Cucamonga, and café trucks roaming the country, but it’s only at Irvine’s Grand Cafe that you can order the new made-to-order mini doughnuts—in cinnamon sugar, matcha, and cookies and cream flavors—and sets of Sanrio character mini cakes. Photograph: Courtesy Sanrio/Jakob N. Layman  Hello Kitty’s cutesy new café Look to the back of the café to find the hidden room, marked only by a bow-shaped door knocker. But before you enter, you’re going to need a reservation; the Bow Room at Hello Kitty Grand Cafe splits its concepts by day and night, but both require some advance noti

Plan out your week with the city’s best concerts, culture, cuisine and more. Monday Dave Matthews Band; Hollywood BowlMarch on down to the Bowl to see the ever-popular ’90s jam band. Phoenix; The Fonda TheatreThomas Mars and co. take up residency at the Fonda for five nights of shows. PaleyFest Fall TV Previews; Paley Center for MediaGeek out with fellow TV nerds during premieres and panels for I Feel Bad, Manifest and New Amsterdam. Tuesday Swim Up Cinema; NoMadWatch a screening of Splash from the NoMad’s rooftop pool. Leon Bridges; Greek TheatreBridges’s soulful golden pipes, jazzy stylings and a standup mic beckon classic ’50s and ’60s-style rock ’n’ roll. The Cake; Geffen PlayhouseA baker hesistates to create a wedding cake for two women in this play from This is Us writer Bekah Brunstetter. Wednesday Wine Wednesday at Everson Royce Bar; E.R.B.Wind down with a flight of three wines and a culinary creation during this weekday special. Twilight on the Pier; Santa Monica PierThe free oceanfront concert continues with sets from Betty Who and Touch Sensitive. Beautiful: The Carole King Musical; Pantages TheatreThe touring musical about the beloved singer-songwriter’s road to fame returns to L.A. Eagles; The ForumThe local rock legends play three nights at the Forum. Thursday Silver Lake Picture Show; Sunset Triangle PlazaCruise over to Silver Lake for the final, free outdoor showing of the season, Rush Hour. L.A. County Fair; FairplexBring your appetite for all

L.A. is no stranger to excellent bowls of ramen, but a few restaurant newcomers are bringing Japanese comfort food to a new level. Look beyond the broth to find the next wave of hearty Japanese classics, including rich curries, crispy kara-age, fresh-fried tempura and thick, hand-pulled udon noodles made right before your eyes. Here are a few of Japan’s fast-casual comfort-food heavy hitters who’ve recently made a home in Los Angeles—and who are already making a splash in the food scene. View this post on Instagram What’s your favorite way to eat takoyaki? The OG original with aonori seaweed and katsuobushi? Or a little kick with sriracha mayo? From our experience, it’s best to try all with your friends😉 Tag your friends that you want to share takoyaki!! #Gindaco #Gindacotakoyaki A post shared by Gindaco USA (@gindaco_usa) on Jul 23, 2018 at 9:45am PDT Gindaco It’s taken more than 20 years, but Japan’s largest takoyaki chain finally landed in America—and we’re the lucky diners who get to feast on the fluffy, crispy dough balls filled with octopus. Think of takoyaki as part comfort food, part ideal street food: The octopus balls come eight to a tray, easily poppable and shareable, and can come topped and filled with a range of spices, seafood, meats and sauces. Gindaco, with more than 470 locations throughout Japan, is king of takoyaki, and just planted its North American flag in Gardena’s new food court at Tokyo Central (fo

If you're binge-eating Eggo waffles and counting down the days til your trip to the Upside Down, you're already aware that the time for Demogorgons is near. Halloween Horror Nights is almost upon us, which means one thing for fans of Netflix's mega-'80s throwback, Stranger Things: Hawkins, Indiana, is hitting Universal Studios Hollywood in a new horror maze that will take you inside the world of the show. This year's Halloween Horror Nights lineup involves some heavy hitters—including mazes that recreate Poltergeist, The First Purge and Universal's classic movie monsters—but there's surely nothing more terrifying than an interdimensional demon whose face unfolds, like a flower, with rows of teeth. Thankfully Stranger Things creators the Duffer Brothers worked alongside the Halloween Horror Nights team, helmed by creative director John Murdy, to lead you through the woods in a search for Will Byers—and help you make it through Hawkins, the void and the Upside Down in one piece.  “It was easy to love it as a fan of the television show," Murdy says, "but it was a little more difficult trying to think about turning it into an experience where you’re trying to scare people.” Photograph: Stephanie Breijo Watch out for Dr. Brenner, who'll be pushing you toward the void. To pull it off, Murdy began researching and rewatching Stranger Things last November, then penned a treatment for what the maze would become: a progression through season one, the search for Will Byers after

You already know L.A. is the best food city in the country. It’s not even much of a competition: The chefs keep coming, the produce is here and our cultural diversity is second to none. But for those who love to eat, we’ve hit a problem: There’s actually too much good food. We’re overwhelmed by all the newness to explore and old favorites to revisit. And it gets worse: Elusive bites have now become a trend. Across this palm-lined, salsa-stained concrete sprawl we call home, restaurants are offering special menu items with limited time frames, making it that much harder to keep your L.A. belly up to speed—which is why we’re here to help. These are the best elusive bites (and a drink) to snag right now. Pizza Night at Vincenti San Vicente’s slice game is on the rise, and in ways Brentwood’s CPK-faithful never thought possible in their wildest Chicken Tostada Pizza dreams. But it’s happening, and LeBron, Apatow and pretty much anyone else living west of Sepulveda has Vincenti and their one-night-a-week pizzas to thank for planting the flag. Owner Maureen Vincenti and executive chef Nicola Mastronardi toss dough in Westside air to ring in every new week and serve sizzling discs like the house-made sausage, potato, onions and mozzarella (the Salsiccia); and artichokes, burrata, zucchini flowers and prosciutto (the Bianca). Once you witness the downpour of giant black truffle flakes storming the Porcini pie, you’ll be dying for a case of the Mondays. Mon, 5:30–9:30pm