Monday Menus: Sushi nights at The Park

Our beloved restaurant The Park just recently launched Sushi Mondays as part of its weekly specials. The mouth-watering specials start at 5:30 pm, again on Mondays only, and are available in addition to their regular menu. It’s nice to have a little gourmet sushi option in Echo Park – we’ve never had a bad meal at The Park, and they do a spectacular job with the sushi options.

Tonight’s menu includes:

1. Spicy tuna with cucumber and avocado $5
2. Dragon roll with grilled eel, tempura shrimp, avocado and unagi glaze $5
3. Smoked salmon and crab with cucumber $5
4. Rainbow roll with crab inside, sliced tuna, salmon and avocado outside $5 (worth a try – not the best rainbow roll ever but good)
5. Fried calamari roll with avocado, cucumber and unagi glaze $5
6. Spicy cauliflower with cucumber and avocado $4 (cauliflower has a kick, highly recommended by EPN)
7. Vegetarian California roll $4
8. Tempura asparagus with avocado $4 (highly recommended by EPN)

Enjoy!

Señior Fish’s soft opening today in Echo Park

You wouldn’t know it from the outside, other than a vinyl banner and a couple of colorful but crudely-drawn signs on the windows, but Señor Fish’s new location in Echo Park had its soft opening today. It still smells like fresh sawdust inside, the walls are bare, and there is likely a bit of furniture yet to be moved in – but the kitchen is 100% ready!

We snuck in not too long before the 9:00 pm closing tonight and snagged a couple of Ensenada Fish Tacos with mayo spread and guacamole. At $3.50 a piece, it’s not your cheapest deal in town. But the tacos are so freaking delicious that it’s worth every penny!

A+ for crispiness, the tangy mayo, a smokey salsa, and super fresh cabbage and guacamole. We honestly left wishing we had ordered about 10 more!

Señor Fish is open at 8:30 am tomorrow morning for breakfast and close at 9:00 pm. Although Echo Park Patch reports they are not serving any alcohol, our server behind the counter confirmed our inquiry by pointing out a display of beer including Corona, Modelo and Negro Modelo. Perhaps some day they’ll get a full liquor license for some margaritas to go along with those delicious fish tacos!

Señor Fish is located at 1701 Sunset Boulevard in Echo Park.

Cinco de Mayo celebrations in Echo Park and beyond

Tomorrow is Cinco de Mayo, time to celebrate Mexican culture and heritage with some beers and margaritas! There are a ton of great spots you can walk to in Echo Park, here’s the low-down:

Echo Park Merchant Association’s Cinco de Mayo Event

There will be beverages, tasty snacks, music, and a raffle to benefit The Wall Las Memorias Project. The raffle prizes will include a gift certificate from The Warehouse LA and a terrarium from The Classroom LA.

Saturday, May 5 from 11:00 am – 5:00 pm
The Warehouse is located at 1197 West Sunset Blvd. in Echo Park

Mayberry Elementary School Fiesta

This family-friendly event celebrates with a Fiesta. Mayberry Magicians, Live Mariachi, folklore dancers, Mayberry student dance performances, Glee Club, and more. Booths, prizes, obstacle course jumper, Sumo Suits, Fac epainting, and other great activities will keep the kids going! All day game wristbands are $15 (proceeds benefit programs at the school). And of course, Cinco de Mayo appropriate refreshments.

Saturday, May 5 from 11:00 am – 4:00 pm
Located at 2414 Mayberry Street in Echo Park

Barragan’s

This is definitely a go-to spot for a lot of locals and non-locals – cheap margaritas are the name of the game and they’ve also got something special for the Cinco de Mayo holiday. Just make sure to arrive early, snag your spot on the patio (usually open after 7:00 pm), and order a bucket of Coronas for a discounted price.

Barragan’s is located at 1538 West Sunset Boulevard

El Compadre

They don’t usually have any specials going on for Cinco de Mayo, but the Echo Park location has the BEST margaritas and a fabulous mariachi band to keep you in the mood. Valet parking is available in the back, and sports on the television.

El Compadre is located at 1449 West Sunset Boulevard

Beyond Echo Park:

The Pub at Golden Road Brewery in Atwater Village: Cinco de Moustache

Cinco de Moustache is a “poquito” celebration of the holiday with food specials and two taps (one at 11 am, one at 5 pm) of the limited release “El Hefe Añjeo” - a hefeweizen aged in añejo tequila barrels (say what?!).  Food specials include $2 tacos (carne asada, pollo, and vegetarian), vegan & non-vegan tostadas, and ceviche.

Saturday, May 5 at 11:00 am
Golden Road Brewery is located at 5410 San Fernando Rd West in Atwater Village

La Cuevita grand opening in Highland Park

The Little Cave is now reformed into a tequila/mescal bar called La Cuevita, opening up this weekend. $2 tecate, free tacos starting at 9:00 pm, and of course their selection of agave spirits and specialty cocktails. Enjoy your libations on one of the two patios at the new bar.

Friday May 4 and Saturday May 6 at 7:00 pm
La Cuevita is located at 5922 N Figueroa Street in Highland Park

The Biggest Margarita at Big Bar in Los Feliz

The mother of all margaritas are on Los Feliz this weekend: A 957.44 ounce margarita will certainly match your Cinco de Mayo expectations; that’s bigger than my head! Served all day on Saturday for $10 a piece (that can’t be premium tequila in there) and enter your chance to win tickets to a Dodgers vs. Giants game.

Big Bar is located at 1929 Hillhurst Avenue in Los Feliz

Just make sure if you do go out and drink some adult beverages, have a designated driver, or take the BUS! The LAPD does have plans for some DUI checkpoints around Los Angeles this weekend.

Get your tickets now for Taste of the Eastside

It’s time for the second annual Taste of the Eastside – an event that includes taste-testing awesome treats from local restaurants in the area, including Silver Lake, Atwater Village, Eagle Rock, Los Feliz, Downtown, and Highland Park, and more importantly, Echo Park!

Last year we attended the first Taste of the Eastside and had a blast – beautiful weather plus tons of great Echo Park restaurants made it worth the ticket price. We enjoyed some incredible bread pudding from Delilah’s, vegan ceviche by Elf Cafe, Farro salad from Cookbook, Pho Beef Tacos from Xoia, and savory rhubarb galette from The Park. A memorable cup of coffee from Silver Lake’s Intelligentsia made us realize why the coffee shop is so packed all the time. Click here for our photos from last year.

This year we can expect some of the same restaurants from last year plus a couple of new additions from Echo Park, including The Park, Cookbook, Mohawk Bend, Xoia, and Pazzo Gelato. We know Xoia is serving up some homemade ice cream, which will be perfect for the wonderful 74 degree, sunny weather we can expect!

Tickets are a little more expensive this year, but includes unlimited tastings from the 30+ restaurants from the area. With each $35 ticket you get a unlimited food tastes, a $45 bar ticket adds a wine/beer flight, and a $65 VIP ticket a bunch of other goodies like seminars . Kids 2-12 are only $5, two and under are free!

Taste of the Eastside
Barnsdall Art Park, located at 4800 Hollywood Blvd
Sunday, May 6 from 1-5:00 pm.
Click here for the website

What’s for dinner: Atwater Village’s new brew pub

Published today on our sister website, Atwater Village Now

Normally for tax season, we’d be heading to the H&R Bloc next to 55 Degree Wine for some yearly tax preparation. Last night, we went to the same spot, but to drink beer!

Located in the former H&R Bloc in a small strip mall off of Glendale Boulevard, Links N Hops is a warm, rustic, pub-style restaurant. And through the kitchen aromas, it still smells a little like sawdust – 55 Degree Wine owner Andy Hasroun had a soft opening just a couple of days ago, after battling the city’s parking permit issues.

But unlike a lot of restaurant openings we have been to, there weren’t any hiccups or kinks to work out – the staff was knowledgeable, the food came out promptly, and the atmosphere was just right.

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The food – oh, the food – best vegan dog I’ve had in a long time. Meals come out of the kitchen in baskets, served on a metal kitchen tray. I ordered the Frankfurter (organic tofu, onion, tomato, apple cider, paprika) with an entire roasted Jalapeno and sauteed onions, my dinner date ordered the Spicy Italian (pork, onions, fennel, red pepper flakes) with onions. Required for this type of dining are Belgian Fries with a side of spicy ketchup (other options include dijon mustard, 1000 island, or ranch). Mustard and ketchup readily available, we dug in without a second thought. The bread is perfectly toasted, and unbelievably fresh – it came from a local bakery, completely hand made, and made only for Links N Hops. It makes you realize the hot dogs or sausages you’ve had before were overpowered by heavy, thick bread – not this time!

Beer choices are well-rounded, with 23 beers on tap (and room for growth – they will soon have more). Local favorites include Golden Road Brewery’s IPA, but international choices like La Chouffe Belgian Pale (so good) and lots of other California faves like North Coast Brewing’s Scrimshaw Pilsner. I’m also a sucker for Ellie’s Brown from Avery Brewing (Colorado), which matched perfectly with a really cold night and a basket of delicious sausages.

The only regret I had after leaving is that we didn’t order more Belgian Fries!

Other menu items include Andouille, Turkey Mole, BBQ Pork, Chinese Roast Pork, Spicy Italian, Hot Smoked Chicken, Wild Boar with Marsala, Pheasant with Cognac, and Rabbit with Wine for meat eaters. Andy told us he really wants to focus a lot on vegan options as well, and the current menu has some great options: Frankfurter, Beerbrat, Smoked Apple, Vegan Italian, and Spicy Pepper (really spicy, fyi!). Don’t skip out on those fries!

Links N Hops is open daily for lunch and dinner, from 11 am to midnight Sunday through Thursday, and 11 am to 1 am on Saturdays. If you’re in a rush for lunch, they do offer take-away!

Location is 3111 Glendale Blvd., Ste. C, Los Angeles, CA 90039

Check out the restaurant’s Facebook page for more info.

Filipino BBQ open for business in Echo Park

It was just last August that we learned the former “Far East” Japanese restaurant was being taken over by Filipino BBQ spot The Park’s Finest. But the catering company turned restaurant needed some cash first – and it looks like they’ve raised the $20K (via a Kickstarter campaign) they needed to open its doors.

Midtown Lunch has a rave review about the new restaurant’s offerings – including pulled pork, tri tip, pork ribs, salmon, short ribs, hot links, and cornbread. Menu is ala carte for now, so you’ll want to share with a couple of people. And at $8-12 a plate, plus some extra for tasty side dishes, it looks affordable for BBQ lovers. Based on the review, it sounds like the Coconut Beef is the way to go.

The owners also gave that space a much-needed facelift – on the outside and one the inside, including fresh paint, new tables and chairs, a little floor rehab, and they got rid of that ugly ceiling. The outdoor rehab gives that strip next to the old Knights Inn and the now-defunct Dinner House M some much needed love.

The Park’s Finest is located at 1267 West Temple Street

Open Thursday through Sunday, lunch to dinner. Hours are:

Thursday : 11:00 am – 3:00 pm and 6:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Friday: 6:00 pm  – 10:00 pm and 11:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Saturday: 12:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Sunday: 12:00 pm – 7:00 pm