A growing ’burg
> Weekly food festival Smorgasburg at the Row DTLA complex has an array of new vendors for 2023. “We want new businesses doing the best and most unique versions of what they do,” said Zach Brooks, its general manager, “but more importantly things that people are going to want to eat again and again.” Newcomers include the Sathirathiwat family behind Radna Silom, a popular street-noodle tent in Thai Town, with its lauded pad Thai plus other dishes such as pad see ew, pan-fried to order. Correa’s Mariscos, formerly a stand in Lincoln Heights’ Correa’s Meat Market, brings shrimp tacos dorados, aguachiles and ceviches, and Long Beach Cambodian wings shop Shlap Muan offers its chicken. Mignon Alexandria’s vegan, mushroomfocused Champignon Eats re-creates comforting, home-style favorites made with vegetables, such as the chef-owner’s enoki mushroom take on crispy fried chicken sandwiches. Long Beach’s Sweet Grass Sugarcane adds Cambodianstyle, charcoal-grilled meat skewers with the Golden Skewer. Brandon Conaway and Carolina Pedroza’s pop-up, Quarantine Pizza Co., will focus on slices: four to five varieties each weekend, including the jalapeñoand hot-honey-topped Spiceroni and a rotation of specials such as an al pastor pizza made with blue-corn crust. For dessert, try Vicky Escalante’s hand-painted French macarons at bake shop Etoile Filante, or Lawrence and Lindsay McDonald’s 25-plus types of cinnamon rolls, with vegan and gluten-free options. Taipei’s Odd One Out Tea serves tea customizable with boba, jellies and handmade mochi balls. 777 S. Alameda St., Los Angeles, la.smorgasburg.com
Praise the braise
> Guisados, the familyowned operation beloved for its braises and freshly made corn tortillas, has opened an outpost in Hermosa Beach. At its eighth location, the De La Torre family serves signature items including cochinita pibil, bistek, hongos and breakfast tacos, plus select aguachiles, ceviches and other seafood items from sibling taqueria Playita Mariscos, which opened in 2021 in Silver Lake. 1031 Hermosa Ave., Hermosa Beach, (310) 3743033, guisados.la
Tasty + low-cost
> Quick-casual local chain BBQ + Rice brings Korean rice bowls, dumplings, fried chicken, 24-hour-marinated bulgogi and house-made pickles to Mar Vista. The fourth BBQ + Rice fills the former El Charro space with founder Matthew Kim’s signature bowls, salads and sides, many of which are $10 or less. 12819 Venice Blvd., Los Angeles, (323) 793-2370, bbqricela.com
Slice of vegan life
> Plant-based pizzeria Forever Pie in Beverly Grove is serving vegan slices, whole pies, fried mozzarella sticks, garlic knots, salads, “chicken” wings and baked pastas. It’s the latest project from Nic Adler — creator of the Eat Drink Vegan festival — and Anthony Carron of 800 Degrees. It serves classic, all-vegan pizzas such as meatball with ricotta and Meat Haters (a faux-meat take on a meat lovers pie), plus a tikka masala variety and a bulgogi-sauced kimchi option. 8010 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles, (424) 777-4992, foreverpie.com