Hong Kong cafe
> A Taiwanese and Chinese cafe in Koreatown is serving spins on classic rice bowls, tea service, egg tarts, milk buns, sandwiches and sides — a stylish take on the Hong Kong cafe, now open on 6th Street. Liu’s Cafe comes by way of Long Hospitality’s Patrick Liu, Alex Park, Eddie Lee and John Kim, much of the team behind modern Korean tapas spot Tokki, which opened in Chapman Plaza in 2021. At Liu’s, the bright 30-seat cafe features an open kitchen, a pastry case and casual all-day setting, with a menu that includes braised pork belly, a spin on the bacon, egg and cheese sandwich, and handmade wontons in a house chile-and-peanut sauce. “We always wanted to do something that was authentically Taiwanese and Chinese,” said Liu. The menu is a blend of cultures, he said, which results in plenty of twists: The braised pork belly swaps the traditional mustard greens for thinly sliced cucumbers, the Taiwanese pickled cabbage includes hints of Sichuan peppercorn, the Chiayi chicken rice bowl is topped with crumbles of chicken skin, and the croquettes are filled with corn and bacon in a nod to Korean corn cheese. Pastry chef Isabell Manibusan also incorporates elements of surprise into her baked goods, lining the pastry case with the likes of Sichuan peppercorn peanut cookies. The hot tea program includes a range of specialty and imported teas as well as blends, each listed with tasting notes. The house tea drinks often involve flourishes such as torched strawberries adorning the iced strawberry rooibos tea. A grand opening, with additional items, is slated for the end of the month. 3915½ W. 6th St., (213) 568-3686, Los Angeles, liuscafe.com
Slab steps out
> The Pasadena outpost of Slab is now open with smoked chicken, hearty beef ribs, a variety of wings and some of the city’s most succulent brisket. The restaurant first opened on West Third Street in 2018 as a partnership between h.wood Group and pitmaster Burt Bakman, founder of popular pop-up Trudy’s Underground Barbecue. Bakman’s menu leans Texas-inspired but offers a number of original spins, including bonitotinged collard greens, wings coated in truffled hot sauce, and his thick-cut, Mondayonly pastrami sandwiches on rye. Another outpost is slated for a stall at Topanga Social food hall in Canoga Park. 812 S. Arroyo Parkway, Pasadena, (323) 545-6783, slabbarbecue.com
DTLA TFC
> After the late-summer closure of its Monterey Park restaurant, Tokyo Fried Chicken has found a new home downtown. The 101 List-acclaimed operation, which weaves Japanese inspiration through its menu of fried bird and sides such as curried corn and dashibraised greens, is open for takeout at the base of the Atelier Apartments complex on Olive Street. The menu features buckets of chicken and meal sets, plus a la carte options including a chicken sandwich. Owner Kouji Yamanashi has reprised a few fan-favorite items that were on pause during the pandemic — such as bone-in chicken and the nori-topped baked mac and cheese — and will be experimenting with and rolling out new items, including a Japanese riff on French onion dip and, later, soft serve. Yamanashi hopes to reopen the Monterey Park location at some point. 801 S. Olive St., Unit C, Los Angeles, tokyofriedchicken.com