••• A lease for the former Bluewater Grill building (15 E. Cabrillo Boulevard) was signed last month, and a new liquor-license application confirms the rumor that Peter Lee and Felicia Medina of Secret Bao are taking it over. The application says the establishment’s name is Adler Alder; whether it’ll be something new or another location of Secret Bao is unknown.
••• After the Hotel Californian turned Blackbird restaurant into The Knock Kitchen & Cocktails, I wrote that the absurd text on the website was “almost enough to make me want to go”—and a friend called that bluff by making a reservation for us. I don’t think a lot of locals are patronizing the place, because we got asked three times whether we’re from out of town. The food was mediocre, but the hallway lined with door knockers is fun.
••• Eddie’s Grill has opened in Old Town Goleta.
••• Chicken chain Raising Cane’s opens in Goleta tomorrow. —Edhat
••• The Goleta Spot, a kind of mini–Public Market with food trucks in the former Elephant Bar/High Sierra Grill space (521 Norman Firestone Road) near the airport, says it’s still in the works and a debut date might get announced soon.
••• If Glendale’s Mini Kabob comes back to Na Na Thai for another collaborative, you’re going to want to go. Highlights pictured below include the moistest chicken ever served with eggplant caviar and Na Na Thai’s nam jim jaew condiment; insane cottage fries; and a voluptuous dessert of homemade Thai tea cheese cake coconut ice cream with baklava, Maldon salt, and coconut oil. The couple next to us asked the server if it was acceptable to order just two dishes, but once they saw our food start to come out, they switched to the “fire the whole menu” option.
••• Lucky’s opened an outpost in downtown L.A. It’s the fifth link in the chain; the sixth will be in Beverly Hills. —C Magazine
••• I probably didn’t need to go to Monte’s to confirm that the terrace is ideal for lunch, but why not? My husband and I took our friend Pattipie to check it out. The outside areas really are lovely, with shade or sun, depending on your preference. The fried chicken sandwich with kimchi slaw was a hit, and I can’t believe I’m saying this, but the sides of excellent fries might actually be too large. We also enjoyed the charred cucumber and barley dish with optional chicken, which benefits greatly from the kimchi vinaigrette on the bottom, and the kitchen sent out the pretty new japchae, glass noodles stir-fried with vegetables and beef and topped with scallions. Maybe it’s just me, but I wouldn’t complain if the Korean ingredients were turned up a notch or two—I find them the most exciting parts of every meal there.
················
Sign up for the Siteline email newsletter for the freshest food news in town.
Love love Monte’s!
Couldn’t agree more about the Knock. Went there just to see what it was like and was greeted with mediocre food, slow service, and pricey bill. I won’t go back. And the A/C didn’t work on one of the hottest days of the year.