Borekas, Sherman Oaks’s popular Sephardic pastry shop, opened a second San Fernando Valley location on May 3. Since debuting in 2022, Gal and Uzi Waizman have regularly sold out of their borekas and knew they needed a bigger space to meet the demand. At the new location, Borekas Van Nuys occupies a semi-industrial building with an order counter, outdoor seating, and capacity for large orders.

The husband-and-wife team took over the 40-year-old Four N 20 space bakery and diner space, which closed in 2020. “The whole move was so we could make more,” says Gal Waizman. “Borekas got this huge buzz for selling out. We got slammed with pre-orders and wouldn’t have borekas for regular customers. It’s a good problem to have, but now we want to do our best not to sell out so quickly.”

Borekas Van Nuys is open from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., until 2:30 p.m. on Fridays, and closed on Saturdays at 5530 Van Nuys Boulevard, Sherman Oaks, CA, 91401.

Mark Wahlberg’s new OC restaurant venture

Actor and Wahlburgers partner Mark Wahlberg will open a new restaurant in Huntington Beach called Flecha Cantina, reports the Orange County Register. Flecha, which means “arrow” in Spanish, is a 10,000-square-foot Mexican American restaurant in the Bella Terra mall that serves ceviche, taquitos, enchiladas, a Sunday brunch buffet, and more, along with DJs and live music.

Grilled Fraiche closes all SoCal locations

Longbeachize reports that Grilled Fraiche owner Peace Love shuttered all locations on May 5. The Caribbean-Californian-style restaurant had locations in Hyde Park, Florence, and Long Beach.

Chuck E. Cheese’s creepy animatronic performances

Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

Any visit to Chuck E. Cheese would not be complete without seeing the animatronic performance by Munch’s Make Believe Band. The company announced it will eliminate these installations at 400 stores at the end of 2024, reports the New York Times, but will keep Chuck E. Cheese and Helen Henny on vocals, keyboardist Mr. Munch, Jasper T. Jowls on guitar, and drummer Pasqually at the Northridge location, one of two animatronic bands that will remain in operation across the company.

Wine time season has begun

On Saturday, May 18, the annual Culinary Evening with the California Winemasters at Warner Bros.’ Midwest Street Backlot from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Plenty of chefs and restaurants will be on hand, including Pez Coastal Kitchen and Ayara Thai. The full lineup and ticket prices are here.

The week-long Taste of Santa Barbara festival starts today and runs through May 19. Wine will flow along with meals and a conversation with the creators of Max’s Julia Child scripted show, Julia. Some events are sold out, so head to the site for more information.