The sprawling space at 978 North Broadway at Mandarin Plaza in Chinatown has been vacant for the past seven years ever since Andy Ricker closed the LA outpost of Pok Pok in March 2017. However, come this fall, chef Anthony Wang (formerly of Ink, Auburn, and Destroyer), along with partner Bill Chait, are taking over the building for an ambitious and personal restaurant called First Born. The restaurant is an exploration of narrative and identity, Wang tells Eater. “Me being Chinese American and being the first person born in my family in America, I always had this kind of identity crisis growing up,” he says.

Wang, who was born in Miami and raised in Atlanta, will prepare his interpretation of Chinese food driven by French techniques and Southern California produce. While Wang will change the menu with the seasons, two staple dishes will never go away: egg custard (“something my mom made for me a lot growing up,” he says) and a two-week-aged French-style duck cooked to medium with a crispy skin glazed with honey and crusted in Chinese spices. First Born will initially open with only dinner service but eventually plans to serve lunch at a more affordable price point to meet the needs of the neighborhood’s longtime residents.

Indonesian Night Market

The Indonesian Night Market is coming to the Rancho Cucamonga Sports Center (8303 Rochester Avenue) on August 17 from 7:30 p.m. to midnight. The event will include 50-plus Indonesian food vendors, as well as dance and musical performances. Tickets start at $5 and can be purchased here.

New summer sips at Artisanal Goods by Car

Pasadena chocolate croissant purveyor Artisanal Goods by Car recently introduced a line of new summertime drinks. The trio of novel sips, which are all made using house-made syrups, include a strawberry matcha latte, an orange cream cold brew, and a lavender vanilla latte.

The truth about ghost kitchens

Journalist Lucy Jaffee takes a look at ghost kitchens for LAist. “While ghost kitchens can be a good way for restaurants to cut costs, they come with several downsides,” she writes. The list of cons for business owners includes staffing challenges, lack of brand awareness for new concepts, and being at the “mercy of people searching on apps looking for food,” said Winston Shipp, founder of ¡Quesadilla Mía.

Black Business Scavenger Hunt

Prosperity Market, the mobile farmers market selling goods from Black farmers, food producers, chefs, and entrepreneurs, is hosting its fourth annual Black Business Scavenger Hunt from August 1 to 25. The event encourages Angenos to visit and support as many businesses as possible to earn points and win prizes.

The list of food-related participants includes Hilltop Coffee & Kitchen, Post & Beam, Alta Adams, Honey’s Kettle, Sky’s Gourmet Tacos, Harold & Belle’s, Planet Health Compton, Say Cheese, All Chill, SUPRMRKT, Flavors From Afar, Carla’s Fresh Market, Obet & Del’s, Coffee Del Mundo, Sip & Sonder, and Lou The French On The Block.

Asha Mone