The 77-year-old Clearman’s Steak ‘N Stein Inn in Pico Rivera is undergoing a design refresh and will reopen on Friday, October 6. Known as “The Stein” by longtime diners, the remodel preserves the restaurant’s old-school ambience while introducing more seating, a brand-new bar, and an updated layout. Some of the restaurant’s original 1946 design elements were also restored.
While the food menu remains largely the same, the Stein is introducing a slew of new cocktails to the beverage menu including an update on the classic Old Fashioned. The restaurant is open from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday.
Japan’s most famous onigiri are now available in LA
Head to Daikokuya Annex in Little Tokyo from now until November 9 for a taste of Japanese rice ball purveyor Onigiri Sun. On the menu are customizable rice balls, along with ones filled with traditional ingredients like kombu (kelp), okaka, umeboshi, and takana (pickled mustard greens).
Long Beach’s first vegan Filipino bakery needs a kickstart
San & Wolves, the incoming Long Beach bakery from Kym Estrada, just launched a Kickstarter campaign to help raise $64,000 to cover opening costs, specifically large-scale equipment. The vegan Filipino bakery is slated to open in February 2024.
Two terrific pop-ups to try
Journalist Katherine Spiers highlights two pandemic-era pop-ups that are still going strong in her latest How To Eat LA newsletter. “Marden’s Chicken Rice and Stand Up Comida have emerged as two of the more interesting restaurants in Los Angeles right now,” Spiers writes. Marden’s Chicken Rice specializes in Singaporean fare, while Stand Up Comida turns out big, bold burritos.
Harvest weekend in Los Olivos
For those looking for an excuse to head to the Santa Ynez Valley, the Inn at Mattei’s Tavern is hosting Harvest Weekend from October 26 to 29. Events scheduled throughout the weekend include a craft cocktail-making class, live music at Gin’s Tap Bar, and chef Rhoda Magbitang’s Paella Night.
A duo of super-cool cookbook events
First up, join chefs Monica Lee and Roy Choi and food writer Tien Nguyen at Now Serving in Chinatown on Thursday, October 5 at 7 p.m. to celebrate the highly-anticipated book Sohn-mat: Recipes and Flavors of Korean Home Cooking. Tickets are available on Eventbrite.
Next, meet and greet Elizabeth Poett, host of Ranch To Table on the Magnolia Network, at the Hollywood Farmers Market on Sunday, October 8 from 8 a.m. to noon. Poett will be promoting her new cookbook The Ranch Table: Recipes from a Year of Harvests, Celebrations, and Family Dinners on a Historic California Ranch.