LASA Is Now A Chicken Rotisserie, & More LA Restaurant News

LASA Is Now Lasita

In the biggest restaurant pivot of the year thus far, Chinatown favorite, LASA, has rebranded to Lasita, a new Filipino chicken rotisserie and natural wine shop. They’ve kept their spot in the Far East Plaza, but are now serving a shorter, more limited menu including pork belly lechon, vegetable atchara, chicken inasal, and turon cream pie, a hand-sized dessert filled with banana confit. Preorders for pickup can be placed through their website.

photo credit: Lasita

Freedman’s Pastrami Crunchwrap Supreme Is Back Just for Super Bowl Sunday

There have been a number of dishes at Freedman’s over the years that have caused us great excitement (hello, tableside brisket with a chainsaw), but none compare to the frenzy surrounding their Pastrami Crunchwrap Supreme. It’s a play on Taco Bell's iconic drunk food, but replaces ground beef with smoked pastrami and comes loaded with shredded lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, and hot nacho cheese. And it’s back this Sunday for the first time since 2019. It’s being featured as an a la carte option on their special Super Bowl menu, which also includes an appetizing platter. We’d recommend reserving one quickly, because no matter who wins the game, you’ve won the day with this glorious masterpiece on your plate.

A New Breakfast Option in Filipinotown

Historic Filipinotown bar (and one of our all-time favorites from 2019), Thunderbolt, has announced a new breakfast project. They’ll be operating a takeaway counter every Wednesday through Sunday, serving five different types of biscuits that range from fried chicken to egg salad to pork belly topped with cheddar cheese. Hash browns and coffee are also available. Call (213) 372-5099 or place an order through Tock.

Two Pop-Up Collaborations for Your Radar

Even though it’s only been a couple days, February has already proven to be a huge month for pop-up collaborations - both Naemo and Mama’s Drive-By Kitchen have sold out of their most recent menus. Newcomer Naemo created a high-end dosirak with Hanchic (a recently opened Ktown restaurant focusing on Korean food “like no other”) while Mama’s brought Gamboge and Medan Kitchen together for a one-of-a-kind Cambodian/Indonesian collaboration. The second kicked off the organization’s Meal Matching Program, where, for every meal purchased, a second order is placed from a sponsored donation. Read more about the new program here.

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How Gusto in Long Beach Is Celebrating Black History Month

In honor of Black History Month, the folks at Gusto Bread are donating a portion of the biscuit sales to a local Long Beach grass-roots Black Community organization. The specifics on which organizations those will be are still to be decided, but you can find Gusto’s products at their Long Beach storefront Wednesday through Thursday, 8am-1pm (also 4pm-7pm on Fridays) as well as at Marine Stadium Farmers Market on Wednesdays. Head to their website for more information.

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Hiring!

A few local restaurants are hiring for front of house and back of house positions - head to Comfort LA, Birdie G’s, and Gjelina’s profiles for more information.

We Launched a Zine

Not sure if you heard, but we launched a zine! The brainchild of our Art Director, Emily Ng, IYKYK is a collection of art, recipes, interviews and is a love letter to a cha chaan tengs, or Hong Kong-style cafes. Pre-orders just dropped, click here to grab yours.