What to Eat This Weekend In L.A.: Ice Cream-Fed Pork Katsu, Rabbit Adobada, Vegan Sonoran Tacos, and a New Carnitas In Long Beach

Long Beach

Carnitas El Calentano is now open in Long Beach, serving Michocán-style carnitas with handmade tortillas and, in another promising sign, a big cazo bobbling with orange peels and pork ribs and skin.

Mon-Sat, 8 AM - 3 PM, South Street and Cherry Avenue. Closest transit lines and stop: Long Beach Transit Lines 21, 23, and 192 - “South/Cherry.”

Crenshaw

Dulan's On Crenshaw is officially reopen in Hyde Park following two years of renovation, which includes a new takeout window, bigger dining room, and two patios for enjoying its classic smothered pork chops, fried chicken, and oxtails. Join the legendary soul food spot from 12-8 PM today for a ribbon cutting and grand-opening celebration.

4859 Crenshaw Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90043. Closest Metro lines and stop: Bus Lines 40 and 210 - “Crenshaw/50th” or Metro K Line and Bus Line 105 - "Leimert Park Station."

Beverly Hills

Chubby Curry is now open in Beverly Hills with Michelin-starred chef Shin Thompson of Downtown's Niku X. The restaurant, which is connected to the Chubby Cattle chain, specializes in upscale Japanese kare (curry) and tonkatsu. Dishes include katsu made with ice-cream fed Pachamama Farms pork, wagyu roast beef udon, kamakaze curry featuring a self-described "blend of stupid hot chiles," and slow-roasted duck curry.

225 S. Beverly Dr. Beverly Hills, California 90212. Closest Metro lines and stop: Bus Line 617 - “Beverly/Charleville,” Bus Line 28 - "Olympic/Beverwil", or Bus Lines 20 and 720 - "Wilshire/Rodeo."

Pop-Ups

Tierra Taco offers a unique concept: vegan Sonoran tacos from Sonora-raised L.A. taqueros. Meaning, flour tortilla-wrapped, plant-based birria with hibiscus flower, asada, and al pastor in burritos, quesadillas, tortas, and tacos, along with elote and pozole. Catch them tonight and tomorrow at...

2575 N San Fernando Rd. Glassell Park, Los Angeles, CA. Closest Metro lines and stop: Bus Lines 90 and 94 - “San Fernando/Hallett.”

Culver City

Lustig, from Austrian chef Bernhard Mairinger, is now open at Culver City's Helms Bakery, taking a more lighthearted, kicked-back approach to the Austrian-influenced staples of his former hit restaurant BierBeisl. Dishes include chicken liver profiteroles, croque monsieur pizza, braised beef "sauerbrauten" with rosemary spaetzle, wiener schnitzel with lingonberry-yuzu chutney, and shareable Caesar fries. Austrian and German beers and wine rule here, too.

3273 Helms Ave. Culver City, CA 90232. Closest Metro lines and stop: Bus Line 33 - “Venice/Helms” or Metro E Line and Bus Line 617 - "Culver City Station."

Bell Gardens

Xefe Meat Market, which opened in Bell Gardens in the summer of '22, is offering conejo adobada (adobo-marinated rabbit), along with its usual selection of steaks, beef testicles, tomahawks, and pollo de rancho butchered on the spot.

6241 Atlantic Ave. Bell Gardens, CA 90201. Closest Metro lines and stop: Bus Line 260 - “Atlantic/Randolph” or Bus Line 110 - "Gage/Atlantic."

Melrose

Chef Shenarri Freeman is launching "Soul Food Sundays" on January 14th at African-inspired, plant-based restaurant Ubuntu. The menu will be comprised of favorites from her James Beard-nominated New York restaurant, Cadence, including Southern fried lasagna, collard green wraps with succotash, chickpea miso broth, and purple shiso, and fried oyster mushrooms and waffles. Cocktails include a jerk-spiced lemon tea and a salted maple Old Fashioned.

2-8 PM Sundays, 7469 Melrose Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90046. Closest Metro line and stop: Bus Line 10 - "Melrose/Gardner."

West Hollywood and Pasadena

103-year-old L.A. restaurant Barney's Beanery is now offering the Minneapolis/Saint Paul special of 1/3-lb. "Juicy Lucys," burgers with cheese-stuffed beef patties, what we like to call the pupusas of the burger world (we're weird). Three types are available, a BBQ bacon cheddar burger, a jalapeño cheddar burger, and a three cheese-stuffed classic, sold at all five Barney's. The restaurant hopes to sell Juicy Lucys for home soon, too, so you can eat them at your place while listening to The 'Mats and having a Schell's.

Echo Park

Echo Park's Melody Bar announced that it's serving as a sort of "Metztli Taqueria flagship space," with the innovative pop-up taqueria open there five nights a week, part of a mission to support owner Alejandro Silva's effort towards launching his own brick-and-mortar restaurant. and to celebrate 2024, Metztli will ofer $3.50 tacos every Tuesday throughout January.

Brentwood

Salt & Straw is having an opening party tonight in Brentwood, come out for ice cream and a live performance by local guitarist and musician, Christina Apostolopoulos., Guests will also have a chance to join Salt & Straw's "Tasting Adventure" and taste all of the flavors from its new "Dairy Free Decadence" series like Bananas Foster with candied pecans and "Death by Chocolate Cake."

11640 San Vicente Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90049. Closest Metro lines and stop: Bus Line 20 - “Wilshire/Federal” or Bus Line 720 - "Wilshire/Barrington."