Hand-pulled
Best Chinese restaurants, Darkroom, PS, Bel Air properties, Sushi Nakazawa, Little Beach House Malibu, Rosewood Miramar, MORE
RESTAURANTS • First Person
Stripped down
The best restaurant in Orange County opened almost three years ago in an unassuming strip mall. Vinyl records and colorful multimedia art line dark walls, and high ceilings with skylights allow the lights to dim as the sun sets. It’s the work of chefs Zach Scherer and Drew Adams, homegrown Southern California talents who continue marching to the beat of their own drum at Darkroom, inspired by a bounty of world-class local ingredients to add new dishes to the menu weekly.
On a recent visit, a charred cabbage salad camouflaged as popcorn with sesame and furikake seasoning was everyone’s favorite dish of the night. I never thought I’d be eating salad with a spoon, never mind fighting over the last spoonful, but prepare for the unexpected here. That includes a deceptively simple smoked yogurt semifreddo with bright strawberry granita and pandan magic shell, an alt-rock reinvention of demure strawberries and cream.
Scherer has a penchant for sprouted buckwheat as a garnish, and it especially shines as a crunchy layer atop meaty smoked and confit maitake mushrooms, accented with bright “kind of chimichurri” (as described on the menu).
The team’s next project is Three Eyed Tiger at The LAB Anti-Mall in nearby Costa Mesa for more cocktail magic, slated to open in October. And at Chrysalis next door, Scherer and Adams are serving a tasting menu as delicious and original as anything you’ll find in Los Angeles. –Amber Gibson
→ Darkroom (Santa Ana) • 3751 S Harbor Blvd, suite C • Tue-Sat 5-10p • Reserve.
GOODS & SERVICES • FOUND Sponsor
Bringing self-care rituals into everyday life
We leave the city searching for calm, yet rarely build it into our daily lives.
Meet The Clock by BALMUDA, the Japanese design brand known for bringing thoughtfulness and beauty into everyday life. Designed to help you step away from your screen and reconnect with the rhythm of the day, The Clock transforms routines into intentional moments of pause.
Wake gently with a fade-in Alarm, stay focused with the Timer, and unwind with Relax Mode, filling your space with ambient sound and a softly glowing dial.
A calmer, more mindful way to experience time at home.
→ Discover now [spon]
YOUR BRAND HERE: 93% of FOUND subscribers recommend products, services, and/or experiences to friends and family. Hit reply or email sales@itsfound.com, and we’ll get to work on your next great sponsorship campaign.
LA RESTAURANT LINKS: NYC omakase titan Sushi Nakazawa opens in Beverly Hills • NYC bookstore/cafe/wine bar Bibliotheque taking over old Cheebo spot on Sunset Blvd. • Hollywood’s El Coyote celebrates 95 years of serving the stars • What will be the drink of the summer?
WORK • Thursday Routine
It’s private
AMINA BELOUIZDAD PORTER • CEO • PS
Neighborhood where you work: El Segundo
Neighborhood where you live: Santa Monica
It’s Thursday morning. What’s the scene at your workplace?
It’s a beautiful mess, in the best possible way. I’m the CEO of PS, which operates luxury private terminals for commercial travelers. Right now, we’re in one of those exhilarating, slightly chaotic chapters of growth. This spring and summer, we’re going from two to four locations, with Dallas and Miami opening back-to-back. The dream of building a real network of private terminals for commercial flights is becoming real… and fast!
My work life is a mix of office, on-site, and time in motion. I’ll work from home if I need to reduce friction that day, but more often I’m with the team in person, especially during moments like this, because building something this tactile and service-driven really benefits from being together. But like most people, I’m also constantly working from wherever I happen to be: home, airport, car, phone in hand, moving between meetings and decisions all day.
What’s on the agenda for today?
We recently launched reservations for PS Dallas and PS Miami, a huge moment for us. It’s the point of no return — the moment you tell the world, “We’re open for business,” then watch the response come in live. Seeing reservations flood in is incredibly exciting, because it’s when the dream starts to feel tangible.
Of course, behind that moment is a lot of unfinished business: construction is still wrapping, menus are being tested, teams are being hired and trained, and every operational detail is being worked through. Opening day is like theater; once the curtain rises, there’s no room for error. Our job now is to make sure the guest only sees the performance, and never everything happening backstage.
Any restaurant plans today, tonight, this weekend?
Always. Eating out is one of life’s great pleasures. I just made a reservation at Funke for next week, and last night I was at Sasabune, which never disappoints. On weekends, my husband, kids and I often go to Little Beach House Malibu with friends, where lunch has a way of suddenly turning into dinner as the sun starts to set. Those are my favorite kinds of meals, when time gets a little blurry and nobody is in a rush to leave.
Any weekend getaways?
We’re so spoiled in LA. There are so many places within driving distance that genuinely feel like an escape. I like to joke that the Rosewood Miramar is my spiritual retreat. For some reason, I always seem to have a big aha moment there. Maybe it’s the ocean air, maybe it’s the pace, or maybe it’s something in the margaritas.
What was your last great vacation?
I go to Paris fairly often for work and to visit family, and I love staying at Château Voltaire. It’s such an understated gem with a real residential feel that makes it easy to settle in. It reminds me a bit of The Greenwich Hotel in New York or The Beaumont in London, both of which have that same unfussy, comfortable feel.
One of my favorite Paris rituals is renting a bike, heading to Marché des Enfants Rouges, picking up some bread, cheese, and charcuterie, and then parking myself by the Seine to snack and people watch. It’s very simple, but that’s part of the magic. When you run out of wine, go to Rosa Bonheur Sur Seine to keep the party going.
What’s a recent big-ticket purchase you love?
I’m drawing a blank on a glamorous answer here… which probably says something about this stage of life! My big-ticket purchases lately tend to be either deeply practical or related to the children. Not very FOUND-coded, perhaps, but very honest!
What store or service do you always recommend?
Sollis Health. It’s concierge urgent care, and for me it’s worth every penny for the peace of mind alone. When you’re juggling a lot — work, travel, children, life — having immediate access to high-quality care feels less like a luxury and more like sanity.
WORK & PLAY LINKS: LA goes to battle with Olympics over ticket fees and funding • Echo Park’s Heavy Manners Library moving to bigger space on Sunset Blvd. • What is going on at LA Magazine? Bizarre AI covers, missing editor-in-chief, and more • Why horror fans can’t stop visiting Koreatown’s abandoned Rosenheim Mansion • How to wear color well • Do you have a mango dealer?
REAL ESTATE • On the Market
Three properties in Upper Bel Air that have come to market in the last 30 days.
→ 2224 Linda Flora Dr (Upper Bel Air) • 3BR/3BA, 2182 SF house • Ask: $2.3M • 1950s ranch-style on cul-de-sac w/ beamed ceilings, original wood-burning fireplaces • Annual taxes: $19,425 • Days on market: 4 • Agent: David Pinkham, Pinkham Estates.
→ 2373 Nalin Dr (Upper Bel Air) • 4BR/4BA, 3035 SF house • Ask: $3.95M • newly renovated, canyon views throughout, plus pool and spa • Annual taxes: $31,178 • Days on market: 16 • Agent: Gelareh Gharai, Coldwell Banker.
→ 1110 Bel Air Pl (Upper Bel Air, above) • 3BR/3.1BA, 4408 SF house • Ask: $5.9M • single-story residence, built 1967, with open floor plan, pool, and expansive views across LA • Annual taxes: $62,308 • Days on market: 21 • Agent: Barbara Tardif, Keller Williams.
CULTURE & LEISURE • Best of Three
Nick Kroll and Friends presents Mating Season • Largo at the Coronet (Hollywood) • Sat @ 730p • GA, $50 per
Phillies v Dodgers • Dodger Stadium (Elysian Heights) • Fri @ 715p • sec 145, row p, $117 per ($63 lowest avail)
Los Angeles Philharmonic Gustavo Dudamel and Yo-Yo Ma • Walt Disney Concert Hall (Downtown) • Sat @ 8p • orchestra west, row c, $467 per ($327 lowest avail)
GETAWAYS LINKS: Alaska revives BUR-HNL route for first time in 21 years • Vegas is on the ropes, and the Central Valley is hoping to capitalize on it • Thomas Keller reopens Addendum in Yountville • SFO plans private terminal for airline passengers • Why Hawaii’s restaurants aren’t what they used to be.
ASK FOUND
Three PROMPTS for which we seek your immediate attention:
What’s your go-to spot for jewelry repair?
Tell us about your favorite garden or plant store for spring.
Oyster Week is in the books. What should FOUND’s next theme week be?
Hit reply or email found@itsfoundla.com with more answers or questions.
RESTAURANTS • The Nines
Chinese, LA proper
The Nines are FOUND’s distilled lists of the best in LA and surrounds. Paid subscribers access the complete Nines archive.
Jade Wok (Chinatown), no frills, house-made bean curd, aka “the best tofu in town,” luxurious mushroom-pork sauce