Shored up
Azur, Ocean Park properties, The Tasting Kitchen, LA stores & services, Shipwreck Bar, MORE
Did you catch last week’s debut of The FOUND 45, our definitive list of favorite restaurants in Los Angeles? Paid subscribers also have access to the FOUND 45s from other FOUND cities. Here’s the full set:
ASK FOUND
FOUND subscribers share their answers to the prompt, “What LA store or service do you love to recommend?”
Bert’s Garage, La Gondola Shoe Repair, and International Silks & Woolens. These shops have low-key saved my life on more than one occasion over the past few years. Visit any one of them to also get a crash course on hospitality and craft. Bert’s for your car, La Gondola for your shoes, and Int’l S&W for all your cafe curtain needs when opening your first restaurant.
Schaeffer’s Garment Hotel in Hollywood. Incredible LA-made denim store that kills it. Robert is the man, and has dressed a loyal following for over a decade.
I think Goodman Packing & Shipping is the secret for anyone who does returns. They have parking, are super friendly, and allow you to drop off pre-paid to any carrier at no cost. Plus it’s a good excuse to treat yourself to a Cream Top at Maru.
We’ve gotten good responses to these prompts, too, but desire yours:
What’s your favorite specialty bookstore in LA?
I need a caterer for a casual summer party. Any ideas?
If we publish your answer, we’ll comp you a 90-day paid subscription to FOUND LA. Hit reply or email found@itsfoundla.com with more answers or questions.
THE NINES • FOUND Sponsor
Zest, hidden gems
Our partners at Zest, a new app that lets you see where your friends actually eat, share their favorite hidden gems across LA. Because Zest is built on real dining history instead of reviews, these are the under-the-radar spots people keep coming back to, not the names with the biggest buzz. Check out the best dishes, get insider tips, and save your favorites in Zest.
Paisita Cafe (Venice, above), a laid-back Salvadoran cafe off Abbot Kinney spinning vinyl, with strong coffee and house empanadas. Come for the chilaquiles and a chorizo breakfast burrito, minus the Venice crowds
Marlena (Naples, Long Beach), a Michelin-recognized all-day cafe that flips into a wine-fueled dinner spot after five. The wood-fired pizzas, from a Bestia and Gjusta alum, are the move
Otafuku (Gardena), a family soba house that treats buckwheat noodles like a science, made in-house daily with flour from Japan. Order the cold seiro, then the unagi tempura
Milpa Kitchen (Boyle Heights), Deysi Serrano’s Mesoamerican-inspired spot built on corn, beans, and squash. Get the milpa bowl or the cult breakfast burrito, with blue-corn tortillas and a real sense of mission
Baby Gee (Long Beach), a vintage-divey Retro Row bar with checkered floors and two Spirited Award nods. Most cocktails run under $15, and the burrata pizza is better than any bar snack should be
P P Pop (Monterey Park), the humble SGV noodle shop that always has a line. Get the beef roll cake, the pork soup dumplings, and the mala beef noodle soup if you can take the heat
The Conservatory for Coffee, Tea & Cocoa (Culver City), a family roaster since the ‘90s, beans roasted in view and 100-plus loose teas. The Sony lot runs on it. Grab a bag on the way out
Kouraku (Little Tokyo), the oldest ramen shop in the country, open since 1976 and barely changed since. Come late for katsu curry, tenshin chahan, and a bowl of shoyu ramen. Old-school, cash-friendly
Mamie (West Hollywood), a tiny counter turning out Italian sandwiches on 72-hour focaccia with imported meats and cheeses. Get the Viale di Parma: prosciutto, fig jam, gorgonzola, and pistachios
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.
RESTAURANTS • First Person
Blue skies
LA RESTAURANT LINKS: Following 2023 fire, The Tasting Kitchen reopens in Venice Beach with longtime chef Casey Lane • Koreatown’s Hanchic also back from dead, opening inside Jilli space • Mexican-Middle Eastern food moment? Camello opens in East Hollywood • Silver Lake’s Seco team is taking over Fred 62 Sunset Junction rooftop, opening new Lebanese concept • Legendary Fairfax bar The Dime opens new Inglewood location • Nearly half of restaurants included in Jonathan Gold’s Counter Intelligence have closed. What does that mean?
REAL ESTATE • First Mover
Three properties in Ocean Park that have come to market in the past 40 days.
→ 2930 Neilson Way #408 (Ocean Park) • 2BR/2BA, 1456 SF condo • Ask: $2.495M • gated oceanfront complex close to beach, remodeled unit w/ ocean views • Annual taxes: $21,616 • Days on market: 2 • Agents: Tony Maduka and Bryce Lowe, Christie’s International.
→ 2460 Beverley Ave (Ocean Park, above) • 2BR/2BA, 2067 SF house • Ask: $3.75M • cedar-finned design by AD100 architect Kulapat Yantrasast, industrial bi-fold window for ocean breezes • Annual taxes: $23,113 • Days on market: 38 • Agent: Dennis Wong, Sunshine Realty.
→ 2918 4th St (Ocean Park) • 4BR/4BA, 3240 SF house • Ask: $7.5M • architecturally significant property anchored by suspended pool, ~3700 SF of indoor-outdoor living • Annual taxes: $33,293 • Days on market: 37 • Agent: Meredith Schlosser & Bretana Dubin, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices.
CULTURE & LEISURE • Our Universe
Boston Red Sox at Los Angeles Dodgers• UNIQLO Field at Dodger Stadium (Elysian Valley) • Fri @ 710p • sec 37 FD, row O $224 per ($78 lowest avail)
BTS • SoFi Stadium (Inglewood) • Tue @ 8p • Loge 423, Row 1 $715 per ($243 lowest avail)
Chivas Guadalajara at Los Angeles FC • BMO Stadium (Exposition Park) • Wed @ 730p • Section 116, Row P $278 per ($191 lowest avail)
GETAWAYS • Hawaii
Getting wrecked
