Sun-drenched
All-day at Doto, Brentwood listings, Laguna Beach, spritzes at Bar Bacetti, San Diego restaurants, MORE
RESTAURANTS • First Word
Summer crush
The Skinny: A bright, breezy Virgil Village perch for seasonal California izakaya fare from chef Jared Dowling (also of Santa Monica’s Edgemar), Doto serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner in a playful showcase of culinary versatility. It opened in April.
The Vibe: Doto is a thriving multi-hyphenate. Mornings are reserved for more coffee, laptop, and “starting the day off right” vibes. But as the smaller hand on the clock slowly inches north, it’s all about sitting down, relaxing, and seeing where a meal there takes you. Your setting? An interior with darker booths and accents, lighter wood tables, and a European-styled bar showcasing vinyl, coffee, and wine. Or (and more likely) it’s the almost all-encompassing spacious patio, nestled on an incline just off the busy-but-interesting N Hoover St.
The Food: LA’s now well-established affair with Japanese-inflected California cuisine isn’t abating, and Doto’s making sure of that. You could cover every inch of your table space with hand rolls, crudos, and seasonal vegetables. And then there’s the “Coal & Smoke” and “Doto Classics” section of the menu, where you’ll find scallop skewers with yuzu kosho, chilled sesame noodles, and large format dishes like a smoked chashu or a lamb mezze. The Comte burger demands your full attention: two grass-fed beef patties layered with melted cheese and caramelized onions — a welcome riff on French onion soup, and a two-handed situation. Breakfast is for everything between coffee, pastries, bacon (or mushroom) burritos with avocado shiso salsa, and a Spanish-style tortilla. Lunch is arctic char bento boxes, fish tacos, sandwiches, and various greens.
The Drink: Cold, crisp, and effervescent. A thoughtful selection of beers, wines, and sakes make up the majority of the menu, along with aperitivos like a low-ABV negroni riff with sweet vermouth, black tea, and a vanilla finish, and a kir royale, featuring Santa Monica farmers market cherries, yuzu, and Prosecco.
FOUND Pro: Reservations are available, but walk-ins seem to be encouraged, and always welcome.
The Verdict: An all-day gem of a space in the sun to be enjoyed again and again. –James Royce
→ Doto (Virgil Village) • 654 N Hoover St • Tue-Sat 9a-10p, Sun 8a-8p • Reserve.
LA RESTAURANT LINKS: Last call for Cole’s • Japanese lounge restaurant Katsuya opens in Century City • Spared by fire, LA taco truck feeds the rebuild • On the legacy of Jonathan Gold.
REAL ESTATE • First Mover
Three properties for sale in Brentwood that have come to market in the past 10 days.
→ 384 N Bonhill Rd (Brentwood) • 3BR/3.2BA, 2881 SF • Ask: $4.249M • 1930 Spanish-style home with canyon views • Annual taxes: $26,870 • Days on market: 3 • Agent: Melanie Sommers, Compass.
→ 933 Bluegrass Ln (Brentwood) • 4BR/3.2BA, 3874 SF • Ask: $4.695M • modernist residence in Crestwood Hills with full-length deck • Annual taxes: $45,662 • Days on market: 7 • Agents: Melissa Ryan and Robert Winans, Coldwell Banker.
→ 13126 Garden Land Rd (Brentwood, above) • 4BR/5BA, 4400 SF • Ask: $6.995M • estate in Mandeville Canyon w/ landscaped grounds including lagoon-style pool with waterfall • Annual taxes: $52,084 • Days on market: 7 • Agents: David Kramer and Andrew Buss, Compass.
WORK & PLAY LINKS: CA housing market defies US slump • LA restricts duplexes in Pacific Palisades rebuild • In Silver Lake, Clare V. reopening on Sunset Blvd • 24/7 AI convenience store opens In Hollywood • Tale of two EV brands: Hollywood’s Tesla Diner v Rivian Hamptons.
GETAWAYS • Laguna Beach
Placidly ensconced
Perched on a rocky outcropping overlooking the Pacific, Casa Loma Beach Hotel is an ideal getaway for a quiet weekend in Laguna Beach, particularly if your goal is to not do too much of anything.
The hotel opened last year following a $15 million gut renovation of what was the Inn at Laguna Beach. Designed by Electric Bowery, the spaces have an earthy new age meets eclectic Mallorca beach club vibe.
This isn’t the typical luxury hotel set-up (i.e. a full roster of spas, chef-branded restaurants, and gleaming fitness centers). Luxury here is in the details, like the drink upon arrival, the tranquil soundscape curated by Uncanned, and the fresh cookies each evening. Ocean views around seemingly every corner help, too. With just 70 rooms, the environment is intimate. Collected objects dot the property — surf-themed coffee table books, a carved wooden bust, a ceramic planter.
The airy lobby-slash-lounge is flanked by a towering sculptural relief of a sun-worshipping goddess. Sandy plaster, rattan lamps, and terracotta floors combine with a sinuous built-in banquette and a row of dark wood tables. Open daily 7a-10p, hotel bar Cecilia’s is tucked in the corner behind glossy maroon tiles, along with a vintage reel-to-reel tape machine. Upstairs, on the rooftop Pacific Terrace, guests can watch the sunset over the ocean and gather by the firepit. On the ground level, surrounded by thick hedges and white umbrellas, the courtyard pool is a secluded alternative to Main Beach (which is literally steps away).
The rooms feel delightfully airy, likely because many of those aforementioned ocean-facing views (even the standard room I stayed in had one). Furnished with a large bed anchored by a swooping wood headboard, a small bathroom with a shower, a table with two comfortable chairs, and colorful geometric throw blankets for a bold accent, the room also included touches like a radio playing lo-fi surf rock from the hotel’s custom channel, a pour-over coffee station fueled by Canyon Coffee, and bath products from D.S. & Durga (of which I am now a convert).
I spent most of my down time placidly ensconced in the crisp white sheets of my bed, or in one of the wide lounge chairs, turned to face the ocean for a glimpse of the occasional spouting whale. Otherwise, I was walking along the boardwalk and its various coves or eating a giant gourmet pretzel from Rye Goods. I’d recommend future visitors do the same. –Grace Bernard
→ Casa Loma Beach House (Laguna Beach) • August wknd king from $609/per.
GETAWAYS LINKS: Ritz-Carlton Bacara, Santa Barbara completes transformation • Legendary Tahoe Biltmore sold at auction for $150K • Twin Oaks Roadhouse up for sale in Sonoma • Hotel bars in Honolulu even locals love.
CULTURE & LEISURE • Bops
Keyshia Cole • Peacock Theater (South Park) • Fri @ 7p • orchestra left, $137 per
Lady Gaga • The Kia Forum (Inglewood) • Fri @ 8p • sec 213, $273 per
Shakira w/ Black Eyed Peas • SoFi Stadium (Inglewood) • Tue @ 730p • sec A2, $283 per
BARS • First Round
On the spritz
The Skinny: The sister project to Echo Park’s popular Bacetti Trattoria, Bar Bacetti is Jason Goldman’s Roman-inspired aperitivo bar right next door.
The Vibe: The entrance to Bar Bacetti is nearly indistinguishable from the entrance for Bacetti Trattoria, so don’t be thrown off if you enter through the wrong door (as I did). You’ll know you’re in the right place when you step into a long, narrow space with moody walls, a stunning marble-topped wooden bar, and lighting that makes everyone look good. If it’s not crowded, head for the cozy table tucked into the dimly lit alcove at the very back. Outside, the vibe shifts to sidewalk café, complete with classic bistro chairs and petite round tables.
The Drinks: Aperitivos are the focus here, with spritzes and vermouth-based cocktails ideal for hot summer afternoons. There’s also a curated wine list featuring Italian producers, as well as a nice selection of zero-proof cocktails.
The Food: Little containers of pink-tipped wooden picks sit on every table, the first clue that these are dishes meant for sharing. The menu offers a lineup of classic Italian bar snacks reimagined with local and seasonal ingredients, as well as a selection of focaccia and pizzas. A surprising standout: peppers stuffed with anchovies, capers, and tuna, while cold octopus salad with fennel, potatoes, and green olives is pleasantly tender. Fans of Bacetti Trattoria’s Roman-Neapolitan hybrid pies will be happy to find them here, too — especially since this is now the only place to score one.
The Verdict: Bar Bacetti channels the spirit of Italy while staying firmly rooted in Echo Park. Ideal for a casual afternoon with friends or an easy local dinner, it’s the kind of spot likely to become a neighborhood standby. –Anna Lane
→ Bar Bacetti (Echo Park) • 1507 Echo Park Ave • Mon-Tue & Thu-Sun 3-10p • Walk-ins only.
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GETAWAYS • The Nines
Restaurants, San Diego
The Nines are FOUND’s distilled lists of the best in LA and surrounds. Additions or subtractions? Hit reply or found@itsfoundla.com. For the full archives, click here.
Vulture (University Heights, above), discreetly located behind 10-seat diner, glam spot serves bubbles, tiny martinis, covertly vegan menu of classics