Little Sister chef opens spinoff restaurant in Orange County

From Wolfgang Puck’s new lounge to the Little Sister spinoff in Huntington Beach, here’s what’s happening in the world of food.

Hey Little Sister: Chef Tin Vuong and Jed Sanford, the team behind Blackhouse Hospitality (Little Sister, Steak and Whisky, Abigaile), have opened their first O.C. restaurant, Bluegold, and inside it, another restaurant called LSXO. Both are located at the Pacific City shopping center in Huntington Beach. Bluegold has 235 seats that offer a view of the Pacific Ocean, with a menu that includes a raw bar, shakshouka, Cubano sandwiches and a Santa Barbara sea urchin risotto. It’s open for breakfast, lunch, dinner and weekend brunch. If you make your way behind a door adjacent the wine room, you’ll find LSXO, a 28-seat restaurant meant to be a spinoff of Little Sister. The menu is Southeast Asian-inspired with foie gras and pho-spiced oxtail torshon; banh canh Vuong (Saigon-style noodle soup) and a roasted squab salad. LSXO also serves afternoon tea. 21016 Pacific Coast Highway, Huntington Beach, (714) 374-0038, dinebluegold.com/lsxo.

A new cut: Wolfgang Puck has opened Cut Lounge, a new bar next-door to Cut restaurant in Beverly Hills. In addition to the opening, Puck has also announced a new executive culinary and beverage team for Cut and Cut Lounge. Hilary Henderson has been named chef de cuisine and Angela Tong is pastry chef. The new menu at the lounge, called Rough Cuts, includes a chicken liver “pastrami” on black bread; curry beef puff with potato; and truffle grilled cheese. Coming soon is a vintage negroni cart with classic versions of the cocktail made tableside. The lounge offers seating for more than 60 guests. 9500 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, (310) 276-8500, www.wolfgangpuck.com.

O + O equals pasta: A new Sicilian restaurant called O + O opens Friday in Santa Monica near the pier. Chef and owner Georgi Yaneff (formerly of DSTRKT in London) is preparing a menu of Sicilian-inspired pizzas, meatballs, salads, meat and seafood. 1705 Ocean Ave. Santa Monica, (424) 272-8700, www.oosantamonica.com.

Food Network alums’ new digs: Jill Davie, who you may recognize from her many stints on the Food Network, and D. Brandon Walker, the executive chef at Bread & Roses Cafe in Venice who has been featured on the Food Network, will open the Mar Vista, a new restaurant in Mar Vista, in December. Both executive chefs are behind the menu, which they describe as “progressive Los Angeles” and will feature food inspired by the city’s cultural diversity. 12249 Venice Blvd., Los Angeles, (424) 259-3093, www.themarvista.com.

Santa Monica shuffle: On The Verge Hospitality group is replacing the now-closed Ox & Son restaurant (which had opened last March) with Margo’s. The restaurant is scheduled to open Friday on Montana Avenue in Santa Monica. Expect a seasonal menu of small plates by chef Greg A. Daniels, formerly executive chef at Salt Air. Jordan Delp, formerly of Tom Bergin’s Public House and Dominick’s, created the cocktail program. Margo’s will be open for lunch, dinner and weekend brunch. 1534 Montana Ave., Santa Monica, (310) 829-3990, margossantamonica.com.

NYC pizza is coming: Roberta’s, the famous New York Pizzeria, will take over Marvin in Beverly Grove for a pizza pop-up. The takeover is happening Sunday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. There will be plenty of pizza along with small plates from Marvin. 8114 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, (323) 655-5553, www.chezmarvin.com.

Still hungry? Jason Neroni’s Rose Cafe is celebrating the one-year-anniversary of its reopening Thursday with $5 rose cocktails and wine. The Stand, a restaurant known for its American comfort food, has opened a location in Irvine. Angelina’s Pizzeria in Irvine and Dana Point have sourced a new team of chefs, pizzaiolas and mixologists. The Loft at the Montage Laguna Beach starts serving weekend brunch Saturday.

I’m in the mood for pizza. Follow me on Twitter & Instagram @Jenn_Harris_

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