Sichuan hot pot restaurant Mala Town comes to Sawtelle; Filipino lunch counter opens downtown

Openings

Mala Town is open on Sawtelle from chef Tiantian Qiu and Kai Lin of Hip Hot in Monterey Park. The restaurant serves individual hot pots with broth variations that represent regions in China, including Cantonese seafood, coconut chicken and Sichuan mala broths.

2002 Sawtelle Blvd., Los Angeles, (310) 231-0090, instagram.com/malatowninla

The pleat is on

Knife Pleat is open at South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa. The restaurant comes from Yassmin Sarmadi and chef Tony Esnault, formerly of Spring and Church & State. Dishes include ravioli with wild Burgundy escargot, housemade strozzapreti pasta with braised rabbit, and a mosaic of seasonal vegetables.

3333 Bristol St., Costa Mesa, (714) 266-3388, knifepleat.com

Pier eye

The Pier House will open in Venice on July 15. The restaurant specializes in California seafood from chef Terry Kim, formerly of Otium and Rèpublique, and offers beachy takes on classic cocktails. Cartolina, an attached market and cafe, will serve pizza, sandwiches and coffee.

7 Washington Blvd., Venice, (310) 439-1770, pierhousevenice.com; 1 Washington Blvd., Venice, cartolinavenice.com

A Filipino lunch counter in downtown

Baon is open in downtown. The small restaurant comes from chef AC Boral, founder of the brunch pop-up Rice & Shine and the Wu-Tang Clan-inspired dinner series Enter the 36 Courses. A growing menu of Filipino lunch-counter dishes includes sinigang lumpia, chicken afritada and pork belly adobo with strawberry relish.

419 7th St., Los Angeles, instagram.com/baon.dtla

Beach eats from a French Laundry vet

Nicolas Eatery recently opened a food truck on the site of its forthcoming restaurant in Malibu. Chef-owner Nicolas Fanucci was formerly the general manager at the French Laundry and Bouchon Beverly Hills. His menu includes lobster rolls with Champagne sauce, bacon-topped poutine, cheeseburgers and fried chicken sandwiches.

22333 Pacific Coast Hwy., Malibu, (707) 363-1874, nicolaseatery.com

Burger time

Good Burger opens July 10 in West Hollywood with a menu of burgers and shakes from Alvin Cailan of Eggslut. The pop-up is themed after a sketch — and subsequent movie — popularized by the Nickelodeon show “All That” and replaces a “Saved by the Bell” diner previously in the space. The restaurant will operate through this year.

7100 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood, Suite #185, (323) 850-2355, goodburgerpopup.com

Mason sells steaks by the seashore

Mason is open in Santa Monica from the H.Wood Group. The menu includes crab cakes, Dover sole and 25-ounce dry-aged rib-eye steaks.

108 W. Channel Road, Santa Monica, hwoodgroup.com/mason-santa-monica

Closings

Spireworks, a 2-year-old doner kebab chain, has closed its locations in Westwood, Upland and Westlake Village. An Eagle Rock location is still open.

Beer Belly will close July 28 after eight years in Koreatown. The restaurant’s Long Beach location remains open.

The music venue and restaurant commonly known as No Name closed June 28 after five years on Fairfax.

Tony’s Bella Vista closed June 30 after 32 years in Burbank.

Extras

Broadway Baker is under construction in Santa Monica. The business will offer freshly baked desserts including cookies, brownies and macaroons.

1209 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica, broadwaybaker.com

Loupiotte is throwing a Bastille Day party July 14 in Los Feliz. Expect French pop music, party games, dancing and dishes including oeufs mayo, quiche and chocolate mousse.

1726 N. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles, (323) 302-1637, loupiottekitchen.com

An inaugural Burger Week starts in Orange County on July 14. The seven-day event involves more than 20 restaurants serving exclusive hamburgers and cocktails at their locations, including a kimchi pork burger at Wild Goose Tavern in Costa Mesa and a hamburguesa jalapeño from Avila’s El Ranchito in Santa Ana.

burgerweek.com

Big Sur Smokehouse, which claims to be the first new restaurant to open in Big Sur in 15 years, opened July 4. It serves smoked chicken, brisket, pulled pork, hot links and mushrooms.

48123 Highway 1, Big Sur, (831) 667-2419, bigsursmokehouse.com