L.A. County is considering an optional ‘COVID-19 recovery fee’ for dine-in customers

This week in restaurant news:

COVID-19 recovery fee

L.A. County officials are considering allowing restaurants, breweries and wineries to add an optional “COVID-19 recovery fee” to dine-in customers’ bills as a way to recoup business losses sustained during the pandemic. A similar surcharge has been approved for restaurants in New York City.

Flaco

Flaco, a new carnitas shop co-owned by restaurateur Steve Livigni of Dama and Scopa Italian Roots, is slated to open this week in East Hollywood. Along with offering Michoacán-style carnitas cooked in traditional copper pots, the taqueria will temporarily share space with downtown sandwich shop E Stretto, which specializes in Italian-style hoagies.

5652 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, instagram.com/flacolosangeles

Adrift Burger Bar

Adrift Burger Bar, a Tokyo-inspired outdoor patio pop-up from David Myers, is scheduled to open this month in Venice. The menu from the former Comme Ҫa chef will include global-inspired burgers, milkshakes and fries.

1025 Abbot Kinney Blvd., Los Angeles, instagram.com/adriftburgerbar.la

Osteria La Buca Sherman Oaks

Popular Melrose Italian restaurant Osteria La Buca has opened a second location in Sherman Oaks, currently open for takeout and delivery. Expect chopped salads, short rib ravioli, meatball subs and tiramisu, as well as take-home pasta kits.

14235 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks, (818) 456-1216, osterialabuca.com

Sightglass Marketplace and Coffee Roastery

Sightglass Marketplace and Coffee Roastery opens this Saturday in Hollywood for takeout, delivery and outdoor dining. The first L.A. location of San Francisco-based coffee purveyor had originally opened shortly before the pandemic before closing to rework its concept. The space will now act as a marketplace offering groceries such as produce, meats, beer and wine, pastries and prepared foods such as pizzas, salads and sandwiches.

7051 Willoughby Ave., Los Angeles, (323) 763-8588, sightglasscoffee.com

Hermosa Beach limits lines

Hermosa Beach City Council this week issued an emergency ordinance banning customers from gathering outside restaurants as they wait to dine outdoors. The new measure, which seeks to cut down on lines forming on sidewalks or other public spaces, requires restaurants to seat diners immediately or ask them to wait in their cars. Restaurants were also encouraged to develop a call-back system to notify diners when tables were ready.

Closings:

Jerry’s Famous Deli

Jerry’s Famous Deli in Studio City, best known as the restaurant where comedian Andy Kaufman worked while on the TV show “Taxi,” has closed after 42 years. According to a post on the restaurant’s Instagram, the owners hope to reopen after the pandemic.

Aburiya Raku

West Hollywood Japanese restaurant Aburiya Raku has closed permanently after five years. The popular izakaya, an offshoot of the original location in Las Vegas, has been replaced by a new concept called Gozen Japanese Sake Bistro.

Westside Tavern

Westside Tavern has closed permanently in West L.A due to “continuing challenges from the pandemic,” according to a letter posted to social media. The movie-theater-adjacent restaurant inside the former Westside Pavilion had been open since 2010.