A chef’s pandemic-era pivot is now a fried chicken shop in Hollywood

Le Coupé

A pandemic-era pivot by a husband-and-wife team is now a bricks-and-mortar restaurant in Hollywood. Craig and Kristen Walker, a chef and an events specialist, respectively, began selling fried chicken first out of their home, then a cloud kitchen, to offset lost work. Last weekend the duo relaunched Le Coupé as a casual fried-chicken shop in Hollywood specializing in 24-hour-buttermilk-brined chicken thighs that are fried and then glazed with a honey-and-chile sauce — available pounded and served bone-in, or on a sandwich — with method and flavor inspired by Craig Walker’s south Louisiana roots. Sides include Anson Mills blue-corn cornbread made with duck fat and brown butter; puffed chicken skins tossed in Southern seasoning made by Craig Walker’s adoptive cousin; mustard-and-chive potato salad; queso fresco corn ribs; and fusilloni mac and cheese, with salads such as a lardon-topped wedge and compressed melon with feta, saba and pistachio. While Le Coupé’s format is takeout-oriented, limited seating is available. Le Coupé is open Tuesday to Sunday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

709 N. Western Ave., Los Angeles, (323) 380-7019, lecoupefriedchicken.com

Modern Bread and Bagel

A New York City gluten-free bagel shop and bakery has expanded west with a location that’s now open at the Village shopping center in Woodland Hills. In addition to hand-rolled bagels with a range of flavored spreads, Modern Bread and Bagel serves cookies, doughnuts, tea cakes, muffins, rugelach and other baked goods, all gluten-free, plus salads, bagel sandwiches, house-cured fish and coffee. Modern Bread and Bagel is open 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.

6256 Topanga Canyon Blvd., Unit 1200, Woodland Hills, (818) 474-4171, modernbreadandbagel.com

Macheen’s residency at Distrito Catorce offers new menu items such as a breakfast chorizo burger topped with scrambled eggs and white truffle gravy. Cafe Cafe, also available at Macheen’s other residency, in Milpa Grille, is served too.

(Stephanie Breijo / Los Angeles Times)

Macheen at Distrito Catorce

Macheen chef-founder Jonathan Perez continues to serve some of L.A.’s best breakfast burritos and breakfast tacos out of Boyle Heights’ Milpa Grill, but this month he added a new location for his modern-Mexican pop-up’s appearances and with it an entirely new menu and focus. Macheen can now be found taking over the kitchen of Distrito Catorce, also in Boyle Heights, with a gastropub-leaning menu of breakfast burgers and other bites in the morning, and chef-y sandwiches and hot dogs in the evening. From Tuesday to Saturday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. there are chorizo breakfast sandwiches featuring scrambled eggs and truffled gravy; salsa macha smoked-salmon avocado toasts; wagyu pastrami burgers with scrambled eggs and mustard aioli, among others, plus a full coffee bar from Cafe Cafe with cafe de olla, lavender horchata and more. Macheen pops up at night Thursday to Saturday from 4 to 8 p.m. with cilantro-and-yuzu fried oyster sandwiches; chicken lollipops in tamarind chile de arbol sauce; an al pastor-inspired hot dog; fried chicken with a blue corn biscuit and chile poblano gravy and more.

1837 1st St., Los Angeles, (323) 518-3894, instagram.com/_macheen_

Tu Madre Santa Monica

Local taco and margarita chain Tu Madre has opened its latest and largest outpost yet. The Santa Monica restaurant is the fifth location and offers the same format as the others: tacos, burritos and bowls filled with options such as grilled fish with esquites relish and kale slaw; carne asada with tomatillo salsa and queso fresco; Korean-barbecue-inspired steak with kimchi; and buttermilk fried avocado with poblano ranch slaw. Street tacos, sides, red velvet churros, and all-day breakfast are also available. Tu Madre is open in Santa Monica Monday to Thursday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., Friday from 11 a.m. to midnight, Saturday from 10 a.m. to midnight, and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.

606 Broadway, Unit 100, Santa Monica, (424) 353-2060, tumadre.com

Angry Egret Dinette chef and lifelong Dodgers fan Wes Avila is cooking potato taquitos during playoffs season. They can be found at the stadium’s blue food truck at the center field plaza.

(Wes Avila / Angry Egret Dinette)

Angry Egret Dinette at the playoffs

Wes Avila is bringing one of his signature items to Dodger Stadium, where his salsa-slathered potato taquitos will be available from the food truck at the center field plaza throughout the playoffs. The taquitos, which the chef has offered in various forms over the years at Angry Egret Dinette and Guerrilla Tacos, involve avocado salsa, queso fresco and locally made La Princesita tortillas. Avila, a die-hard Dodgers fan, was originally expected to share his recipe for replication at the food truck, but he and his Angry Egret team in Chinatown are cooking them at his Chinatown restaurant and supplying the stadium. He will also offer them on special at Angry Egret Dinette. Should the Dodgers get that far, Avila says he’ll keep cooking taquitos for the stadium’s food truck through the World Series.

1000 Vin Scully Ave., Los Angeles, aedinette.com

Shrimpfest 2022

San Pedro Fish Market’s crustacean celebration returns Oct. 22 with food and drink specials, live entertainment, giveaways and a shrimp-eating contest overseen by competitive eater Raina Huang. The seafood chain’s Long Beach location will host Shrimpfest 2022 from 1 to 6 p.m. and serve items such as the Fish Market’s signature plancha-grilled shrimp tray, chowder-topped fries, fried shrimp, ceviche tostadas, and fried fish nuggets alongside beer, wine and cocktails. The event is open to all ages, and all proceeds from the $5 entry fee will benefit environmental nonprofit the Surfrider Foundation.

6550 E. Marina Drive, Long Beach, sanpedrofish.com/ShrimpFest22