Tasty Tidbits: New Restaurants, Food News and More in the San Fernando Valley -- My Daily Find

BY KAREN YOUNG

Now in Sherman Oaks and Woodland Hills.

The Local Peasant just opened its second location in Woodland Hills in the space that formerly housed Casa De Carlos. It’s very similar to the original location in Sherman Oaks except they feature 27 craft tap beers and a glass walk-in keg cooler in the middle of the restaurant. Their emphasis on seasonal local ingredients remains key to the eats menu which includes bar snacks, salads, burgers and main dishes such a fish & chips, short ribs, chicken stew and more. Their bar menu includes ‘prohibition’ themed cocktails. 22901 Ventura Blvd., Woodland Hills (just west of Fallbrook).

Blu Jam Cafe is opening in Sherman Oaks this Saturday.

Blu Jam Cafe opens its second location in Sherman Oaks this Saturday, May 18. The very popular eatery has been a mainstay on Melrose Avenue for nearly seven years serving up Blu Jam will be open for breakfast and lunch with breakfast served all day (8 a.m. – 4 p.m.). The cafe is known for its eclectic menu of homestyle cooking with an emphasis on a healthy menu using top ingredients and local resources. Blu Jam Cafe replaced Cafe 50s at 15045 Ventura Blvd.

Luca’s in Toluca Lake is having their grand opening celebration this Wednesday,

Photographer and restaurateur Baret Lepejian (nearby Lucy’s 51) will formally transition the former Chez Nous on Riverside Drive to Luca’s Restaurant with a grand opening celebration and ribbon cutting ceremony on May 15 from 5 p.m. to midnight that will include stilt walkers, jugglers, magicians, and live Dixieland music. Complimentary hors d’oeuvres will be served in addition to the regular menu, and a portion of the night’s proceeds will benefit the Anne Douglas Center for Women in Downtown LA. Where: Luca’s Restaurant, 10550 Riverside Dr., Toluca Lake, RSVP (818) 760-0288.

Teen “happy hour” at Loteria Grill in Westlake.

Lotería Grill, The Promenade at Westlake, the newest location of Chef/Owner Jimmy Shaw’s authentic regional Mexican restaurant and taqueria, is now offering a “Teen Hour” daily from 2:30 p.m. – 5 p.m. The special menu will include $5 appetizers with proof of student ID, including: Guaca-Salsa & Chips, Los Nachitos (fresh corn tortilla chips, black beans, pico de gallo, jack cheese, tomatillo salsa), Los Chicanitos (four crispy taquitos – two potato, one chicken, one beef – served with fresh guacamole, crema Mexicana, and queso fresco), Quesadillas Norteñas (flour tortilla quesadillas served with fresh guacamole and pico de gallo). The Promenade at Westlake, 180 Promenade Way, #I5, Thousand Oaks

Beer luncheon at Saddle Peak Lodge with Ladyface Ale brews.

Saddle Peak Lodge and Ladyface Ale Companie are collaborating for a five -course Beer Luncheon on Saturday, May 18 at noon, hosted at Saddle Peak Lodge in Calabasas. Ladyface Ale Companie is an award-winning microbewery and restaurant in Agoura known for its ales, lagers and stouts. Christopher Kufek, executive chef of Saddle Peak Lodge, and Jen Carter, the Ladyface’s sommelier and mixologist, have collaborated to created a pairing menu that includes…Asparagus Salad with lemon, prosciutto, filo dough crisps and tete de moine cheese (La Blonde), Crab Salad with watermelon and cucumber (Trois Filles Tripel), Pork Belly Slider (Blind Ambition), Lamb Poutine with curry mustard, cheese curd and sweet potato fries (Truth or Dare), and for dessert, Devil’s Food Cake with Oak barrel ice cream with chocolate cremeux (Picture City Porter). The cost is $55 per person excluding tax and gratuity – space is limited. Saddle Peak Lodge, located at 419 Cold Canyon Road in Malibu Canyon, just 10 minutes from Highway 101 and an equal distance from Pacific Coast Highway, features a denim-friendly dress code. For reservations, call 818.222.3888.

La Frite Express food truck

La Frite Cafe in Sherman Oaks has just launched its own food truck, La Frite Express, with the intent of bringing a Paris bistro feeling to the streets. La Frite has been a fixture in the 818 for over 40 years. Just last year, it got a huge makeover by Gordon Ramsey on “Kitchen Nightmares.” The truck menu includes a variety of crepe casseroles, specialty burgers, salads, french onion soup, fries and more. Looks for daily specials as well. So far you can find the truck at The Rabbit Hole in Canoga Park Thursday through Saturday from 10 p.m. – 2 p.m. for a late night taste of Paris (22105 Roscoe Blvd. West Hills). If you have a suggestion for a truck location, let them know on the La Frite Express website.