Caldo Verde, Downtown L.A. Proper Hotel’s signature Portuguese-inspired restaurant,  continues its book series with an evening inspired by Phil Rosenthal’s Somebody Feed Phil The Book on Wednesday, Jan. 18. 
As part of an ongoing series of events spotlighting chefs and restaurants that have inspired Caldo Verde partners Suzanne Goin and Caroline Styne throughout the years, the event will feature Rosenthal’s favorite culinary creations with a specially curated pre-fixe menu inspired by the book and prepared by Caldo Verde’s culinary team. The James Beard Award-winning Rosenthal will be on hand to share stories behind the show.
Menu highlights include:
The collard green melt
New Orleans, chef Mason Hereford
+
The holy burger
Lisbon,  chef Jesuslee Fernandes
+
Pork smφrrebrφd with rhubarb relish
Copenhagen, chef Adam Aamann
***
Happy salad
Saigon, chef Nikky Tran
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Happy Salad ( Ed Anderson)

Quesadillas with epazote and salsa verde
Mexico City, chef Enrique Olvera
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Grilled oyster mushrooms
Tel Aviv,  chef Harel Zakaim
   or
Chili fried chicken
London, chef Naved Nasir
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Pink pad thai
Bangkok, chef Chawadee Nualkhair
***
Pink mole
Mexico City, chef Elena Reygadas
Cocktails
Rhum Sour
Montreal, Paul Toussaint
The Silent Killer (Singapore Sling)
Singapore,  from the Raffles Hotel
Pineapple Strawberry Plantation Iced Tea
Hawaii- Uncle Clay
For the month of January, Irv’s Burgers will serve the “Just a Well-Made Cheeseburger For You,” which consists of Irv's sesame bun, two 3-oz patties, American cheese, pickles, onions and special sauce, served with a side of crinkle cut fries, for $9.95. The burger, based on the hit film “The Menu,” is available at Irv’s Burgers in West Hollywood, on Postmates and UberEats. The dark satire is about a couple that travels to a coastal island to eat at an exclusive restaurant where the chef (Ralph Fiennes) has prepared a lavish menu, with some shocking surprises. Irv’s will serve the exact burger featured in the film.

Preserved Persimmon and Tonic (Courtesy Piccalilli)

Now that Dry January is officially here, Piccalilli in Culver City has an updated mocktail menu for the sober curious, including: 
Preserved Persimmon + Tonic – Crisp and delicious Fuyu persimmons preserved in salt and sugar muddled with premium Q Spectacular Tonic, garnished with aromatic Kaffir lime leaf. 
Yoo-Hunan – Piccalilli’s take on the nostalgic glass-bottled chocolate drink using homemade five-spice cocoa syrup, non-alcoholic orgeat, oat milk and chocolate mole bitters.
Coconut Kiwi Lassi – This emerald concoction pairs kiwi fruit and fresh-squeezed lime juice with coconut cream and vanilla-sesame-cinnamon syrup. 
Farmers Market Smash – Santa Monica Farmers Market fruit, herbs, lemon, simple syrup and soda
Persimmon Highball – Salt-preserved persimmon, fresh tonic and Kaffir lime leaf
Passion Fruit Lemonade – Piccalilli’s elevated, sweet and tart take on a lemonade
For more sober options, saunter across the street to the  Culver Hotel, which has partnered with Los Angeles-based Optimist Drinks, whose three botanical spirits are each inspired by a different part of LA. The new menu is created around their Bright expression, with a flavor profile influenced by Venice Beach. The menu  pairs well with the hotel's weekly Silent Movie Nights or Live Music .The Cucumber Cooler combines Optimist Bright, cucumber, yuzu and Jalapeno; The Bright New Year is a mix of  Optimist Bright, ginger, honey and lemon; and the Pear Affair is made with low ABV Optimist Bright, lemon, pineapple, spiced pear liqueur and aromatic bitters.
To celebrate Dry January HOP WTR, the non-alcoholic sparkling hop water, will host an exclusive pop-up event on Wednesday, Jan. 11 , at The New Bar in Venice. The HOP WTR team and founders will be on hand pouring all six of HOP WTR’s flavors that are crafted with brewer-approved hops and mood-boosting adaptogens with no carbs, calories or sugar. 
Esters in Santa Monica  is offering  non-alcoholic versions of the classic Penicillin and French 75s, as well as the Herbal Remedy featuring Clean’s non-alcoholic gin, rosemary syrup and fresh lemon juice, and a Ghia Gimlet with Ghia ginger, sage syrup and  fresh lime juice. On Wednesday, Jan. 25,  chefs Elizabeth Heitner and Nestor Silva (formerly of sister spot Rustic Canyon) behind the Mexican and Jewish-inspired pop-up Malli, will take over Esters’ “little kitchen that could” for dinner service, starting at 5 p.m. There will be  a variety of seasonal à la carte dishes from Malli, paired with specialty Morro Mezcal cocktails. Reservations available now through Resy and walk-ins will be accepted at the bar.
What’s Popping Up is a weekly column in the L.A. Weekly that explores all that’s new in food and drink.

Irvs Burger (Wonho Frank Lee)