Welcome to FOUND LA
Welcome to FOUND LA
Budonoki, Venice canals, haute provisioning, Jon Buscemi's Thursday, Partlow Boots, Sensei Porcupine Creek, MORE
RESTAURANTS • First Person
A pop-up star puts down roots
In the wrong hands, the vibe at recently opened Budonoki in Virgil Village — poured concrete mixed with dark wood surfaces, paper lanterns, pops of neon-hued art, and a bass-heavy playlist of ’90s/early ’00s hip hop — could portend a bad night out. But on a busy Friday night one week after opening, the welcome was warm and the food was serious, and seriously good.
Chef Dan Rabilwongse’s (Tartine, Urasawa, Bouchon) menu is a tight collection of snacks, skewers, and oshizushi (pressed sushi). The drink list revolves around sake and Japanese beers, plus shochu-based cocktails and aperitifs.
Rabilwongse doesn’t stick to a strictly Japanese script when it comes to the food: Among the best dishes we tried was the naem, fermented Thai sausage from a family recipe, served with crispy fried rice balls and pickled shaved vegetables. Also notable: the chicken-and-negi skewers, a holdover from the excellent pop-up the team ran last year at beloved izakaya Ototo.
We weren’t quite sure what to expect with the Basque kinoko, but what arrived was a forest’s worth of rich wild mushrooms on a sizzling fajita-style platter, smothered in dashi, runny egg, and shaved truffle, served with a baton of grilled bread.
Nearly every table (including ours) finished with a swirl of pineapple koji Dole whip mixed with pandan-coconut soft serve, presented with adorable miniature plastic shovels in lieu of spoons. I dug in with the same lack of hesitation I have about coming back to see what else they dream up in the coming weeks. –Jamie Feldmar
→ Budonoki (Virgil Village) • 654 N. Virgil Ave. • Resy (bar seats and some tables held for walk-ins).
LA RESTAURANT LINKS: Former flagship location of La Brea Bakery welcoming new tenant • Iconic Palm Restaurant says goodbye to Beverly Hills • Bellflower’s new Sonoran taqueria rivals LA’s best • LA hospitality group Noble 33 moving headquarters to Miami • The hot Gen Z bar is… Barneys Beanery?
REAL ESTATE • On the Market
Surfing the canals of Venice
While not boasting the price points of adjacent Ocean Front Walk properties, the houses lining the canals of Venice have always had their own distinct appeal: small lots, yes, but outdoor spaces that usually outperform — and that vibe. Here now, three properties along the canals for your consideration.
→ 2308 Grand Canal (Venice) • 4BR/5BA, 3699 SF • Sizable roofdeck, listed last year at $6.99M • Days on market: 118 • Asking price: $5.899M • Listing broker: Paul Salazar, Hilton and Hyland.
→ 429 Sherman Canal (Venice) • 3BR/4BA, 3192 SF • Three-level contemporary with two decks • Days on market: 47 • Asking price: $4.39M • Listing broker: Danielle Revelins, Compass.
→ 3001 Grand Canal (Venice, above) • 4BR/3BA, 2901 SF • Bungalow on a larger lot • Days on market: 48 • Asking price: $3.575M • Listing broker: Saam Shabahang, Compass.
LA WORK AND PLAY LINKS: Inside LA’s love affair with the modern box house • Judge rules in favor of LA’s mansion tax • Are high interest rates stopping you from buying or selling a home? • There’s never been a worse time to buy instead of rent • Retail leasing activity is up in Greater LA • Disney plans holiday pop-up market in Venice.
GOODS & SERVICES • The Nines
Haute provisioning, central/west
The Cheese Store of Beverly Hills (Beverly Hills), old school icon gets breath of fresh air from new owner
Petrossian (West Hollywood), caviar, but also smoked fish, charcuterie, and other flights of fancy
Monsieur Marcel (Beverly Grove), original Farmer’s Market standby for aspiring Francophiles
Gjusta Grocer (Venice, above), prepared foods, local produce, baked goods, florals
Farmshop (Brentwood), restaurant, bakery, and shop in Brentwood Country Mart
Lady & Larder (Santa Monica), top-tier charcuterie boards, plus pantry essentials
Fatty Mart (Mar Vista), Asian groceries and more from Little Fatty team
La Española Meats (Harbor City), for Spanish meats, cheese, and paella fixings
Erewhon (various locations), especially Venice or Calabasas locations for people-watching
Hit reply or email found@itsfoundla.com with additions and subtractions.
CULTURE & LEISURE • Thursday Routine
A culture mogul’s dolce vita
JON BUSCEMI, culture mogul, Open Outcry
Neighborhood you live in: San Marino
It’s Thursday morning, what’s on the agenda for today?
Thursday is always busy, because I don’t work on Friday. I have a fitting for my snore-eliminating mouth guard at 7:30 a.m., golf lesson at 8:30, three Zooms between 10-2 p.m. for a couple businesses I invested in, and for Wolves Whiskey and my deli Uncle Paulie’s. The back half of the day is consumed with our new top-secret design project for a luxury golf brand. Stay tuned.
Any restaurant plans today, tonight, this weekend?
We’re going to La Dolce Vita in Beverly Hills tonight for the new menu drop. It’s currently the best red sauce Italian in LA.
How about a little leisure or culture?
I golf twice a week, maybe three times. Ha. I’ve also been bit by the Padel bug. It’s addictive. I wish I could play more, but I’m playing tonight!
Any weekend getaways?
We love going to the desert — La Quinta specifically. Korakia Pensione is a favorite spot for me and the wife. Also, La Quinta Waldorf is a big bougie hit.
What was your last great vacation?
Chicago. Just got back and we always have the best time. Played golf at Shoreacres (hard ticket), got a burger at Au Cheval, and had an amazing meal at Kasama, a Michelin star Filipino restaurant. The MCA museum, of course, and stopped by Anthony Gallery to see Easy.
What’s a recent big-ticket purchase you love?
A watch. The watch. Patek Philippe Aquanaut 5968G Chronograph with Khaki Green Dial & Rubber Strap in 18k white gold. Love.
GOODS & SERVICES • FOUND Object
Not their first rodeo
Just launched from former model/LA girl Kasey Lempkin (originally from Mississippi), Partlow boots are not your cowboy's cowboy boots. Never campy, never kitschy, these are for the city girl who wants a dash of trend. Sometimes, it’s okay to mess with the classics. –Zoe Schaeffer
→ Shop: Partlow Boots (Partlow Official), from $995.
GETAWAYS • Rancho Mirage
Sensei and sensibility
True luxury often manifests as irrational generosity, increasingly rare in modern hospitality. Such extravagance is typically born from a visionary owner — with deep pockets.
Take Sensei Porcupine Creek. Twenty-five minutes down the road from Palm Springs in the town of Rancho Mirage (and just two hours from LA), the property was Oracle founder Larry Ellison's private estate, designed for friends and family gatherings. In a relatively short timespan, it transitioned into the Sensei brand’s second outpost and a compelling alternative to the likes of Amangiri and Blackberry Farm.
Some may be lured here by golf or tennis offerings. But Sensei’s true claim lies in wellness, with three-day sessions tailored from pre-arrival evaluations. The staff includes a physical therapist who rehabilitates the US ski team, and a psychologist specializing in unwinding deep-rooted habits and re-wiring oneself.
Culinary offerings are helmed by Nobu Matsuhisa himself, delivering classics from both of his eponymously named restaurants. Sarah, who ran the room at the iconic Beverly Hills Hotel’s Polo Lounge, presides over dining areas.
Ellison’s (heavily Japanese) art collection elevates the entire experience. And of course, the landscape is a masterpiece unto itself: serene water features are balanced with thousands of landscaped cacti, succulents, and paired with a vast expanse of over 3,000 palm trees.
But Sensei’s true magic lies in its temporal allure. A three-night stay feels like a week away. –Colin Nagy
→ Sensei Porcupine Creek (Rancho Mirage) • 42765 Dunes View Rd.
GETAWAYS LINKS: New Mexican food hall and marketplace opening in Costa Mesa • Riverside’s Mission Inn Hotel and Spa might lose its museum • The first US ski resort has opened for the season • Peter Luger Las Vegas opens at Caesars • Iconic Tropicana Las Vegas will be torn down to make way for baseball park, probably • Is Florence’s Villa La Massa the best hotel in the world?
CULTURE & LEISURE • Saturday Night
Ms. Lauryn Hill & The Fugees, Crypto.com Arena (Downtown), Sat @ 730p, floor 2, $329 per
Jerry Seinfeld & Jim Gaffigan, Kia Forum (Inglewood), Sat @ 730p, section 112, $241 per
Dudamel Leads Khachaturian, Disney Concert Hall (Downtown), Sat @ 8p, orchestra east, $171 per
ASK FOUND
First, a quick primer on how this works: You send us the pressing questions of the day (on dining, services, living in LA and surrounds). We all put our heads together (us, FOUND, + you, FOUND subscribers, who are also FOUND) in search of truth and beauty. Please do not be shy — hit reply or or email found@itsfoundla.com.
A few FOUND subscriber PROMPTS for which we are seeking intel:
What is the LA hotel you always recommend for out-of-town guests?
My friends and I are searching for a new day spa for a weekend drop-in. What are the latest FOUND options?
What’s hot and new in women’s clothing boutiques?