Now Open: CitySip Re-Pours Tonight, Blue Plate Taco Debuts

City Sippin'

By Lesley Balla

After a short break, Nicole Daddio reopens City Sip in Echo Park tonight. She's exchanged lengthy wine lists for hand-written menu board offerings that will change regularly, a menu with "inventive" small bites created by chef Gloria Felix (Reservoir), and a new interior that's more loungey and candlelit. A new happy hour menu, including late-night specials, will appear soon, and the classes will make a comeback. You can still buy bottles of wine to go, however. And that's a good thing (2150 W. Sunset Blvd.; 213-483-9463).

Come Sunday, you'll have a new taco stop in Santa Monica. The folks behing Blue Plate and BP Oysterette will debut a new taqueria, Blue Plate Taco, in the Shore Hotel on Sept. 23. Located next to the pool, the restaurant and bar has a slew of outdoor seating with ocean views, plus a comfortable beach-inspired dining room with colorful ceramic tiles, leather swing chairs and woven basket lighting. The menu follows suit with the other restaurant concepts for the group, meaning fresh, local and sustainable ingredients, only this time it's tacos, homemade tortillas and chips, salads, grilled seafood and meats. Expect things like lobster truffle tacos, salmon belly chilaquiles, fresh salsas and aquas frescas (get the latter spiked, if you want). BP Taco will open for lunch and dinner daily (1515 Ocean Ave.; 310-458-2985).