Local Kitchens

Mini Food Hall Local Kitchens, With Restaurants by TwayDaBae and Alvin Cailan, Is Opening in LA | Eater LA

"A mini-food-hall concept opening in June 2025 at 3960 Laurel Canyon Boulevard in Los Angeles, this single-kitchen operation partners with established chefs and restaurants to combine multiple menus and dishes under one roof. Customers will see multiple branded menus, including Sweet Onion Burger by chef Alvin Cailan (who owns Amboy in Chinatown) and Tấm Tấm Rice by chef Tuệ Nguyễn (who helms Đi Đì in West Hollywood and is also known by her social media handle TwayDaBae). Other partner menus include Yalla Falafel from New York City chef Einat Admony and Proposition Chicken from the Bay Area, with additional chef partners to be announced. The dining setup will be more complete than many mini-hall prototypes: 13 tables, communal seating, patio seating, ceramic plateware, murals painted by Los Angeles artists, and more staff on hand to greet customers, take orders, and facilitate service — a contrast to the chain’s earlier, “digital-first,” kiosk-oriented Bay Area outlets. The concept follows the recent trend of mini-food halls that operate out of a single kitchen — think cloud or ghost kitchens but with chefs licensing recipes and brand likeness — and was launched in 2020 by former DoorDash co-founders Jon Goldsmith and Andrew Munday, who have partnered with influencers and known chefs to serve popular items like burgers and fried chicken. Menu highlights preserved from partner kitchens: Tấm Tấm Rice focuses on the chef’s take on Vietnamese broken rice dishes, with charbroiled chicken and braised pork belly over rice, spicy pork belly fried rice, and crispy egg rolls; Sweet Onion Burger features Alvin Cailan’s Oklahoma-style shaved onion burgers with quarter-pound patties and plush white buns; Yalla Falafel makes stuffed falafel and amba chicken pita sandwiches; and Proposition Chicken offers Southern-style crispy fried chicken tenders and sandwiches. Orders will be accepted through the brand’s app and in person for dine-in or takeout, with delivery available via Uber Eats and DoorDash." - Matthew Kang