Tacos 1986 opens in DTLA; Goat Mafia drops in on Echo Park

A new chapter for Tacos 1986

Tacos 1986 opened its first restaurant in downtown L.A. this week. The Tijuana-style taco operation debuted late last year, quickly growing from its spot on a Hollywood sidewalk to multiple restaurant residencies and now, this small red-and-white space. It serves tacos, mulitas, quesadillas and vampiros featuring the operation’s celebrated adobada, asada and mushrooms, as well as the off-menu perrón, until midnight.

609 S. Spring St., Los Angeles, tacos1986.com

Goat Fellas

The Goat Mafia is popping up every Saturday and Sunday starting at 8 a.m. in Echo Park. Compton-based chef Juan Garcia will serve Jalisco-style birria de chivo in tacos, bowls and combo plates, along with a taco de cabrito using a whole kid he is cooking on site.

625 N. Alvarado St., Los Angeles, facebook.com/TheGoatMafiaGrillandCatering

A Himalayan feast in Santa Monica

Tara’s Himalayan Cuisine is open in Santa Monica across from Brentwood Country Mart. This is the fourth location for Tara Gurung Black’s lauded restaurant, which offers an assortment of Nepali and Tibetan dishes.

262 26th St., Santa Monica, (424) 744-8948, tarashimalayancuisine.com

Indoor weather and loaded fries in KTown

Rain Pocha is open in Koreatown. The discrete soju bar has curtains of real dripping rain and bar food including chicken tteok-bokki, stir-fried intestines, seafood udon, loaded fries and oysters.

3377 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, instagram.com/rainpocha

Guadalajara-Style Sandwiches in Whittier

La Chiva Jr. is open in Whittier. The Guadalajara-style restaurant serves tacos dorados, tortas ahogadas, wet burritos, tacos canastas and, on the weekends, menudo.

7022 Greenleaf Ave., Whittier, (562) 693-7774, facebook.com/pages/La-Chiva-Jr/215577649342189

EXPLORE: 101 restaurants we love »

Her name is Cleo

Cleo recently reopened at its original Hollywood address within H Club Los Angeles, formerly the Redbury Hotel. The menu includes squid ink paella, baked shrimp-and-crab haloumi hotpot, a full raw bar and a selection of whole fish.

1717 Vine St., Los Angeles, (323) 962-1711, sbe.com/restaurants/brands/cleo

A bastion of burrata

Burrata House is now open in Palms. The restaurant serves panini and farro bowls with burrata made by Di Stefano Cheese Co. in Pomona, including sandwiches stuffed with caprese, bresaola and prosciutto. Look for the imported Piaggio Ape food truck parked outside.

3272 Motor Ave., Los Angeles, (844) 287-7282, burratahouse.com

A distillery grows in LBC

Portuguese Bend, the first distillery in Long Beach, is now open. A tasting room serves the spirits being made on site — currently a vodka and gin, with more to come — while a diner has cocktails and dishes such as fried chicken, burgers and Tuesday night prime rib.

300 The Promenade North, Long Beach, (562) 435-4411, portuguesebenddistilling.com

A West Hollywood gin joint with draft vermouth

Bar Sopra debuted last Friday above Blackship in West Hollywood. The bar will be open every Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings for amaro, gin, vermouth on tap and cocktails.

8512 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood, barsoprala.com

Fresh pasta from La Botte’s chef

Colapasta is now open in Santa Monica from Stefano De Lorenzo, the former chef and owner of La Botte. Pasta made daily includes lasagna from Emilia-Romagna, Venetian gnocchi di ricotta, Neapolitan calamarata pomodoro and a gluten-free casarecce.

1241 5th St., Santa Monica, (310) 310-8336, colapasta.restaurant

Witches brew

Harry Potter-themed Nimbus Coffee is open in downtown L.A. The café includes coffee from Tectonic, a collection of wands, breakfast pastries, red velvet “mockshakes” and a portrait of Morgan Freeman as Dumbledore.

1115 S. Hope St., Los Angeles, instagram.com/nimbus_coffee_la/

Rice principals

Kitsune, a takeout window attached to Kombu Sushi, is open every Tuesday and Saturday in Silver Lake. The small menu features four onigiri, with ingredients including salt-cured salmon and gochujang chicken breast, along with two broths and Japanese pickles.

3719 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, (323) 663-1048, instagram.com/kitsunesilverlake