Noshing Around

La Cocina: New Look, New Menu

La Cocina, inside Old Town Artisans at 201 N. Court Ave., recently reopened with a renovated interior, a new menu and extended hours. Manager Allie Baron says the restaurant now serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, and that a café in the courtyard starts selling specialty coffee at 8 a.m., daily. Baron says the menu focuses on light, regional fare and has numerous vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options. Happy hour features $1 off wine, beer and signature cocktails from 5 to 8 p.m., Tuesday through Friday. Hours: 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday; and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sunday and Monday; 622-0351.


Coming Soon: Elle Wine Bistro

Elle Wine Country Restaurant has closed after 11 years at 3048 E. Broadway Blvd., and will soon reopen as Elle Wine Bistro at 2970 N. Campbell Ave. Owner Jeff Fuld says the new Elle will be "lighter, brighter and a little more intimate." He's installing a wine-preservation system that will allow him to offer a larger number of wines by the glass, and has established a Facebook page to keep patrons posted on his progress.

Meanwhile, back at the old Elle location, a new Sushi Garden location is in the works. Chun Kim, who owns two Sushi Garden locations with his mother, Chaesu Kim, says they'll shut down the location at 15 N. Alvernon Way when the new location opens in the spring of 2011.


New Eastside Farmers' Market

The farmers' market at Udall Park (7200 E. Tanque Verde Road) is no more, but homegrown goods will be available at a new farmers' market debuting at 9 a.m., Friday, Oct. 15, at Jesse Owens Park (400 S. Sarnoff Drive). Market organizer Manish Shah, who helped run the Udall Park market, said the new market should help meet the eastside's growing demand for local produce.


Noshing Notes

Janos Wilder officially expects to open DOWNTOWN Kitchen + Cocktails (135 S. Sixth Ave.) on Monday, Oct. 18. ... A new Vietnamese restaurant named i luv pho is coming to 2315 N. Campbell Ave. ... Mama's Hawaiian Barbecue is opening soon in the old Yokohama Rice Bowl building at 850 E. Speedway Blvd. ... Chef Alan Zeman gives a free cooking demonstration in front of the Wild West Hot Sauce Store (6541 E. Tanque Verde Road) from 4 to 6 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 16.