the BEAT of the week: Plan Check Kitchen + Bar.

We here at the BEAT are huge fans of Umami Burger, so when news came that a new restaurant was coming from former corporate executive chef of Umami, Ernesto Uchimura, we knew we had to try it.

And indeed, there was little disappointment to be had. Situated on the westside, in the enclave off of Pico and Sawtelle otherwise known as Little Osaka, Plan Check Kitchen + Bar aims at being a friendly "neighborhood restaurant." So far, with a cozy decor inspired by architects and engineers (our table even had a tiny jar filled with metal screws), and a nice small patio out front, they're working toward their goal very well.

Plan Check describes their servings as American "small plates," but with a little bit of sharing of sides, you'll easily get your fill. The Blueprint Burger, with its blue cheese and candied bacon, was my favorite item of the night -- not surprising, considering the Umami background. Pair it with the veggie chips, which come in a fun paper bag and include sweet potato and taro. The Smokey Fried Chicken was pleasant (though I would have loved a little spicy kick in there somewhere) and the yam preserves that came with was sweet but refreshingly bright. Definitely, definitely end your meal with the Cruller donuts -- perfectly crispy and soft at the same time, and plated with delectable bananas and cream.The drinks list was fun as well -- I was intrigued by the possibility of Hitachino white ale on tap, but was swayed by the neighborhoody Little Osaka Sour, and thankfully so. Just enough sweetness, just enough bourbon kick. The Spaghetti Western is an exciting (read: spicy!) try for Bloody Mary fans, while the Tropic Thunder plays well with a jalapeno infused vodka. It's clear Plan Check isn't afraid to get adventurous in the cocktail department -- so neither should you.

And so, a little bit of reliability paired with a little bit of adventure -- sure sounds like a great addition to the neighborhood.

Plan Check Kitchen + Bar officially opened last week and is located at 1800 Sawtelle Blvd. in West L.A.

-- Chau Tu

Photo credit: the BEAT

Eat Out. Wurstküche Venice.

The westside outpost of favorite Los Angeles sausage restaurant Wurstküche is now open! Green chilies and cilantro (chicken & turkey), and mango jalapeño (chicken & turkey) are my favorites, and there are some great vegetarian sausages too, including smoked apple sage. The exotic options include duck, rabbit, rattlesnake, and alligator!

Don't miss the fries--with the white truffle oil glaze! And a Chimay White on tap.

625 Lincoln Boulevard in Venice, Calif. Kitchen open 11:00 a.m. till midnight, bar open till 1:30 a.m. (213) 687-4444

-- Leslie Anne Wiggins

Photo credit: la.eater.com

Eat Out. SteingartenLA [Thirsty Thursdays!].

As far as sausage places go, you really can't beat downtown's Wurstkuche, a hands-down favorite of us BEATs. But as the L.A. Times most recently pointed out, Los Angeles is undergoing a sort of sausage craze right now, and other places are, too, warranting a visit.

Daren and I headed over West L.A.'s SteingartenLA a few weeks ago, and were met by a large, thriving crowd at the dinner hour. To our surprise, the waitress told us that the restaurant hadn't even had its grand opening yet -- that's actually happening tomorrow, April 1st. But the large restaurant and bar was definitely bustling, with a mix of just-out-of-college twentysomethings and older middle-aged groups of friends meeting for drinks.

If anything, the beers are definitely worth the crowds and visit. SteingartenLA's got two happy hours: 4pm-7pm and 10:30pm to close, $5 house beer, $10 for your choice of one of 5 tap beers and any sausage. And the beer selection, as is expected for a sausage place, is pretty fantastic, with all sorts of craft beers on tap.

While the menu offers some more exotic choices like Venison Blueberry and Alligator and Pork, probably to rival Wurstkuche's niche, the restaurant does try to stick to German and Belgian traditionalism, so Daren got the Polish and I tried out the Lamb Spicy Sausage (seen above), with a side of sweet potato fries. The fries were great and came with an amazing side of aioli, and Daren liked his Polish a lot. I thought my sausage was pretty dry, though, as was the bun it came on -- it was too small for the thick sausage, and ended up falling apart by the end. Still, I had some great citrus-flavored beer to wash it down with.

Surely, the restaurant will have its stumbles in its first months, so I'm definitely willing to return. There's also an outdoors patio with an interesting fire pit that would be great to sit at with friends. Time will tell how well SteingartenLA will do in the sausage battle, but if they stick to good beer and perfecting that sausage, it'll become a great neighborhood favorite.

SteingartenLA is located at 10542 W. Pico Blvd. in West L.A. The official grand opening is tomorrow.

-- Chau Tu

Photo credit: the BEAT

Do It. The 1000 Journals Project at the Skirball.

Who hasn't ever wanted to read someone else's diary? A journal can be the most honest and revealing portrait of one's self, a keeper of secrets and unexpressed thoughts, a trough of memories.

You may not know any of the people who have contributed to the 1000 Journals Project, but their revealed diaries are still highly intriguing, and they may even touch you emotionally -- making you laugh or cry. The project began with a San Francisco designer named Brian Singer, who sent out 1000 journals all over the world, asking people to contribute whatever they wanted to the blank pages and covers. Then they were asked to pass that journal on to someone else, and the process was repeated over and over. The website now tries to keep track of all the journals, and posts images of people's works.

It's definitely a website to bookmark and follow, as more and more journal pages get posted. But it won't really be the same as actually seeing one of these journals in real life, seeing how people decorated the pages and what the journals have become. So head on over to the Skirball, where 12 of the original journals are on display. It's also an interactive feature where you might be able to contribute your own page and continue on in this fun, imaginative experiment.

For more information on The 1000 Journals Project, click here. The exhibit will be on view until Feb. 13 at the Skirball Cultural Center, located at 2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd. in West L.A.

-- Chau Tu

Image credit: Courtesy of The 1000 Journals Project

Advance Notice / Win It. Film Independent's Directors Close-Up.

We love good film here at the BEAT, so we're thrilled to announce our first reader giveaway: a pair of tickets to Film Independent's 2011 Directors Close-Up.

Panelists include directors Lisa Cholodenko (The Kids Are All Right, Laurel Canyon), Matt Reeves ("Felicity", Let Me In), Nicole Holofcener (shown above directing the wonderful Catherine Keener in 2010's Please Give), and more.

Email us (at thebeatofyounglosangeles@gmail.com with Subject line "winner winner chicken dinner" by 9:00 a.m. PT Monday January 31) a few sentences about why you'd love to attend this series that includes such panels as "The Creative Team: Bringing the Vision to Life", "Writing and Directing", and "The Spirit of Independence: A Roundtable Discussion".

The series of five events runs February 2 through March 2 at West L.A.'s gorgeous Landmark theater.

Series passes are $180, and $150 for Film Independent members. Info: filmindependent.org, (310) 432-1222.

-- Leslie Anne Wiggins

Photo credit: thefilmstage.com

Do It. Clueless at the Nuart.

The internet was recently graced with a beautiful video of Paul Rudd, prior to his rise as a Hollywood pretty boy stud, fulfilling his duties as a DJ at a bat mitzvah. He was really into limbo!

Now that you're in the mood for some old school Rudd, you can check out one of my favorites of his roles: the laid-back, unassumingly cute ex-stepbrother Josh in Clueless. The 90s movie starring Alicia Silverstone has surprisingly aged well, and is sure to bring back some great memories of weird fashions (knee high socks are back! And so are crop tops?) and funny catchphrases. And of course, it'll be great to see Brittany Murphy, so young and gawky. But it'll also probably make you wonder why we don't have a technology a la Cher's outfit-making closet yet. Whatever!

Clueless screens tonight at midnight at the Nuart, located at 11272 Santa Monica Blvd. in West L.A.

**And if you're in the mood for even more young Paul Rudd (and who isn't!?), the Academy Cinemas in Pasadena is screening Wet Hot American Summer at midnight on Saturday.

-- Chau Tu

Do It. Bryan Lee O'Malley at Giant Robot.

I absolutely loved Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. It's disappointing to see that it probably won't make that much of a dent at the box office (that doesn't mean you shouldn't see it! Because you should!), but I'm sure it'll still amass its own cult following, just as the graphic novels it was based on has.

And speaking of the graphic novel series, don't forget that the latest and last edition in the Scott Pilgrim story was only recently released. If you haven't gotten your hands on it--or any of the others in the series--this Saturday may just be the perfect excuse. The man behind it all, Bryan Lee O'Malley, will be stopping by the Giant Robot shop to do some signing and apparently play the new Scott Pilgrim video game (which too should be awesome..how could it not be?). O'Malley's known to be a super nice guy, and this is supposed to be his only upcoming appearance.

And while you're there at Giant Robot, you may as well check out its current exhibit, which happens to be by Philip Lumbang, aka the Awesome Bears dude. Awesome art and fun abound!

Giant Robot is located at 2062 Sawtelle Blvd. in West L.A. O'Malley will be there this Saturday at 5pm.

-- Chau Tu

Do It. "Fight Club" at the Nuart.

In case you haven't heard, the new Twilight movie is out. Just in time for the 4th of July weekend, and possibly just the right reason to want to avoid the multiplexes tonight. Need another incentive? How about a modern classic at your local one-screen theater?

You're in luck! David Fincher's phenomenal Fight Club, starring, of course, Brad Pitt and Edward Norton, is showing at midnight at the Nuart Theatre in West L.A. Nothing like some gritty man-on-man beatings and twisted mind games to get your mind off of Edward and Jacob and back to some real men, right? (Talk about a contrast!) You're welcome, and happy 4th of July!

The Nuart is located at 11272 Santa Monica Blvd. in West L.A., and you can buy advance tickets online here.

-- Chau Tu

Eat Out. Bella Pita.

If there's anything I learned from my time studying abroad in London, it was the value of finding a good pint of beer and good falafel. The first, thankfully, L.A. is abundant with; the second, I have found a bit more difficult to come by.

The search will always continue, but for now I've found a pretty cozy spot. Bella Pita is a tiny shop on the Westside that's no bigger than a living room, but it packs a big Mediterranean cuisine punch. Get your green falafel patties in a pita or a cone, or opt for the 'wowshi,' which the L.A. Times calls "a panini meets pita sandwich meets burrito item." The pitas, as seen above, are pretty huge as it is, though--especially with a tempting salad bar with all the filling goodies you would ever need, including 'really really hot sauce.' But with all the ingredients fresh and baked to order, using only canola or olive oils, the food actually tastes light and not greasy at all.

Top out your meal with fries (delicious!) and a drink (classic Martinelli's in a glass bottle!), and you still won't even hit close to $10. Ah, the value of good falafel!

Bella Pita is located at 1945 1/2 Westwood Blvd. in West L.A. or 960 Gayley Ave. in Westwood (this location stays open until 2am!).

-- Chau Tu

Photo credit: theBEAT

Eat Out. The Arsenal [Thirsty Thursdays!].

After a long day at work, finishing that studied-too-much-for exam or maybe just for meeting up with friends, everyone needs that go-to spot for happy hour. For the Westside, that spot should be The Arsenal.

Located on Pico right off the 10, this dark bar is a little confusing at first--the unexpectedly large red-lit space is split up into three random rooms, there are rifles and guns lined up against the walls alongside flat-screen TVs showing the game, a DJ booth sits across from the bar, and the sign on the door just thanked you for not wearing jerseys or baggy clothes. Identity crisis? Maybe, but somehow things stay pretty unpretentious and chill, and after you take a seat in a booth, you'll find the place charmingly cozy.

Plus you'll probably be too distracted by the great happy hour deals you'll be getting. From 5pm-7pm Mon.-Fri. and 6pm-8pm on Sat., The Arsenal offers beers on tap for $3, well cocktails and wines by the glass for $4, and appetizers like skewers for $4-$5. A nice basket of fries (even of the sweet potato variety, if you so wish!) comes for a whopping $2. There are also daily specials, like $1 sliders on Tuesdays and a full burger-fries-beer meal for $10 on another day (Thursdays, I believe).

There's a full-blown kitchen offering burgers and sandwiches, and the bar has a cocktail menu, but I honestly wouldn't bother. Stick to the plan of a nice cold beer, greasy snacks and a cozy corner for relaxing, and The Arsenal will indeed deliver a happy hour.

The Arsenal is located at 12012 W. Pico Blvd. in West L.A.

-- Chau Tu

Photo credit: theBEAT

Eat Out. Dollar taco night at Don Antonio's.

A delicious restaurant taco for $1? Yes. Wednesday nights at Don Antonio's in West L.A. from 5 p.m. till 11 p.m. The mid-week happening is always packed, so arrive early. Avoid the temptation to order rice and beans, as that will quickly add up and nullify the good deal you can get by making dollar tacos an awesome and inexpensive dinner. Although I do recommend a margarita along with the tacos--either while you're waiting at the bar, or to celebrate when you finally get a table. Feliz Diciembre.

Don Antonio's is located at 11755 W Pico Blvd. in West Los Angeles

-- Leslie Anne Wiggins

Photo credit: Citysearch