DOWNTOWN WEEKLY THE SPIRIT OF DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES
DTLA WWW.DTLAWEEKLY.COM VOL 17. NO. 03 JUL 14TH - JUL 20TH 2022
pizza week
^ pi LA pizZa
N OW S E RV I N G A T CLIFTON'S REPUBLIC
Engine Co. No. 28
Celebrating 109 Years
Now Open
6th Street Viaduct
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THE CRISPY CRUST OF DOWNTOWN WEEKLY
ON THE COVER chef fred eric
VOL 17. NO. 03 - JUL 14TH - JUL 20TH 2022 WWW.DTLAWEEKLY.COM
location: old bnk district photo by: Keri freeman
THE ARTICHOKES
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Engine Co. No. 28 celebrates 109 yers ...4 DTLA PIZZA WEEK PI^LA AT CLIFTON'S....6 6th Street Viaduct - The People’s Bridge .8 GET22DTLA eVENT CaLENDaR..10 FIND DTLA WEEKLY MAP...11 DTLA WEEKLY
editor and chief KERI FREEMAN
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
KERI FREEMAN janae saia abel weiss jaime herrera
photography
GARY LEONARD eric epperson KERI FREEMAN
VIDEO Production
@kerieatsdtla design and layout @kerieatsdtla
social media
@kerieatsdtla
Special thanks to... MAYOR OF LOS ANGELES & council district 14 THE CITY OF LA ARTS DISTRICT CHINATOWN CIVIC DISTRICT BUNKER HILL EXPO/USC HISTORIC CORE LITTLE TOKYO FASHION DISTRICT FINANCIAL DISTRICT SKID ROW SOUTH PARK WAREHOUSE DISTRICT THEGRAWN ARTWALK NEWS
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4 DOWNTOWN APPETITE: ENGINE CO. NO. 28 BY JANAE SAIA
VOL 17. NO. 03 - JUL 14TH - JUL 20TH 2022 WWW.DTLAWEEKLY.COM
ENGINE CO. NO. 28 CELEBRATES 109 YEARS
(WITH FREE MENU ITEMS FOR FIRST RESPONDERS...)
E
ngine Co. No. 28 has been putting out appetite fires since 1989 with classic American dishes inspired by the regional cooking of firehouses across the country.
E
ngine Co. No. 28 exist within a former Los Angeles Fire Department fire station on 7th and Figueroa streets. Friday, July 15th, the popular Downtown restaurant will celebrate the 109th year of its historic location at the base of Downtown’s bustling Finance District. Of historical significance, Engine Company No. 28 was originally founded in 1912 and put into operation by Captain McDowell and 11 other men on July 15, 1913.
One of the first reinforced concrete fire stations in the city, it was a Class A fire-proof structure built of brick, hollow tile and concrete to serve as an operating fire station until it was closed in 1967. In 1979, the building was listed in the National Register of Historic Places. In the late 1980s, it was renovated as the restaurant we know now as “Engine Co. No. 28”. Engine Co No. 28 all American food has become a DTLA staple, not to mention, an established hot spot for doing business. Not too many lunches, dinners or Happy Hours will go by without Sweet tooth? seeing a tie or two at Engine Co Engine Co No. 28 No. 28. Cheesecake with mixed berries and Menu items include Fried raspberry sauce. Calamari, Signature Meatloaf, Thank us later. New York Steak, Southernstyle pan-fried Chicken, and Engine Co. No 28 Firehouse chili. is turning 109 this The Mussels are larger than most and the Station 28 Caesar Salad is of good portion, stacked with romaine hearts, creamy caesar dressing, shaved parmesan and croutons. From the BBQ ribs to the favored Wagyu Cheese Burgers, Engine Co No. 28 has a riveting menu that deserves accolades and is proven to stand the test of-time.
Friday. Per usual, Engine Co. has pulled out all the stops. This Friday, we celebrate history in the making with a live band and DJ. Plus, first responders eat and drink free from 12-9pm. Here’s to a very happy 109th birthday to the unforgettable Engine Co. No. 28! @enginecono28
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6. DTLA PIZZA WEEK: Pi^LA By Keri Freeman
VOL 17. NO. 03 - JUL 14TH - JUL 20TH 2022 WWW.DTLAWEEKLY.COM
DTLA Pizza Week at
Pizza Just Isn't Boring
PI ^ LA
Anymore
Congratulations Downtown, famed Chef Fred Eric of Vida,
Airstream, Olive, Liberty Grill, and Hollywood institution serving for the past 24 Years, Fred62, has returned with an entirely new pizza concept with PI^LA.
Chef Fred is among the visionary tastemakers once again adding restaurants in downtown to their list of ambitions. Former owner and operator of Tiara Cafe in the Fashion District, PI^LA marks Chef Fred's triumphant return.
While most of the time Chef Fred seems jovial and quick witted, he’s quite serious whilst in the kitchen. Smoked salmon, potato gratin, pulled pork belly, and roasted pumpkin, may not be your average pizza toppings, but they do make for pizzas of tremendous flavor, never the less.
At PI^LA, pizza portions are cut into four inch squares
(Detroit Style), with eclectic pizza toppings, balancing on a signature dough, bordered by a burnt-cheese crust. It’s the combination of Kombu and Sprouted flour that enhances the flavor and promotes the bubbling of the pizza's unique, crispy crust.
PI^LA – L.A. Style Pizza slices are predetermined and named after classic cars. The pizzas also pay homage to the diversity of Los Angeles.
The LAURIE’S GALAXY is vegan baba ganoush, hummus, muhammara, And, it’s just not the masterfully combined Mediterranean veggies and The IMPALA LOW RIDER made with Mole chicken, pizza toppings that make PI^LA pizzas unique, it’s also the bread upon which the melted Oaxacan cheese and rajas con crème, are two examples. toppings sit.
DTLA PIZZA WEEK VOL 17. NO. 03 - JUL 14TH - JUL 20TH 2022 WWW.DTLAWEEKLY.COM
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Now serving PI^LA at Clifton’s Republic! It had been almost four years since Clifton’s stopped serving food. The fully restored historic location made through Covid opening its doors again after a two-year closure in early Spring if this year.
CHEF FRED ERIC The list of famous chefs he has trained under or collaborated with dates back to 1982. Just after high school graduation up until now, the list includes a lifetime of friendships with such great chefs, as Octavio Becerra and Joachim Splichal of Patina Group, Wolfgang Puck, Alain Senderens, and the late great Chef Toribio Prado. Jonathon Gold and the Los Angeles Times have awarded Chef Fred his just desserts, along with A-list musicians and artists that keep Chef Fred’s eateries on their hot list of daytime and late-night destinations. Visiting PI^LA feels like an art show within a retro diner with its rows of silver vinyl booths, aimed lighting and walls covered with original murals painted by the artist, Sheppard Fairey.
Sheppard Fairey designed the PI^LA logo and other marketing materials as well. PI^LA is located just behind the entrance to the Historic Harlem Alley on 4th Street and one might miss the entrance if they weren’t entirely familiar. Extolled by those who can appreciate the lessor-known hospitality realms of the city often hidden in plain sight, locals enjoy knowing Chef Fred embraces the Speakeasy nature of downtown. It’s one very special hidden pizza gem. For historians and lovers of jazz, the Harlem Alley finds its place in history as the original open stage for jazz musicians in the early 1900s.
As our city was barely forming, old-time jazz music echoed through the Harlem Alley from 2nd to 7th Streets. Not only are great chefs enamored by those of considerable fame, they are trailed by the media, food critics, food enthusiasts, fans and top entertainment professionals throughout their careers.
On weekends, Thursday – Saturday, PI^LA makes a guest appearance just in time to nourish the whole of Clifton’s hungriest flappers, campers, and hidden tiki room mates. Fans may also find PI^LA at Magic Box at the Reef during the Street Art Alive Exhibit at Lume Los Angeles. @pizzapila @cliftonsrepublic @lumelosangeles
DTLA PIZZA WEEK: Pi^LA By Keri Freeman
VOL 17. NO. 03 - JUL 14TH - JUL 20TH 2022 WWW.DTLAWEEKLY.COM
6th Street Viaduct “The People’s Bridge” Officially Open After Weekend Festivities
T
DeLeon, State Assemblymembers Miguel Santiago, and Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti.
Staged acts continued to play throughout the day with Ozomatli fans dancing their way into the sunset.
Members of the audience included Merrill Butler lll whose grandfather engineered all of the LA River bridges back in the 1930s, and who worked to present a design to replace the seismically-deficient original bridge built in 1932.
F
Amtrak trains blew horns from the tracks below as project participants got to mix and mingle with each other as well as members of the invited press. When the twilight ceremony was over Downtown’s new $588 million bridge lit up with the colors of America.
Sunday, pedestrians and bike fun, followed by Monday’s official norm of slowed commuter traffic, this time our slow-moving wheels moving across the newly erected 6th Street Viaduct connecting the Arts District and Boyle Heights.
he City of Los Angeles pulled off the Opening of the 6th Street Viaduct without a hitch with a weekend of festivities hosting Angelenos from far and wide. riday's song of prayer, led by a Tongva native, began the ceremonies as dozens of the viaduct’s workers, engineers and architects joined city, state and government officials to celebrate with food, music and short speeches a top the new bridge deemed “The Ribbon of Light” and ”The People’s Bridge”. Among the stages were dignitaries, City Engineer Gary Lee Moore, architect Michael Maltzan, Councilmember Kevin
Saturday brought the second day of celebration with car clubs lined up for miles for a chance to be the first to drive the long row of concrete arches.
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