Disneyland’s New Star Wars-Themed Bar Is a Boozy, Geeked Out Paradise

Plus, a new chef at Union Pasadena, LGBTQ bar history, and late night music in Santa Monica

Oga’s Cantina at Disneyland’s Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge

The Time Out LA crew wandered through Disneyland’s new theme park, Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge last week. Under construction since 2016, the anticipated 14-acre park dedicated to the 42-year-old sci-fi saga opens today, and Oga’s Cantina is sure to be a hit. As the only bar serving alcohol in Disneyland, Oga’s takes inspiration from the Mos Eisley cantina in A New Hope, and the result is a boozy, geeked out paradise for any Star Wars fan. There’s a droid DJ, non-alcoholic drinks, tap beer, wines, along with colorful and smoky cocktails filled with spirits. Guests will need a reservation between May 31 and June 23, which are long gone. Until more spots open up, Time Out’s video is the best way to get a feel for the experience.

Late night lounge vibes in Santa Monica

Ingo’s Tasty Diner launches a weekly music night tomorrow. Live Lounge At Ingo’s is every Saturday from 10 p.m. until 1 a.m., where the restaurant will assemble one of LA’s best kept secrets: studio musicians. The men and women that perform on recording artists albums will play blues, jazz, Afro-Cuban, folk music, and more.

A new chef at Union Pasadena

Celebrated chef and former Top Chef contestant Bruce Kalman left Union Pasadena nearly a year ago, and owner Marie Petulla just announced his replacement. Christoper Keyser is former chef de cuisine under Akasha Richardson at AR Cucina. Keyser’s pasta specialty skills should fit nicely in Union’s kitchen.

Rob Latour

Gesso and Gjelina vet moves to Portland

LA chef Doug Miriello, whose CV includes the shuttered Gesso, and time in Gjelina’s and Esters Wine Bar’s kitchen will develop and operate a new food hall in Portland. Eater Portland reports the unnamed food hall opens in 2020, and Miriello will oversee the development and operation of a wine bar, a sandwich bar focused on house-smoked meats, plus a rotating salad bar selection with selections like dandelion greens and Pacific Northwest steelhead.

The safety and history of LGBTQ restaurants and bars in Los Angeles

The Los Angeles Times takes a timely look at Los Angeles’s LGBTQ history, with a piece that outlines the significance of bars and secret clubs, and how these spots connect the community. And while New York’s 1969 Stonewall Riots are well-noted in U.S. history, LA’s lesser-known uprising occurred in 1959, at the former Cooper Do-nuts on South Main Street.

Source: Eater LA – All – Mona Holmes