In tracking down all the deets for the possible Tender Greens' expansion into downtown's Brockman Building, something caught my eye. The Downtown News had reported that "a sprawling gourmet market and restaurant on the glass-enclosed ground floor" is slated to open in the loft complex across from Seven Grand. "It's a type of Dean & Deluca place where you can meet, people watch, see and be seen" the piece teases further. 

Hmm...just on a hunch, I called the peeps at Dean & Deluca to see if they would spill the beans on their move west. The West Coast flagship is already planned for a 2009 opening in Newport Beach's Fashion Island, but "is it possible that more stores will open in L.A. proper, let's say, like in downtown?"

The D&D folks charmingly played along but in the end would "neither confirm nor deny" the rumor that a Dean & Deluca something or somethings may or may not be opening somewhere in Los Angeles. At further prodding, D&D did say it's "possible" that as a "prelude" to the opening of the Fashion Island flagship, some of the smaller café-style Dean & Delucas may find their way to L.A...but nothing will be announced until after the new year.

That's good enough for me. I'm ready to restock my spice rack and I'll talk to you, D&D, in the new year.

—Jiyeon Yoo

How did I miss this? Tender Greens is growing. The second outpost will set up much farther south in San Diego, specifically at Point Loma's Liberty Station. I can't imagine that it won't be successful. If anything plenty o'greens should keep the Naval folks afloat (goodness, what did I mean by that?). Anyway, projected opening date: spring 2008.

The other locations are planned for parts closer to home, and will venture eastward from its founding Culver City locale. Sorry, Silverlakers, the West Hollywood spot will be just shy of traversing La Cienega, projected to open on Santa Monica Blvd. near Hancock Ave. in fall 2008. (Stop the bellyaching, you've got Intelligentsia.)

Third location is still up in the air, but if things go right for those of us stuck in a downtown building for 15 hours a day, we'll get our supply of leafy greens from something more than the commissary salad bar. The attempts to create a "thriving Restaurant Row" along 7th St. would be helped along if Tender Greens does end up inking a deal inside the Brockman Building—the 80-condo complex that overlooks Seven Grand. Anyone in the market for a downtown loft?

—Jiyeon Yoo

Sunny patio for downtown? Credit: Vanessa Stump