Santa Monica culinary legends Greg and Yunnie Morena are extending their tentacles and will open the  West Side Oyster Club on Friday, June 26. The Morenas’ connection to Santa Monica’s food and hospitality runs deep. Yunnie’s Korean-American parents founded SM Pier Seafood, now The Albright on the Santa Monica Pier, in 1977. The new seafood concept features everything from lobster rolls to Grand Cru Caviar. Also, it features a raw bar with West and East coast’s shellfish, a tiered seafood tower, fried oyster and shrimp po’boys, as well as shanty classics that include shrimp and chips, fried calamari,  clam chowder bread bowls, and a kids’ menu. There are three sizes of caviar plates, served on ice with crème fraîche, potato chips, and chives, along with a full bar. The space which previously housed Jenny Morton’s Blue Plate Oysterette is designed and refreshed by Los Angeles–based David Alvarez of Studio Alverez,  with a mix of painted and natural wood highlights, in a faded palette of white, blue, and nods to yellow, with large-scale art giving a nod to the local Dog Town culture and the skateboarders who used to hitch rides on the back of the Santa Monica Blue Busses on Ocean Ave. Courtesy of West Side Oyster Club Courtesy of West Side Oyster Club Randy’s Donuts is celebrating America’s 250th with a limited-time lineup of red, white, and blue donuts available at all locations now through Sunday, July 5, and includes celebratory offerings across classic, deluxe, and premium varieties, including the 250th Long John, Red Sprinkles Iced Cake, Blue Raised with Sprinkles, Red Texas Decorated, and Vanilla Texas Decorated. Randy’s is also offering a 250th Celebration Cake for $15, featuring two Texas-sized donuts, a Blue Raised donut, and a red, white, and blue Randy’s Round. The build-your-own cake also comes with five streamers and is served in a signature Randy’s box. Calle Espolòn is throwing a free soccer block party on Saturday,  July 11, from  2 p.m. to 8 p.m. at  57  Windward Ave. in  Venice. The tequila brand will transform the beachfront venue into a free celebration of soccer culture, local businesses, and Los Angeles creatives amid a summer packed with soccer excitement. Free and open to all 21+, expect a block party built for epic plays and perfect pours, headlined by live DJ sets from Dina BN Pangea Sound. Fans can expect a street-side mini pitch, giveaways, custom jersey experiences, fan activations, local street food from LA vendors, and plenty of specialty Espolòn cocktails flowing all day.   Must be 21+ and have a valid ID to enter. RSVP here. What’s Popping Up is a column in the L.A. Weekly that explores everything new in food and drink July 4 dozen box (Courtesy of Randy’s Donuts) The post The West Side Oyster Club And A Free Soccer Block Party – Here’s What’s Popping Up appeared first on LA Weekly. ...read more read less