Barstool gossip: Steven Arroyo opening Stork at Hollywood & Highland

Steven Arroyo is preparing to open a new spot, Stork, in Hollywood and Highland. (Not exactly. See below.) So says the bartender at the new Cobras & Matadors at LaBrea and 6th, which, since Arroyo took the space, used to be Goat and was almost Wyeth after it was Happi Songs. No apparent risk of neighborhood C&M burnout; "We're as busy now on Tuesdays as we were on Saturdays when it was Goat."

EDITED TO ADD: The partners are John Terzian and Loyal Pennings from LAX and Grace Fernandez, formerly of Bolthouse Prods. Steven Arroyo did the menu.

Not sure what Stork is about, although said bartender said the space looked "amazing" (as he might) and his description made it sound huge-ish (see above), although his sense could also stem from Arroyo's tradition of favoring spaces that can fit in your pocket. (Although I can't imagine anyone heading to H&H for intimate dining.) My friend remembered having dinner at the 3rd St. C&M and, after a lengthy session of job bitching, was startled when someone at the next table leaned over to say brightly, "Oh, you work at [employer]?"

Food at C&M, my first since the menu revamp: Out of the socca pancakes. Drunken goat cheese with brandied cherries came bubbling in a ramekin but was a little too unctuous for its own good, especially when it's accompanied by four small slices of Vons-ian, if toasted, baguette. (I know, "terrible food/yes, and such small portions." But they should have better bread.) We liked the sauteed wild mushrooms with sherry and almonds and the wine (Spanish, of course), although I'd like to know how much their small glass tumblers really hold. And even if it was less than 4 oz., I'd probably come back for the bistro-meets-shantytown decor, which suffered little in the translation from Goat to C&M#3.