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Boyle Heights: 60-year-old La Mascota Bakery is the winner of a local poll pointing to the best local tamale. [BHB]
Downtown: Rivera chef John Sedlar is seeking tax-deductible donations for his Museum Tamal, a museum honoring Latin food and L.A. food history. The generous can donate on a range of tiers including "Bell Peppers" at the bottom up to "Habaneros" up top. [Museum Tamal]
--Palms' Sushi Zo is taking space at the corners of 4th and Main in 2013, in the same complex where a crunchy new concept in greens called Simply Salad opened last week. [BY]
Hollywood: Magic Castle has a new craft cocktail program under oshua Lucas and Jordan Gold. [Digest]
Koreatown: Matt Kang offers a guide to 26 of the neighborhood's "best" restaurants. [Eater]

Much to the heart-break of Palms, the Westside arm of Guelaguetza went packing over two years ago, only to have owners tease the region with the prospect of Mitla, the most exciting Oaxacan menu west of Crenshaw, until alas, those plans were also dashed. Now after two years of waiting, hoping, and daring to dream for a sufficient booby prize of some sort, we learn that Beard Papa, the Japanese cream puff specialist, is taking over the stand-alone space. The chain currently has existing locations on Sawtelle and Hollywood Boulevard, and has plans to make interior and exterior upgrades to its newest outpost. Sure, it's not exactly as adventurous as turkey barbacoa and grasshopper tostadas, but still, green tea Paris-Brest and grapefruit jelly surely beat another pink 7-11 donut any day of the week.

Beard Papa, 11127 Palms Blvd. Palms.

With help from a Hobbit, a make-believe crystal meth dealer, George Lopez, and more than 5,000 devoted taco preservationists, 51-year-old Henry's Tacos is getting a stay of execution in Studio City. Further bolstering L.A.'s faith in Christmas miracles, owner Janis Hood says she is hopeful for a deal between the Grinch her landlord and a prospective buyer of the historic taco stand that would ensure Henry's survival. Hood's problems began nearly a year ago, after she sought landmark status for the restaurant, pushing landlord Mehran Ebrahimpour to raise her rent by 50% and refusing to renew her lease. Whether two more weeks will make a difference in the fight for Henry's life remains to be seen, though Hood, who will now be able to run the stand her father founded until January 10, tells The L.A. Times, "I’m very hopeful that a deal can be reached."

Henry's Tacos gets two-week reprieve [LAT]