5 LA Restaurants + Bars on our Watchlist
cover photo Fiscal Agent
[dropcap letter=”L“]os Angeles!
Happy New Year! 2016 is here (not entirely sure how that happened) and no better way to jump right in than to satisfy our whims. So we are looking for LA eateries and watering holes to discover. That said, this month, we have 5 spots on our Watchlist. They aren’t all new, but we keep hearing the mentions and our curiosity has been stirred.
As Los Angeles natives, food and libations are the cultural landscape that define how we interpret what we taste. That said, we have high expectations. We’ll let you know how they are!
1. OTIUM {Downtown LA}
222 South Hope Street | LA 90012
Otium is a contemporary restaurant that draws from the rich culinary heritage of Chef Timothy Hollingsworth. Otium strips away the formalities of dining while focusing on the quality of food, warm service, and relaxed casual ambiance. It is designed to be a social restaurant with an open kitchen merging indoor and outdoor spaces. The restaurant’s name, Otium, has its roots in Latin, a word that is meant to emphasize a place where time can be spent on leisurely social activities.
2. The Fiscal Agent {Studio City}
UPDATE: Since writing this article, to our sadness, Fiscal Agent is permanently closed.
11801 Ventura Blvd. | Studio City 91604
{enter through side corridor}
A new cocktail hideaway in Studio City by Julian Cox, Nick Meyer, Dave Kupchinsky, and Kristina Howald. Food by Michael Kahikina. Named after a cocktail in the early 19th century, there is vintage appeal. Tucked above Barrel & Ashes.
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3. Little Sister {Downtown LA}
523 W 7th Street | LA 90014
Little Sister DTLA features East-meets-West inspired dishes served in a relaxed social environment that feels more residential than restaurant, as if you’re being invited into the Chef Tin’s home. Siblings of Abigaile in Manhattan Beach, this duo from chef Tin Vuong offers an upscale, innovative, fresh approach into regional Asian cuisine. Craft beers, sakes and wines.
4. Broken Spanish {Downtown LA}
1050 S. Flower Street | LA 90015
Broken Spanish follows the evolution of its chef, Ray Garcia. An amalgamation of the classically trained chef, born and raised in Los Angeles, with the powerful influence of a Latin upbringing. Drawing inspiration and flavors from a diverse community, Broken Spanish offers an experience that is Unique, Characteristic, and Beautiful.
Broken Spanish displays Chef Ray Garcia’s distinct culinary perspective with an elevated contribution to a bountiful culinary history. The cuisine is expressed in bold yet refined flavors. Preparations demonstrate elements of long-established tradition, while finished dishes are showcased with modern appeal.
5. Estrella {WeHo}
8800 Sunset Blvd. | West Hollywood 90069
With bartender, Gioconda St. George crafting cocktails, you can be assured the flavor profiles of the libations won’t be dull. If you can imagine it, she’ll create it. While their food menu is still being perfected, this one is on our watchlist solely for the cocktail program (though we are quite interested to see how the fare develops). Drawing inspiration from the famed Laurel Canyon bungalows of Joni Mitchell and “Mama” Cass Elliot, Estrella restaurant, recreates this long-vanished artistic community through its seamless blend of indoor and outdoor spaces, modern American cuisine, and theatrical venue. Estrella, named after the circus girl from the Mitchell song “Ladies of the Canyon,” evokes a time when food, music, artistry, and community all coexisted under one canopy. Guests will dine on globally inspired dishes from Executive Chef Dakota Weiss on an expansive outdoor terrace lined with a golden wood trellis, and hung with colorful glass pendants, twinkling lights, and locally sourced plants.
