Drago Centro
For dineLA.com
It’s been at least a decade since pioneering eateries Patina, Ciudad and Noé saved Downtown LA diners from bad hotel buffet lines and seedy dives. As Downtown LA grows more cosmopolitan by the minute, the influx of openings in the past few months is everything a die-hard foodie could wish for.
Downtown LA now features Urth Caffé in the budding arts district and seasoned restaurateur Steven Arroyo’s Church & State in the Biscuit Lofts. Even one of West Hollywood’s most beloved chefs Neal Fraser rolled up his sleeves to consult on the 1.6 million reopening of Cole’s, a formerly shabby Downtown LA institution serving French dip sandwiches.
L.A. LIVE will be the new home for the popular restaurant concept, Katsuya, scheduled to open during the first quarter of 2009. In addition, outlets of The Farm of Beverly Hills, Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill, Fleming’s Steakhouse, Rosa Mexicana, Lawry’s Carvery, Rock ‘N’ Fish, the Yard House and Trader Vic’s will take up residence here — all under the same roof.
How did this collection of restaurants come about? Restaurateur and hotelier of Manhattan Beach’s Rock’n Fish Michael Zislis attributes the stellar cast to L.A. LIVE developers, AEG. “Downtown wasn’t on my radar but AEG reached out to me,” says Zislis. “I got to see the project first hand while it was being built and these guys really know what they are doing — they are really revitalizing that whole part of Downtown LA.”
“The group of restaurants they chose are some of my favorites — Katsuya, Wolfgang Puck and Rosa Mexicana,” he adds. “That is how talented AEG is. They went out and found a variety of people who don’t compete with each other.”
The Downtown Rock’n Fish space will offer its signature New Orleans and Asian fare but will span over 6,000 feet — much larger than the Manhattan Beach hot spot. “I added an oyster bar — it was a dream of mine to have 4-5 different oysters of the day — and higher end wines by the glass featuring some of my favorite wineries from Napa like Plumpjack.”
Elsewhere in the Downtown LA grid, Latin cuisine seems to be on everyone’s palate. John Sedlar makes a long-awaited triumphant return with Rivera at the Met Lofts. The native New Mexico and longtime LA chef will showcase a pan-Latin small plates menu and raw bar drawing influence from the Southwest, South and Central America, Spain and Portugal.
Chef Gabriel Morales, formerly of Republic, The Polo Lounge and Boa Steakhouse, brings the financial district lighter Mexican-inspired cuisine with Provecho. “Chef Gabe” has created dishes influenced from his childhood and travels, including ceviche, lobster chile rellenos, chorizo-crusted day boat scallops and ground Kobe beef torta sliders. Next door is Chef Gabe’s upscale Remedy lounge serving classic American appetizers and cocktails until 2 a.m., and a lunch menu with salads, ravioli and ahi tuna.
Chef Kris Morningstar is opening his contemporary Mexican eatery CASA Downtown with Mendocino Farms owner Mario Del Pero. Since his days cooking at Blue Velvet, Morningstar has watched the downtown dining scene evolve but is still seeing some hesitation from others in the business.
“I’ve talked to people who say they are thinking about opening Downtown, but there is always the first wave who take the risk and find out what is going to happen. There are challenges involved. For instance, most of the upscale restaurants are not built around lunch time business. If you’re going to be Downtown, it’s hard to ignore that with the walking daytime crowd.”
Morningstar plans to combat that situation with a large demonstration kitchen area serving as a taqueria line during the day. By night, expect an authentic flavor experience utilizing chilies, nuts, seeds, sauces, moles and masa, tropical fruit and fresh fish. According to Morningstar, “It will be a fun place to be, with an upscale vibe and modern design but with a neighborhood feel and affordable price point.”
For wine lovers, sample close to 1,000 labels at BottleRock, which opens in Met Lofts in January. The space is much larger than the intimate Culver City location and will serve up to 250 people charcuterie, smoked duck salad, truffled grilled cheese, or bacon-wrapped stuffed dates by concept chef Sherie Farah.
The Bottega Louie sign in the Brockman Building at 7th and Grand is not for a high-end handbag store but a sleek restaurantand retail market where you can pick up artisanal cheeses, wines and pastries from former Boule chef Tamara Draper.
Acclaimed Italian chef Celestino Drago makes the transition from Santa Monica and Beverly Hills to the former Bank of America space in City National Plaza. Celestino couldn’t be happier about the new location for Drago Centro. “I’ve always been fascinated about Downtown and the beautiful buildings since I opened at MOCA in the early 80’s, but that was a different time,” he says. “Now with the arrival of L.A. Live, STAPLES Center, lofts and condos, it’s really a very nice Downtown and it has allowed a lot of business to come in.”
Downtown dwellers will have the opportunity to sample Drago’s signature dishes, which include langoustine carpaccio and crispy risotto cake with octopus as well as salumi, house-made mozzarella and ricotta. The space will feature a demonstration kitchen, two private dining rooms, and a lounge for nibbling chickpea fritters and sipping premium wines by the glass in view of the sixteen-foot wine tower. “I’m not the type of guy who is going to invent anything,” he chuckles. “It’s authentic Italian cuisine with the best ingredients, good service and I want to have fun.”
Bottega Louie, 700 S. Grand Ave., no phone listed yet
BottleRock, 1050 Flower St., no phone listed yet
CASA Downtown, California Plaza at 350 S. Grand Ave., no phone yet
Church & State, Industrial St., 213.405.1434
Cole’s, 118 E. Sixth St., 213.622.4090
Drago Centro, 525 South Flower St., Ste. 120, 213.228.8998
L.A. LIVE, 800 W. Olympic Blvd., 213.763.LIVE (5483)763.LIVE (5483)
Provecho and Remedy, 800 Wilshire Blvd., 213.489.1406
Rivera, 1050 S. Flower St., 213.749.1460
Urth Caffé, 451 S. Hewitt St., 213.797.4534
