In Tinsel Town sparkly new restaurants are almost as common as new movie releases, but we think these five recent arrivals are true stars in the making.
Here’s Looking at You
With a menu that playfully jumps from golden beets with spicy feta to a rainbow sherbet dessert, mod-mellow Here’s Looking at You from chef Jonathan Whitener and Lien Ta (Animal) is a vibrant new K-town classic. Expect ‘progressive social food’ with flavour-packed craft plates and killer cocktails. 3901 W 6th St, Koreatown. +1 213 568 3573. hereslookingatyoula.com
Wolf
Marcel Vigneron’s long-awaited Wolf showcases the celeb chef’s seasonal cooking chops without overdoing the modernist techniques. His tight menu of zeitgeist dishes riffs on LA food culture like taco trucks and Thai Town, all the while paying homage to fresh, local ingreds from nose-to-tail and flower-to-root. The textured tile-and-wood room is a wow too. 7661 Melrose Ave, West Hollywood. +1 323 424 7735. wolfdiningla.com
Catch
NY-import Catch has proved exactly that among Hollywood A-listers and Instagram influencers – the foliage-filled, va-va voom view-blessed venue helps, as does the retractable roof. Elevated seafood works a Japanese angle and is pricey but nicey, even if the scene can overshadow the food. 8715 Melrose Ave, West Hollywood. +1 323 347 6060. catchrestaurants.com
Gwen
Elegant meat-centric Gwen is the second fine-diner from Aussie chef Curtis Stone (after Beverly Hills’ Maude) and his brother Luke. The Euro-centric tasting resto and butcher shop turns out seriously top-notch multi-course fare, like lamb roasted on an asador-style grill. Prime cocktails and wine up the glamour, while a bar and patio cater to walk-ins with a ‘butcher’s scraps’ selection. 6600 Sunset Blvd, Hollywood. +1 323 946 7513. gwenla.com
Kali
Composed plates meet a minimalist space at Kali, where Kevin Meehan and Drew Langley bring a refined sensibility to this section of Melrose in the Larchmont nabe. Food is mainly organic and sustainable – thank the Cali farmers for that. Get booking! 5722 Melrose Ave, Larchmont. +1 323 871 4160. kalirestaurant.com
– Published 25 November 2016. A version of this article originally appeared on PenCities Beverly Hills.
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