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Editorial
Restaurant Star Status Is Well-Deserved
Downtown Los Angeles got another bit of long-deserved recognition this month, when the inaugural Los Angeles edition of the Michelin Guide for restaurants awarded one star each to the Water Grill and Patina. Hopefully this will spur Westsiders and visitors to the city to reconsider the Downtown dining scene, which has the potential to compete with any restaurant hub in Los Angeles.
For years, many foodies dismissed the Downtown restaurant scene as a place primarily for pre-theater dinners or power lunches. Sure, Water Grill has always garnered appreciative nods from the upturned noses, but it was seen as the exception to the rule. Despite the longtime presence of many quality establishments proffering a variety of food styles, it was difficult for the Central City to gain traction.
This concept has been off-base for at least a decade, as forward-thinking, high-quality restaurateurs began planning and opening establishments once the momentum for Staples Center picked up in the late-1990s. Ciudad and the Palm Downtown were two of the first new high-end establishments to land here, adding to a solid base set by entities ranging from Japanese destination R23 to old-school bastion Pacific Dining Car.
There is a reason foodies go gaga for the upscale restaurant scenes in Beverly Hills, Santa Monica and other Westside enclaves; no one disputes that there are many top-notch dining establishments there. In fact, the curious thing about the new Michelin Guide is that the editors did not deign to give three stars to a single Los Angeles establishment. Weird.
Downtown can claim as many quality restaurants in a compact area as any other community. While Patina got the star, its founder, Joachim Splichal, has opened four other oft-praised upscale establishments in the heart of the city. Most recently, Blue Velvet has brought fine dining to the unlikely district of City West. Downtown also boasts quality steakhouses and Italian and Japanese restaurants. The average area worker or resident could walk to at least a half-dozen places to enjoy a memorable meal.
We do not pretend Michelin stars should be splashed across Downtown. Water Grill and Patina earned their standout status, and each has overcome hurdles to do so: At the former, executive chef David LeFevre replaced Michael Cimarusti, close to a local kitchen legend, three years ago, and has managed to elevate the Grand Avenue establishment even higher; at Patina, executive chef Theo Schoenegger helms a kitchen that gained fame under Splichal, and he has had double pressure by virtue of the restaurant's placement at Walt Disney Concert Hall, the city's splashiest building.
In the days after the star news spread, bookings at both Water Grill and Patina quickly increased. The biggest effect will probably be felt long-term, with consistent business coming from the European and Asian tourists accustomed to choosing restaurants from the Michelin Guide. However, the star power will also undoubtedly propel some of those who never venture Downtown to dine here. In the process, these new visitors could be exposed to other area eating and entertainment options.
Congratulations to Water Grill and Patina. Hopefully now the momentum will spread to other deserving members of the Downtown food scene.
page 4, 11/26/2007
© Los Angeles Downtown News. Reprinting items retrieved from the archives are for personal use only. They may not be reproduced or retransmitted without permission of the Los Angeles Downtown News. If you would like to re-distribute anything from the Los Angeles Downtown News Archives, please call our permissions department at (213) 481-1448.
For years, many foodies dismissed the Downtown restaurant scene as a place primarily for pre-theater dinners or power lunches. Sure, Water Grill has always garnered appreciative nods from the upturned noses, but it was seen as the exception to the rule. Despite the longtime presence of many quality establishments proffering a variety of food styles, it was difficult for the Central City to gain traction.
This concept has been off-base for at least a decade, as forward-thinking, high-quality restaurateurs began planning and opening establishments once the momentum for Staples Center picked up in the late-1990s. Ciudad and the Palm Downtown were two of the first new high-end establishments to land here, adding to a solid base set by entities ranging from Japanese destination R23 to old-school bastion Pacific Dining Car.
There is a reason foodies go gaga for the upscale restaurant scenes in Beverly Hills, Santa Monica and other Westside enclaves; no one disputes that there are many top-notch dining establishments there. In fact, the curious thing about the new Michelin Guide is that the editors did not deign to give three stars to a single Los Angeles establishment. Weird.
Downtown can claim as many quality restaurants in a compact area as any other community. While Patina got the star, its founder, Joachim Splichal, has opened four other oft-praised upscale establishments in the heart of the city. Most recently, Blue Velvet has brought fine dining to the unlikely district of City West. Downtown also boasts quality steakhouses and Italian and Japanese restaurants. The average area worker or resident could walk to at least a half-dozen places to enjoy a memorable meal.
We do not pretend Michelin stars should be splashed across Downtown. Water Grill and Patina earned their standout status, and each has overcome hurdles to do so: At the former, executive chef David LeFevre replaced Michael Cimarusti, close to a local kitchen legend, three years ago, and has managed to elevate the Grand Avenue establishment even higher; at Patina, executive chef Theo Schoenegger helms a kitchen that gained fame under Splichal, and he has had double pressure by virtue of the restaurant's placement at Walt Disney Concert Hall, the city's splashiest building.
In the days after the star news spread, bookings at both Water Grill and Patina quickly increased. The biggest effect will probably be felt long-term, with consistent business coming from the European and Asian tourists accustomed to choosing restaurants from the Michelin Guide. However, the star power will also undoubtedly propel some of those who never venture Downtown to dine here. In the process, these new visitors could be exposed to other area eating and entertainment options.
Congratulations to Water Grill and Patina. Hopefully now the momentum will spread to other deserving members of the Downtown food scene.
page 4, 11/26/2007
© Los Angeles Downtown News. Reprinting items retrieved from the archives are for personal use only. They may not be reproduced or retransmitted without permission of the Los Angeles Downtown News. If you would like to re-distribute anything from the Los Angeles Downtown News Archives, please call our permissions department at (213) 481-1448.
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