CELEBRITY-OWNED RESTAURANTS
By Andrew Bender
For dineLA.com
 |
Finding a celebrity-owned restaurant in LA isn’t exactly a challenge. Just toss your dog-eared copy of US Weekly in the air and you’re bound to hit one. That’s not to say you shouldn’t bother checking them out, but celebrity-owned restaurants that truly succeed have more going for them than famous investors and the occasional mention in the gossip column. There’s got to be a reason to pay for the privilege of eating there, and this means having food that’s worth the price, an atmosphere that’s unique and memorable, and professional employees who haven’t forgotten that the customers are the ones who make the whole thing work
Ago (owned by Robert DeNiro), Blowfish Sushi To Die For (Julian Lennon), Dolce and Geisha House (Ashton Kutcher) and Madre’s (Jennifer Lopez) have a loyal following, and here are some new and newsworthy additions to the firmament of star-owned establishments.
Beso
March 2008 saw the premiere of Eva Longoria Parker’s (of the Desperate Housewives TV series) venture with Todd English, whose Boston-area Olives restaurant has become a national name. Beso (Spanish for “kiss”) is a stone’s throw from LA’s most storied intersection, Hollywood & Vine. The cooking melds Longoria Parker’s Mexican roots (including family recipes for tortilla soup and guacamole) with English’s signature dishes like ceviche. Beso’s star-studded opening party included other Housewives Felicity Huffman, Nicolette Sheridan and Dana Delany, as well as actor/comedian George Lopez and musician Sheryl Crow.
Nobu Los Angeles
Chef Nobu Matsuhisa returns to the street that launched him. When Matsuhisa opened in 1987 on La Cienega Boulevard’s Restaurant Row, the man and the restaurant quickly became legendary for precision-prepared sushi, black cod with miso and small plates influenced by Nobu’s stints in Peru and Argentina. Backers including Robert DeNiro took notice and partnered with Matsuhisa to open the first Nobu restaurant in New York in 1994; the Nobu empire has since expanded to some 20 locations worldwide. In 2008, Nobu Los Angeles opened on La Cienega Boulevard, a minimalist space with a menu of time-tested standbys and a wood-fired brick oven for new favorites like yellowtail collar and wagyu skirt steak.
Ortolan
A Michelin star crowns this collaboration between French chef Christophe Émé and Jeri Ryan, whose TV work includes Shark, Matlock, Melrose Place and Boston Public. Ortolan was named one of Esquire magazine’s 10 best new restaurants for Émé’s seasonal cooking and signature creations like crispy langoustines with basil, chickpea and minestrone, pork confit “Maine-et-Loire.” For later, there’s a cheese course, naturellement, and, for dessert a fresh take on religieuse with passion fruit, coconut milk, tapioca and mango. Enjoy it all on plush leather banquettes or in high-backed booths beneath crystal chandeliers.
Kumo
Then there are restaurants owned by Hollywood behind-the-scenes heavyweights. Michael Ovitz, former head of Creative Artists Agency, is the force behind Kumo (Japanese for “cloud”) on Melrose Avenue, a white-on-white space with space-age cocktails and a video art mural behind the sushi bar. True to his agent roots, Ovitz lays back at Kumo (and his other restaurant, West LA’s Hamasaku), letting the chefs and the cooking shine.
Ago, 8478 Melrose Ave., West Hollywood, 323.655.6333
Blowfish Sushi To Die For, 9229 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, 310.887.3848
Dolce Enotecae Ristorante, 8284 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles, 323.852.7174
Geisha House, 6633 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, 323.460.6300
Madre's, 897 Granite Dr., Pasadena, 626.744.0900
Nobu Los Angeles, 903 North La Cienega Blvd., West Hollywood, 310.657.5711
Matsuhisa, 129 N La Cienega Blvd., Beverly Hills, 310.659.9639
Nobu Malibu, 3835 Cross Creek Rd., Ste 18A, Malibu, 310.317.9140
Beso, 6350 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, 323.467.7991
Ortolan, 8338 W Third St., Los Angeles, 323.653.3300
Kumo, 8360 Melrose Ave., West Hollywood, 323.651.5866
