APRIL 2011

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101 REASONS WHY LA. SHINES IWE BEYER IEI9BE

New r e s t a u r a n t s , g roundbreak ing c h e f s and the la tes t food t rends .

Andrew Zimmern on

3 Hot Tables inDowntown LA

there are homes, sporting eve....concerts and arts, there are people.And everyone's got to eat.

Unless it's business that brings you toLos Angeles or you're catching a Lakersgame, exploring Downtown LA maynot have crossed your mind. However,what was once an urban wastelandwhen the clock struck five is now LA'shippest 'hood.

In 1999, the city created downtowndevelopment incentives that spurreda 150 percent increase in the area'sresidential population. Next cameStaples Center, followed by theconstruction of the Cathedral of OurLady of the Angels (the archdioceseis the largest in the country) andWalt Disney Concert Hall, designedby legendary architect Frank Gehry.Mix in a booming arts scene (fromthe Museum of Contemporary Art tophilanthropist/gazillionaire Eli Broad's$130 million museum slated to open in2013) and restored historic buildings,including the Orpheum Theatre,Millennium Biltmore Hotel and theHomer Laughlin Building—and you'vegot a critical mass of culture.

"As a native Angeleno, I neverwould have expected our downtownto be anything other than a place towork," says Carol Schatz, presidentof LA's Downtown Center BusinessImprovement District. "Now we havepeople walking with dogs and babycarriages, which really blows me away!"

These are the hottest tables inDowntown La-La land (and best ofluck scoring a reservation).

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deltaskymag.com April 2011 87

DINING // Andrew Zimmern

Chef JeremyBerlin Moelledeboeu/fbonemarrow) Or-eilles de cochon(pig's ears)Church S State.

Los Angeles

Church & StateTHE LOCALE: 1850 Industrial St., #100, churchandstatebistro.com

THE SPACE; The original National Biscuit Company once usedthis airy warehouse, built in 1925, as its loading dock. The loftlikeroom incorporates original brick floors and support beams, warmed upwith smoky mirrors, strings of lights bulbs and an open kitchen. This isa busy restaurant, and the constant buzz oozes a fun, spirited vibe.

WHY DOWNTOWN? To put it simply, Church & State owner YassminSarmadi found the neighborhood's age enchanting. "There's a sense ofhistory here that's not found in other parts of the city," she says. "Thiswas once the heart and soul of our sprawling metropolis, and I thinkthat's something that can be sensed by people when they're here.In our young, new city, downtown is the historic anchor, remind-ing us that we can endure difficulty and resurface with moregrandeur, substance and strength."

THE MENU: Does the concept of "full-fat" make you shudder? Getover it. This homage to the classic French bistro doesn't shy away frombutter and lard. Chef Jeremy Berlin does traditional favorites suchas moelle de boeuf(bone marrow), oreilles de cochon (pig's ears) andescargots de Bourgoyne en croute (snails in puff pastry) the way theFrench intended: No short cuts, no modern twists. Just good foodcooked with integrity.

92 April 2011 deltaskymag.com