By Laura Eckstein Jones By Laura Eckstein Jones | January 20, 2020 | Food & Drink
While hotel dining has traditionally fallen into the “no thank you” or “just fine” category, a new crop of chic hotels—and their accompanying restaurants—are starting to change the narrative.
When hospitality ace Dustin Lancaster opened Firehouse Hotel (firehousela.com) in DTLA’s Arts District last year, the ground level restaurant garnered just as much buzz as the beautifully designed rainbow-colored rooms. The hotel recently underwent a small refresh throughout its public spaces, including the restaurant, and the new design—think more booths separated by Block Shop fabric panels and flattering lighting—complements chef Ashley Abodeely’s seasonal cooking beautifully. Besides the fantastic burger, the smoked trout toast will have you coming back for more.
Firehouse Hotel’s delectable branzino
Also new to downtown is the recently opened Hoxton Hotel, and with it, two new restaurants: Sibling Rival (siblingrivaldtla.com) and Pilot (pilotdtla.com). On the lobby level, Sibling Rival—an offshoot of New York resto Sunday in Brooklyn that serves breakfast and lunch—makes a stunning design statement with interiors by Ennismore Design Studio in collaboration with Soho House. Channel tufted booths in a dusky purple shade line the window wall and practically beckon guests in to dine on the modern diner fare. Go for the green toast, a beautifully composed take on the L.A. classic, which comes with perfectly seasoned avocado, roasted pickled Fresno peppers, cashew cheese, sprouts and crispy chickpeas, all crowning thick slices of sourdough bread. Upstairs, the rooftop bar and dinner-only restaurant Pilot offers Mediterranean-inspired cuisine such as wood-roasted eggplant with chickpeas and coriander, and housemade pasta shells and whipped feta in a spicy Calabrian chile Pomodoro sauce, served alfresco with a skyline view.
Sibling Rival’s main dining area;
Lastly, Onda (onda.la), the highly anticipated collaboration from Sqirl chef Jessica Koslow and Gabriela Càmara, of acclaimed Mexico City restaurant Contramar, has finally opened in Santa Monica. Created in partnership with Proper Hospitality, the restaurant was designed by Kelly Wearstler and Sqirl Design Director Scott Barry, and features natural materials, found elements and an Eckhaus Latta-dressed staff. Dishes—like chips and dip with fermented chile guacamole, and corn nuts with Mexican heirloom corn and jalapeno sauerkraut—celebrate both L.A. and Mexico City, and beautifully combine elements from each place, and each chef. There’s a strong showing of meat-heavy dishes like smoked pork jowl, but it’s balanced with vegetarian options such as jackfruit sopas and koji-marinated satsuma sweet potato. Bon appétit!
The sleek design at Onda
Photography by: Firehouse Hotel photo by Ren Fuller; Onda photos
by Dylan + Jeni; Sibling Rival photo courtesy of The Hoxton,
Downtown LA; Pilot photo by Eric Medsker