The resurgence of Downtown LA is a popular topic among those in the City of Angels. I feel lucky to have watched Downtown transform from no man's land to one of the hippest places in LA----and that's hip minus the "trendy". For me, trendy means exclusive for exclusive's sake AKA the bars and clubs you could call the "Final Clubs" of LA (just saw Social Network for the second time--thanks for the useful comparison Harvard!). From what I've experienced in the new Downtown---it's not about trendy, it's about standing out from the crowd. Downtown bars, restaurants, clubs and events provide experiences you can't get anywhere else in the city. The stereotypical image people project onto our lovely city doesn't fit its every nook and cranny. As a counterpoint to that image, I present Downtown's sushi spot R-23 and nostalgic nightclub The Edison.
R-23 is definitely a word of mouth type place---there's pretty much no way you'd find it otherwise. This is certainly a trend in LA. A cool factor attaches itself to those who are "in the know" about a hotspot. But the treasures you seek Downtown will never turn you away at the door, unlike those other "trendy" spots I mentioned earlier. They're just happy to see you and you feel like Indiana Jones discovering the Arc (if you believe Raiders, the warehouse it got tucked away into in the end could very well be the one across from R-23!).
Matt and I only discovered the place because it's in my copy of "2010 Eat Los Angeles". We were headed Downtown for Rachel's birthday @ The Edison ( more on this later...) and wanted to find a place in the area for dinner. I pulled out the guide and found it recommended R-23. You don't have to ask Matt twice about getting sushi, so the decision was made.
First off, the location of the place is fantastic. As I alluded to earlier, this is a warehouse district if I've ever seen one before. We pulled into a loading dock. Directly to our right was the "Raiders" warehouse--the wall covered with beautiful graffiti. To our left, a small valet stand (as the oh so wise Cher said about learning to park in the LA based film Clueless "What's the point? Everywhere you go has valet"). Literally, alley cats scurried away as we exited the car and were directed to the door of restaurant. I can't say there wer any other relevant businesses surrounding it---certainly no nightlife in this corner of the district...it really was a little hideaway.
The inside is adorable. A clean set up, like most sushi joints, with unique little touches to hype up the hip factor. The walls resemble a gallery, hung with paintings of nude Japanese women. My favorite bit? All the chairs were made out of cardboard boxes---but still looked classy. The sushi prices are definitely reasonable (your normal rolls cost around $6 or $7) and they bring it out on a huge black slab---a very impressive delivery of your meal. Everything was yummy and fresh (they even tell you what's especially fresh on the menu that day--Matt ordered some sashimi based on this). No real cons to this place---I loved the locale, the decor, the presentation and the food! I definitely want to go back for more.
After dinner, we proceeded to The Edison---one of my very favorite bar/clubs in LA--although it's pricy-ness factor means I don't go as often as I'd wish. Proving that LA IS culturally relevant--the makers of The Edison are opening another version in NYC soon. New Yorker and best bud of mine, Lindsay, can attest to the original's awesomeness. I'm eager to see her review of the NYC version.
What I love about The Edison is the amount of thought put into the decor and theme. As most people who know me know, I LOVE themes. The Edison got it's name from it's location. it's housed in an original Edison Power Plant. Ancient light fixtures hang from the industrial ceiling as you descend into the depths of this enormous nightclub. It's enormity adds to the list of what's different about this place. A lot of bars in LA specialize in being the size of a closet (which is fine at times---much love to The Dime) but The Edison is just the opposite. Waitresses dress as flappers, silent movies are projected on multiple walls and guests are expected to heed to the dress code (dress shoes for the guys are a must).
The menu's full of classic/old time cocktails and they have an expansive selection of liquors. Here's the downside: drinks are pretty expensive (as in the $12 to $15 range) but I think you're paying for the experience as much as the drink. I love the Mistress Nouveaux---a tasty champagne/pomegranet concoction. You can even get a bit of absynthe (at least the kind allowed in the US) from the green fairy, who rolls around her own little cart of the green stuff.
The size of the place means there's a variety of seating options---from the main bar to the multitudes of little corner spots. It almost feels like multiple bars in one, what with the many rooms and hidden spots good for a date or a group. For example, we had plenty of chairs and couches for Rachel's birthday guests--but it still felt like a private party as we were tucked away in a corner at the back. I also learned that week nights at The Edison is the right call to make if you want to go. Much less crowded and you avoid the long line that sometimes plagues it on the weekends (don't worry, you'll still get in, it just takes awhile sometimes).
If you're looking for a classy night out and are okay with spending some dough, The Edison would be my number one recommendation in LA. And R-23, just a few blocks away, works perfectly as a pre-party dinner. I've been to The Edison several times but have yet to try it for dinner---that'll be my next visit I think. I'll make sure to report on the food then :-) For now, I just hope that the hipsters don't continue trying to claim Downtown. I read an article that said hipsters were comparing the popularity of Downtown these days with what New Yorkers refer to as the "bridge and tunnel" crowd. I think they should just move to NYC and stop enjoying hating on their own city. But I guess that's what makes them so "ironic". Whatever. I'm going to keep going Downtown and tell as many others about it as I can. Take that!
