8 Downtown News
October 22, 2012
Twitter/DowntownNews
RESTAURANT BUZZ
A Lazy Ox Flip, Booze Is Coming, Twice the Spice and Other Downtown Food News by RichaRd Guzmán city editoR
O
x Tales: Oh, this one’s too easy: Turns out Spanish chef Perfecto Rocher wasn’t the perfect fit after all to lead the kitchen at Little Tokyo’s highprofile Lazy Ox Canteen. Instead Rocher, who succeeded celebrated opening chef Josef Centeno, is out after just seven months. Mary Park, a spokeswoman for Rocher, offered few details about his departure except to say that he and Lazy Ox owner Michael Cardenas had a “difference of interests.” Rocher left the restaurant about two weeks ago. “He just felt that it was time to move on,” Park told Restaurant Buzz. Cardenas countered that Rocher did not leave by choice. “He was fired,” he said. Cardenas would not provide more details. The new chef at Lazy Ox is 28-year-old
Travis Chase, who previously worked at Tin Table in Seattle. When Centeno opened Lazy Ox with Cardenas in 2009 it was an instant hit, with customers and critics raving about the always-changing menu of seasonal small plates. When Rocher took over the kitchen, Cardenas said his new chef was “going to be the next Josef.” Rocher and Cardenas had also been working on opening a paella restaurant in Santa Monica. Park said Rocher is no longer involved in that project either and is now working on a Spanish-themed restaurant to be located on the Westside. Lazy Ox Canteen is at 241 S. San Pedro St., (213) 626-5299 or lazyoxcanteen.com. Bev Mas: Restaurant Buzz is predicting a very, very happy next St. Patrick’s Day in Downtown. Why? Because a 7,081-square-
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THE PETROLEUM BUILDING Commercial Office Space for Lease
foot booze emporium called Ramirez Central is scheduled to open at Fifth and Alameda streets by March. It would be the second location for Ramirez Liquor, a family runs business that has operated for 17 years on Soto Street in Boyle Heights. The new place, which will be four times the size of the original store, will sell craft beers, tequila, mescal, wine, spirits, specialty sodas, glassware and even beerrelated apparel. The sort of mom-and-pop version of Bev Mo will also hold an approximately 500-squarefoot area for wine and beer tasting, as well as a cigar humidor. The project is in the entitlement process, and on the Ramirez Liquor website store officials are asking people to help out by writing a letter of support You know what to do next. At ramirezliquor.com.
photo courtesy of Guild
The former Pasta Primavera and City Billy spot on Seventh Street is now Guild. The restaurant serving American bistro fare will have a grand opening this week.
Third Time’s the Charm: A grand opening celebration is planned this week for Guild, an American bistro in the space that briefly housed City Billy and before that held Pasta Primavera. So yeah, owners Joyce Paik and Grace Beck are hoping the third time is the charm. Pasta Primavera, which had been at the 611 W. Seventh St. spot for more than two decades, closed about two years ago. Paik and Beck opened City Billy there in mid-2011, serving American comfort food. Things were slow, however, leading to the shift to Guild. The slightly more upscale bistro soft opened in
July, and Karen Lee, the restaurant’s general manager, said they’ve been a bit low key since service began. But she said that after the grand opening event, which could come as soon as Monday, they plan on getting the word out. The menu includes starters such as steak tartare and mussels, while main courses include fried chicken with country maple gravy and petit steak frites. At 611 W. Seventh St., (213) 688-0808 or guildrestaurant.com.
BUILDING HIGHLIGHTS Beautiful 236,900 sq. ft. 11 Story Office Building. Parking Available on Premises Conference Room 24 Hour Security $1.55 Interior $1.65 Exterior Per
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Rentable Sq. Ft.
2 SUITES AVAILABLE Suite 1000 - 7,400 approximate rentable square feet. 8 offices, 1 executive office and large creative space. Access directly off elevators. Suite 1011 - 7,812 approximate rentable square feet. Large, open creative space with one office.
Suite 1011
Suite 1000
Will consider division and space build-outs.
The
Petroleum Building
Metro Briefs What is Measure J?
The Metro Board of Directors authorized placing Measure J before voters in Los Angeles County. Measure J will extend for 30 additional years the existing one-half cent sales tax that was approved in 2008 and is currently set to expire in 2039 (Measure R). The additional funds will be used to secure bonds, which will allow Metro to accelerate construction of traªc relieving projects and the related job creation. To view the expenditure plan and the full text of Measure J, please visit metro.net/measurej.
ExpressLanes Open November 10
Metro ExpressLanes debuts November 10 with the opening of an 11-mile stretch on the I-110 Harbor Freeway. Solo drivers can use the lanes for a toll, while carpools, vanpools, buses and motorcycles travel ® toll-free. All motorists need a FasTrak account and transponder to travel in the ExpressLanes. To get yours, visit metro.net/expresslanes.
TAP Is Your Ticket
Whatever type of fare you’re using, it must be loaded on a TAP card to ride any Metro Rail line or the Metro Orange line. Starting soon in stations with turnstiles, expect them to be locked. Before entering, tap the target on the right side of the turnstile with your valid TAP card in order to pass through.
Feds Approve $546 Million For Crenshaw Line
The Crenshaw/LAX Transit Corridor Project received a $546 million federal loan to accelerate construction of a light rail line in the Crenshaw District. The 8.5-mile line will connect the Metro Green Line and the Metro Expo Line at Crenshaw and Exposition boulevards. For more information visit metro.net/crenshaw.
Go Metro To See The Space Shuttle
Go Metro and rocket past traªc to see the Space Shuttle Endeavour, on display beginning October 30 at the California Science Center. The California Science Center is located adjacent to Metro’s Expo Line; exit at Expo Park/USC Station. For exhibit details, visit californiasciencecenter.org.
714 W. Olympic Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90015 Phone: 213.746.6300 Ext. 1455 Fax: 213.765.1910 ghollis@shammasgroup.com
If you’d like to know more, visit metro.net.
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