Montecito’s slice of the South of France and Nobu’s holiday gastronomy
Words by ANDREW BARKER, DAVID NASH, and S. IRENE VIRBILA
Travis Lett’s Heady Homecoming
Five years ago Travis Lett walked away from Gjelina, the wildly popular California restaurant he cofounded in 2008. Now he’s back refreshed and focused on his new project, RVR. The idea for the restaurant has been percolating since he opened MTN in 2017, two years before he left the Gjelina group. It was also an izakaya, but this one, he says, completes the concept he had just begun: a casual Japanese tavern that combines everything he loves in the Japanese pantry with California’s glorious bounty. That means yakitori, tempura, bone broths, pickles, salads, and charcoal-grilled fish and meats. A fun hand-roll section uses any seafood at hand, while yakitori is cooked over binchotan charcoal. The kitchen makes its own gyoza skins and ramen noodles, and the broths are made from boiled down pork bones from local heritage pig farmers Peads & Barnetts. “I want to give everything more of a sense of place and specificity,” Lett says. You can easily make a feast with plates from every section of the menu. 1305 Abbot Kinney, Venice, 310-573-8077; rvr.la. S.I.V.
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Counter Space for Eight on the Sunset Strip
How many top-of-the-line sushi restaurants can one city support? It would seem there is room for one more now that Tokyo’s Michelin-starred sushi master Hisashi Udatsu has opened UDATSU SUSHI on the Sunset Strip with another starred chef, Naotaka Ohashi. With only eight charred-wood stools at the counter, the restaurant’s omakase will be helmed by Udatsu’s protégé, Shingo Ogane. The 17-course omakase is all about top-tier ingredients, and may include an organic herb roll, nigiri with sea urchins from Hokkaido and Santa Barbara, flounder with grated ponzu, and a Japanese sweet egg omelet as a finale. Vegetarians get their own omakase menu, and the wine list features both seasonal sake and natural wines. 6634 Sunset Blvd., 2nd fl., L.A.; udatsusushila.com. S.I.V.
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New Bites at Earlier Hours Inside Hotel Bel-Air
The legendary five-star HOTEL BEL-AIR has just added two new culinary experiences to the luxe property. At The Pâtisserie, Christophe Rull presents classic French morning pastries, including pain au chocolat and freshly baked breads, cookies, and sweets. You can enjoy your coffee and croissant on the outdoor courtyard around a wood-burning fireplace. Afternoons, meet a friend at The Living Room, the reimagined lobby lounge, for a cocktail and a light bite. Make it the “Coldest Martini in Town” served table side, with the Vidalia onion and crème fraîche dip or deviled eggs dabbed with caviar and gold leaf. 701 Stone Canyon Rd., L.A., 310-472-1211; dorchestercollection.com/los-angeles/hotel-bel-air. S.I.V.
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An Icon With Pacific Views Opens Its Doors to Guests
A legendary hospitality brand has returned to Southern California with the opening of REGENT SANTA MONICA BEACH. Known worldwide as having opened “the world’s best hotel,” The Regent Hong Kong in 1981, the brand debuted The Regent Beverly Wilshire four years later, solidifying its luxury status (thanks, in part, to the starring role it had in the 1990 hit movie Pretty Woman). The new space — the first flagship property in the United States — is just steps away from the Santa Monica Pier and has stunning views of the Pacific Ocean. The property’s public spaces, designed by AvroKO’s San Francisco studio, were inspired by boats sailing and yachts touring the Mediterranean, complete with brass details, yacht-style flooring and green, gold, and cream-colored accents. Its 167 guest rooms, suites, and on-site Guerlain Wellness Spa were brought to life by award-winning studio Wimberly Interiors and evoke the ultimate sense of serenity. For the most indulgent stay, book the 3,200-square-foot Santa Monica Presidential Suite, complete with separate living, dining, and game rooms, as well as unbeatable panoramic ocean views. At a more modest 2,180 square feet, the Oceanfront Atrium Two-Story Two-Bedroom Suite spans the second and third floors. The hotel also includes four dining spots: Orla and Orla Bar by James Beard Award winner Michael Mina; Azure Bar, an outdoor watering hole; and Sweet July Café from restaurateur Ayesha Curry. From $1,100. 1700 Ocean Ave., Santa Monica; santamonica.regenthotels.com. D.N.
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The South of France–Inspired Bistro With an Outdoor Patio to Dine for
If you’re already dreaming about next summer’s travels along the Côte d’Azur, there’s a new French Riviera–inspired restaurant that will quell your hunger pangs for seaside cuisine. BAR LOU, the latest venture from Restauranteurs Brandon Boudet and Warner Ebbink (the duo behind L.A. hotspot Little Dom’s), has taken up residence in the space long occupied by Montecito’s favorite roadhouse, Peabody’s. With sea-to-table dishes, the menu combines California coastal cuisine with a South of France sensibility and the flavors of continental Europe. Try the Smoked Black Cod Smørrebrød with dill pollen crème fraiche and pickled fennel, Santa Barbara Sea Urchin Spaghetti with locally sourced uni, or the peppercorn-crusted Steak au Poivre & Frites accompanied by a glass (or bottle) of wine from its well-curated list — or a cocktail like the Jaune made using yellow chartreuse and lemon. The interiors — from dark green hues and vintage French oak flooring to honey colored leather booths and mirrored walls — were dreamed up by Ebbink, Boudet, and Isabelle Dahlin, who tapped Mahte Design to evoke a modern cottage complete with four intimate dining rooms and what is arguably the most impressive outdoor patio of its kind in town. 1198 Coast Village Rd., Santa Barbara, 805-845-5489; barloumontecito.com. D.N.
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Saying Yes to Nobu Los Angeles
As Nobu celebrates 30 years of redefining restaurants around the globe, NOBU LOS ANGELES has some unforgettable dining experiences right on time for the holidays. The team has been working harder than Santa’s elves to create unforgettable menus for diners who would rather not spend the holidays slaving away in the kitchen. Instead, they have developed some gastronomic adventures by way of Japan and Peru, the two cuisines chef Nobuyuki “Nobu” Matsuhisa looked to when coining the restaurant’s signature style. (Nobusan, as he is respectfully known, hails from Japan but spent some of his formative years working in kitchens in Peru.)
On Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, switch the turkey for belly tuna and indulge in a $275 omakase menu featuring classic dishes from the past three decades, including mouthwatering Toro Tartare with Kumamoto Oyster, Wagyu Short Ribs, and Apple Miso Butterscotch Bread Pudding. To ring in 2025, try the Nobu New Year’s Eve omakase feast of flavors. Also priced at $275 per person — or $300 with a champagne cocktail — the menu includes the Nori Taco with Caviar, Lobster Truffle with Soba, and Momoko Panna Cotta with Sake Cream. Making merry, with added umami. 903 N. La Cienega Blvd., L.A., 310-657-5711; noburestaurants.com. A.B.
Portions of this story originally appeared in the Winter 2024 issue of C Magazine.
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