Post-Plywood: Santa Monica's New Hidden Restaurant
Tuesday, July 3, 2007

---

With a restaurant name like Hidden we expect a certain amount of marketing/PR play on words, and today didn't disappoint. We just got a press release for Hidden, the Santa Monica eatery opening in the former Schatzi's on Main space, that leads with "Pssst…" as if we are the one and only recipient for news of a secret new spot. Of course, the cc line had the sender's name, which means an undisclosed list of at least 50 more media BFFs got the same thing. Not so hidden or secret, now is it? Our takeaway: The owners of Hidden (who also own Via Veneto) have discovered diversity, and plan to celebrate it in every way! The indoor/outdoor space will have cabanas, firepits, Asian wall coverings, and Italian rugs, and at least four distinct cuisines will be served. We actually count five, with just as many chefs:

Bianconi has lined up a roster of top chefs and a kitchen helmed by Ruben Vasquez, the Executive Chef at Via Veneto who is versed in Italian cuisine as well as regional delicacies from his native Mexico. Michael Bao Huyhn, James Beard Tastemaker and acclaimed chef and owner of New York’s Mai House, brings serious pedigree and great flavors to the kitchen’s Vietnamese creations; superfresh sushi is artfully presented by Master Sushi Chef Minori Fujita, formerly of LA’s cult-favorite The Hump; Gianfranco Rega, a Master Pizzaiolo from Naples, prepares authentic Italian pizza in custom built wood-burning ovens; Tapas are prepared by Danele Lai, an international chef who comes from The Eden Rock Hotel in St. Barths.

Can you say "too many cooks in the kitchen?" We kid. Some chefs served as consultants, but others will stay on staff. Still, that's quite a world of cuisine to master. Hidden opens "sometime between July 15th and the 28th."

See more and submit to Eater LA Photo Pool

LA Links
Utility
AOL CityGuide
Citysearch
Dodgeball
Gayot
LA.com
LA Establishment Ratings
Menupages
OpenTable
Social Domain
Yelp
Zagat

Gastro-Communities
Cheww [beta]
Chow
Chowhound
Digesty LA
eGullet
Serious Eats [beta]
ShamelessRestaurants
Urban Spoon

Buzz & Scene
Blackburn and Sweetzer
blogdowntown
Caroline on Crack
DailyCandy
Franklin Avenue
Flavorpill
Juli B
LA City Beat
LA.comfidential
LA Daily News
LAist
LA Times
LA Weekly
Living Large
Losanjealous
Time Out LA
Metroblogging LA
Thrillist
The Rundown
UrbanDaddy

Food Journals
Alan Richman
Amuse-Bouche [rss]
Best of LA [rss]
Bruni Digest [rss]
Clublife [rss]
Colleen Cuisine [rss]
The Delicious Life [rss]
NYT Diner's Journal [rss]
Eat Drink & Be Merry [rss]
Eating LA [rss]
The Food Section
Foodie Universe [rss]
Foodite [rss]
Gastrologica [rss]
Gastropoda
The Great Taco Hunt [rss]
Gridskipper LA [rss]
The Grinder [rss]
A Hamburger Today [rss]
The Knife [rss]
LA Food Crazy [rss]
la.foodblogging [rss]
Oishii Eats [rss]
OMG Food! [rss]
Potatomato [rss]
Rate A Restaurant [rss]
Ruhlman [rss]
Slice [rss]
Snack [rss]
Teenage Gluster [rss]
Triplecreme [rss]
Tuna Toast [rss]

About Eater LA
Eater LA is a blog that covers the Los Angeles restaurant, bar and nightlife scene. From the newest hotspots to the historic rock clubs on the Strip, Eater LA has you covered. Read more about Eater LA...

Tipping Is Customary
Know about a restaurant opening or closing in your neighborhood, or other LA scene gossip? Let's hear it.

Full content feed

Browse Eater LA Archives... About Eater Adventures in Public Relations Adventures in Shilling Buzz Buzz: Chefs on TV Buzz: Closed Buzz: Closing Buzz: Deathwatch Buzz: Dining Design Buzz: DOH'd Buzz: Institution Buzz: Old Standby Buzz: Open Buzz: Plywood Buzz: Post-Plywood Buzz: Pre-Plywood Buzz: The New Black Dish Drink: The Scene Eat Eat: Ask Eater LA Eat: Blind Slice Eat: Celebrity Chefs Eat: Deals & Steals Eat: Eater Deathwatch Eat: Eater Inside Eat: Eater Observations Eat: Eater On Location Eat: Eater StarWatch Eat: Eater's Journal Eat: Good News/Bad News Eat: Hangover Observations Eat: On the House Eat: Sign Of the Times Eat: The PR Folks Eat: The Word Eat: Two is a Trend Eat: Worst Tables Eater Complaints Dept. Eater Headhunter Eater LA Mailbag Eater Local Eater Local: Beverly Hills Eater Local: Beverly/Fairfax Eater Local: Brentwood Eater Local: Burbank Eater Local: Century City Eater Local: Culver City Eater Local: Downtown Eater Local: Eagle Rock Eater Local: Echo Park Eater Local: Fairfax & 3rd Eater Local: Fairfax District Eater Local: Glendale Eater Local: Hancock Park Eater Local: Hermosa Beach Eater Local: Highland Park Eater Local: Hollywood Eater Local: Koreatown Eater Local: Long Beach Eater Local: Los Feliz Eater Local: Malibu Eater Local: Manhattan Beach Eater Local: Marina Del Rey Eater Local: Marina del Rey Eater Local: Melrose Eater Local: Mid-City Eater Local: Mid-City/Beverly Center Eater Local: Mid-City/Grove Eater Local: North Hollywood Eater Local: Pacific Palisades Eater Local: Pasadena & Environs Eater Local: Road Trip Eater Local: Santa Monica Eater Local: Silver Lake Eater Local: The OC Eater Local: The Valley Eater Local: Topanga Canyon Eater Local: Vegas, Baby Eater Local: Venice Eater Local: West Hollywood Eater Local: West LA Eater Local: Westwood Eater on Location Eater Trendwatch EaterWire EaterWire EaterWire: Eater Giveaway EaterWire: PSA Listage Name That Venue Quicklink Rope Scene: Sightings Status: Closed Status: Open Status: Reviewed The Critics The Critics: Banned on Chowhound The Critics: Board Talk The Critics: On the Blogs The Critics: On the Page Top

Search this site

Eater LA
Editor
Lesley Balla

Los Angeles Editor
Dakota Smith

Eater Eds-in-Chief
Ben Leventhal
Lockhart Steele

Photographer
Alen Lin

Banner Design
Jim Cooke

Publisher/GM
Kyle Crafton

Head of Technology
Eliot Shepard

Other Curbed Sites
Los Angeles
Curbed LA

San Francisco
Curbed SF
Eater SF

New York
Curbed NY
Eater NY
Racked NY
The Beach (seasonal)

Contact Us
Email Eater LA