Wilshire has had some fine success as one of the more green restaurants in town. When it opened in 2005, the former kitschy Knoll's Black Forest Inn was transformed into an eco-friendly gourmand's oasis. The kitchen put out refined seasonal cuisine, thanks to chef Christopher Blobaum who worked closely with local farmers, sourced sustainable seafood and grass-fed beef, and even used a solar-powered dishwasher. But the restaurant also had a good bar scene, which is one reason why, according to the Daily Dish, Blobaum called it quits.
In fact, the chef says, that is exactly what ended up being the root of the dispute between him and owner Steven Levin, a prominent Santa Monica cardiologist. "He really wants a bar," Blobaum says. "I'm more about finding great purveyors and keeping quality products coming in.When we called Wilshire to get the story, the rep didn't know the news was out; in fact, it wasn't supposed to be out. They're still scrambling to get us a comment, so you'll have it when we do."I'm not bitter about what happened. It's just that I have my passion and what I want to do and he wanted something different. When it gets to that point, sometimes it’s better to just say 'You know what, let’s not butt heads.'"
· Blobaum out at Wilshire [Daily Dish]
Photo from Daily Dish
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