Cecconi's, Not Soho House, Taking Over Morton's

Cecconi's in London

Pulling the old switcheroo on everyone, the Soho House will not be taking over the former Morton's Restaurant on Melrose, as planned. The private club will take up permanent digs on the top floors of a high-rise at 9200 Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood (just west of Doheny). They'll hold a few Oscar Week parties this year, but will permanently open in 2009. And what of that Melrose location? Nick Jones & Co. will open an offshoot of Cecconi's, an Italian restaurant founded by a former Cipriani's manager in London, and now owned by the Soho House Group. For LA, that means another sceney transplant, and yet another menu of carpaccio, lobster ravioli, risotto and Bellinis. Official word about the change: They're not officially announcing why, but "are excited to have two properties in Los Angeles." Should the Soho House decide to stick with this plan, expect the restaurant to also debut in 2009. Related: PR for Morton's Steakhouse still trying to clarify that Morton's on Melrose was not the Morton's Steakhouse on La Cienega. Who's not getting that?
· End of an Era: Morton's to Close This Year [~ELA~]
· Soho Group posts up in Hollywood [Variety]
· Morton's to become Cecconi's; Soho House moves to Sunset [The Knife]
· The closed Morton's restaurant... [Chowhound]