Loteria Grill Hollywood Sneak Peek

Jimmy Shaw hosted a book party for Diana Kennedy, described as the 'grand dame' of Mexican cooking, at his forthcoming Loteria Grill in Hollywood this past weekend. It was lovely meeting Kennedy and nibbling on dishes like mushroom empanadas and sqash blossom soup made from recipes found in The Art of Mexican Cooking, but for us the bigger treat was previewing the space behind that Plywood we've been obsessively watching since forever. Much larger than expected, the room is wide open with an L-shaped counter facing the bar and open kitchen (mimicking the Farmer's Market original), huge ceilings, skylights, and a patio with sliding doors that open right on to the star-studded sidewalk. Unlike the original, there will be full service and table seating, oh, and booze. The good stuff. Shaw tells us there's mostly only decorative issues (art, painting, furiture) to finish up before final inspections (note the toy hard hats offered to partygoers), and they'll hopefully be ready to go in early June, possibly around the 10th or 12th. But don't hold anyone to that until margaritas are safely in hand.
· Plywood Report: Villa, Oribami Bistro, Loteria [~ELA~]
· Plywood Report Hollywood Edition: Loteria Grill [~ELA~]
· Plywood Update: Loteria Grill Hollywood [~ELA~]