Arroyo World: Goat Becomes Cobras y Matadors Tonight

Inside Goat, 3/08, Alen Lin

Steven Arroyo tends to keep his restaurant doings pretty quiet, changes occur, and no on really knows until you basically stumble in the door. Case in point: The American bistro Goat closed on Saturday and reopens as a third Cobras and Matadors tonight. Yeah, shake that off. When Goat debuted in April, we said it "could be a great casual spot, just what the neighborhood needs, or it could end up as another Arroyo six-month experiment." Try three months---it replaced Happi Songs, which lasted about six. Is this the remedy? Cobras menu is tired, but the Beverly Boulevard location and Hollywood are always packed; it has a proven track record. With this new spot so close to the original, there's room for larger parties, spill-over. But the best news? Michael Ruiz, who just shuttered his gourmet shop-turned-tasting-menu restaurant Ingredients, has been brought on to revamp all the Cobras' menus. Ruiz says he's condensing the menu, making it a bit more authentic, tapas-y---just give it the oomph it needs---and it debuts tonight at Cobras on La Brea. (Take a look.) It will be rolled into the other locations over the next couple months, in addition to some tweaks at Sgt. Recruiter.
· Happi Songs Will Not Become Wyeth, Now Goat [~ELA~]
· Eater Inside: Goat [~ELA~]
· Ingredients Closes After Short Run [~ELA~]