Malibu Cantina Will Open Next to New Nobu Malibu

Nobu Malibu is moving across the street into the site that formerly housed Windsail restaurant south of the Malibu Pier and just next door is an additionally vacant area, a space that once served as PierView restaurant. Last month Merrill Shindler at Zagat suggested that Thomas Keller might open a second branch of the famed French Laundry, though now that TK PR has squashed that rumor, the question remains, who IS moving in? Originally Wolfgang Puck was affiliated with the space, but Tom Kaplan, senior managing partner of the Wolfgang Puck Fine Dining Group, said that deal fell through. Or did it?

So, as of right now we don't have the full story but here's what's swirling. A restaurant called Malibu Cantina will open in the former PierView spread and word on the street is that this restaurant IS affiliated with Wolfie. It's unclear whether his restaurant group is taking on a consulting roll or what, but apparently there is a Puck tie to Malibu Cantina. Developing...
·Thomas Keller's PR Says No-Go on The French Laundry Malibu [~ELA~]