Echo Park's Long-Dormant Red Hill Returns as The Whisperer

Echo Park’s Red Hill saga continues, with the ill-fated restaurant space suddenly turning overnight into a place (or at least an idea) called The Whisperer. Nearly a year after quietly disappearing (and leaving loads of confused customers behind in the process), the Eastsider has a first new look at the exterior of owner Jason Michaud’s former restaurant, which has been painted over and given a flashy logo.

What exactly The Whisperer is slated to be remains a big old question mark, though, as there are only a few  lingering tidbits online so far. A Facebook page for the restaurant/bar concept is more cryptic than anything, and the existing active ABC license for the place still points to Michaud and uses the Red Hill name. It’s looking increasingly likely that The Whisperer will be primarily a bar (beer and wine, at least) spot as opposed to a more fully-formed sit-down restaurant, but that’s all subject to change as new details emerge.

It’ll be interesting to see what comes of the place either way, considering it’s been nearly a year in the dark already. Across the street Miles Thompson’s Allumette couldn’t hold on doing their brand of slightly fussy food (and has since become casual bar space The Holloway), so perhaps a more easygoing drink spot has a good chance of survival. Then again, newcomers like Bar Bandini are already creeping into the Echo Park wine bar arena, so who knows what it might take to make this new place sustainable.