Peruvian Sangria Specialist Chavela Delayed Until May in Hollywood

Despite being more than a year in the making, Hollywood is still waiting for the arrival of Chavela, the drink-focused follow-up to next door’s Los Balcones de Peru. Named for a popular boozy option from Peru that sort of falls into the sangria family, Chavela has been in plywood phase since at least February of 2014.

More recently, a banner hung out front indicated an April debut, but that’s come and gone as well, with a quick peek at the interior showing a lot of work left to be done. Still, the Los Balcones people are hopeful for an arrival soon, pegging May for a likely unveiling.

Rachel Carr is the attached chef for the upcoming 40-seat restaurant, after manning the stoves at Cru in Silver Lake from 2006 to 2011. From there, Carr did at year at Sun Cafe in the Valley, before more recently working plant-based dishes at a farm-to-table spot in Connecticut. With Chavela, Carr returns to the West Coast with as much flair for the meatless as ever.

In fact, the menu is already up for the world to see on the Chavela website, and it includes everything from tempeh ‘barbecoa’ skewers to hearty chipotle mac and cheese, with sweet potato tacos and a pecan chorizo egg roll thrown in for good measure. Craft beers and biodynamic wines will complement the chavelas on offer.

With any luck, the Los Balcones team will be hosting opening parties for Chavela by May.

Chavela
1358 Vine St.
Los Angeles, CA