Wally’s Opening Another Wine Bar in Santa Monica

Long time Wine Spectator editor Harvey Steiman recently penned a piece on the effect of traffic on LA restaurants. The San Francisco native uses three Westside restaurants — Valentino, Michael’s, and Wally’s Beverly Hills — to make his case that “it's harder to entice people across town now” because of traffic.

Michael McCarty of the eponymous Santa Monica institution Michaels is quoted as saying that, albeit bringing in talented new chef Miles Thompson, “we're a neighborhood restaurant now.” Valentino owner Piero Selvaggio competes against the “trend” of neighborhood restaurants by pushing its Wine Spectator award-winning wine list.

Perhaps the only new information garnered in the article is that Wally’s Beverly Hills, albeit LA traffic, has been successful enough for the brand to open its third wine shop and restaurant, this time in Santa Monica. No other details were provided.

The post concludes with the ground-breaking advice to avoid rush hour:

More than ever, visitors to L.A. should choose accommodations closest to what you plan to do. To avoid late afternoon and early evening traffic, consider dining late. It's easier to get reservations too. [WS]