Community Corner

Comfort Food Competition Heats Up in Classic Spaces

Two new casual restaurants will take over two spaces beloved in the community.

with many mourning the end of the so-called last gay piano bar in L.A.

Los Feliz's Louise's also closed recently, but went a little more quietly. The Los Feliz Boulevard outpost of the L.A. trattoria chain was one of the first. It took over the front part of the former Brown Derby in the early 1990s.

Now it looks like those spaces--both of them quite large--could find themselves going head to head in the comfort food category.

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As we reported earlier, Hyperion Public--a partnership of three Silver Lake dads--will make over the Silver Lake space.

“We are the community’s pub – gay, straight, Muslim, Jewish, Dervish, Sikh,” Paddy Aubrey told the Eastsider.

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According to the Eastsider the owners plan to remodel the interior, and create an open deck. Menu items will range from salads to mac 'n' cheese. And, yes, there wil be microbrewed beer.

Just up the hill, Messhall is also taking shape.

According to a flyer we picked up the other day Messhall will be a "reinterpretation of the classic American tavern. 

The menu will feature "American clasics re-conceptualized...using local, sustainable, organic and seasonal ingredients." Head chef is Keith Silverton.

And, yes, there will be microbrews, as well as a design that honors the location's history. The famous ceiling in the former Brown Derby (and The Derby) will be be re-exposed we learned.

No word yet on an open date--construction continues--but we saw a bunch of folks sitting outside earlier this week filling out applications for work.

We will keep you posted in this comfort food derby.


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