New on Resy: The NoMad, Native, Hayato, and More

You’ve probably heard that Will Guidara and Daniel Humm — the venerable pair behind one of New York’s most essential restaurants, The NoMad (and lest we forget, the same team responsible for the #1 restaurant in the world, Eleven Madison Park) — are in town. With the recent opening of the NoMad Hotel in DTLA comes a slew of options for dining, drinking, and socializing from the only restaurant group appropriate for the gig (i.e., Make It Nice). The Lobby is an all-day affair, serving breakfast, lunch, dinner, and late night bites. Sunlit and casually elegant, it’s located on the ground floor (as the name suggests), beneath the building’s original, albeit restored, 1920s blue and gold Italianate ceiling.

Overlooking the sun-soaked Lobby, the Mezzanine is “bustling and refined; stately and convivial,” and the most formal of dining experiences offered at LA’s new NoMad Hotel. The menu riffs on the one served at The NoMad in New York (including its signature roast chicken for two with black truffle and brioche stuffing), while taking into account the bounty of ingredients Southern California has to offer. Anchored in the Make It Nice group’s approach to both food, drink, and hospitality, the restaurant is innovative, approachable, and features a world-class wine program alongside original and distinguished cocktails.

For chef Nyesha Arrington, her restaurant’s proximity to the Santa Monica Farmers Market is no coincidence; at Native, the cuisine is directly inspired by what can be found there, and thus, the menu changes frequently. Expect dishes like grass-fed bison tartare served with Maui onions and Korean mustard and grilled romanesco with tahini aioli and smoked mozzarella. Then there’s the ambiance (low-key), the seating (a mix of communal and otherwise), and the open air patio (complete with a retractable roof).

With its ubiquitous wood-lined interior and lush outdoor patio, Goldie’s is very easy to like. The menu only adds to the crowd-pleasing appeal: grain bowls, scrambles, salads, pastas, and sandwiches galore. And it’s all thanks to Australian restaurateur Nicholas Mathers, of Eveleigh and Ruby (the latter of which was first founded in New York).

This all-day café in DTLA’s South Park aims to replicate the neighborhood restaurants of Buenos Aires. There is tortilla española and chia seed pudding in the morning, sandwiches and empañadas midday, and small plates at dinner — from plancha-grilled to hot and cold picadas. Cocktails (or cócteles) are a highlight, too, with offerings like the michelada, paloma, and an “old fatshioned” made with fat-washed bourbon.

Located at DTLA’s The Row, Hayato is a unique concept from chef Brandon Hayato Go. Go, who was born in LA and grew up cooking at his father’s sushi restaurant, spent years training under top chefs in Tokyo, until he landed on his focus — Washoku (read: true Japanese cooking concentrated on quality ingredients and the five cooking techniques of sashimi, grilling, steaming, frying, and simmering). His format of choice? Bento boxes. From Tuesday through Friday, he prepares a maximum of 20 boxes a day, each comprised of over 16 ingredients, available for pick-up at 12pm. Interested? Book a Resy for a take-out box at least 24 hours in advance.

A public house of sorts, Bank of Venice is housed in a landmarked building from 1905. The designer, known as Mr. Abbot Kinney (founder of the Venice neighborhood), modeled it after the famous Saint Mark’s Square in Venice, Italy. For over a century, it’s been an icon of the quintessential, beachy Venice lifestyle. Now it’s just that, and more: a place to drink craft beer and California wine, and eat locally sourced (natch) gastropub fare.

Checker Hall is the restaurant arm of Lodge Room, a Highland Park music venue. It’s a vibey dining room with a teal-colored ceiling, long marble bar, and tall booths, where rustic Mediterranean cuisine (think chicken skewers and octopus with labneh) is offered alongside specialty cocktails, craft beer on draft, and wine.

LA-based duo, Top Chef winner Brooke Williamson and husband Nick Roberts are behind this Redondo Beach gastropub. The restaurant is darkly lit and intimate, with exposed brick walls. And as for the menu, think brown sugar pork ribs, pretzel burgers, and, on Tuesdays, tacos.

Little Pine is a fresh-faced vegan restaurant with a mid-century ski lodge aesthetic from musician Moby (does the song “Porcelain” ring a bell?). A decades-long vegan himself, Moby’s aim with this venture is to support animal rights, foster a community for like-minded folks, and serve delicious food like fried cauliflower with kimchi aioli and ravioli alle noci. The chef is Laura Louise Oates and the pastry chef is Amy Loch.

From the same pair behind Hudson House, Playa Provisions is a casual and brand-new seafood restaurant in Playa Del Rey. Offerings like lobster rolls, patty melts, and fish tacos are complemented by wine, beer, cocktails, and Pacific Ocean views.