Inside the hotel is a restaurant known simply as the Firehouse Hotel Restaurant. The chef is Ashley Abodeely, who previously ran the kitchen at NoMad LA and worked with the Eleven Madison Park crew for awhile before that. She is a master of simplicity. I doubt anything she cooks is actually simple, but she makes it seem like it is, like the linguine and clams or an incredibly basic cheeseburger. The crab toast is made with only a handful of ingredients, and it is absolutely exquisite.
The pastry chef is Rose Lawrence, who might be the Rose Lawrence who owns Red Bread Bakery and used to make desserts for Rustic Canyon. The olive oil cake is sublime. I’ve eaten dozens of olive oil cakes over the years and never until now have I ever called a single one of them sublime. This one is unlike any other.
Aside from a small bar area, the entire dining room is outside on a covered patio. It’s super sexy and laid back. Here’s a quick look around.
Firehouse Hotel Restaurant, 710 S Santa Fe Ave., Los Angeles, 213-947-3010, firehousela.com
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