Euphoria Design House

Rendering of patio seating at Le Ka´, proposed for the corner of 6th and Flower.

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — A pair of new restaurants from long-time operators are headed to sites that straddle the 110 freeway.

At 6th and Flower, Le Ka´ is a new french restaurant from Michael Kwan of Wokcano that hopes to open on the ground floor of 800 W. 6th. Just across the freeway on Wilshire, Primo Bistro is the fourth restaurant Tony Rivera has proposed Downtown, but it may be the first to open.

Both restaurants were presented to DLANC's planning committee this evening as part of their Conditional Use Permit application process.

Le Ka´ would occupy just under 7000 square feet at the former Security Pacific bank building on the southwest corner of 6th and Flower. Thanks to the building's unusual raised design, 1600 square feet would be outdoors, though within the footprint of the building itself. The restaurant would have 140 seats, and is planned for operation potentially from 6am to 4am.

San Gabriel's Euphoria Design House is doing the design and permitting. A preliminary menu presented to the committee shows lunches in the $13 - $20 range, with dinner entrees around $30. A full line of liquor is proposed. No planning hearing has yet been set.

Over at City West's Glo, Primo Bistro would occupy a retail space next door to the Starbucks at Wilshire and Bixel. It is proposed for 76 seats, 56 indoor and 20 planned to go outside once the building completes a 7-foot sidewalk extension. The restaurant is planned to operate from 7am to midnight, Sunday through Wednesday, and from 7am to 2am, Thursday through Saturday.

Rivera's Primo Hospitality Group has long been attached to three other restaurants Downtown: Caffe Primo locations at Barker Block and Pegasus, and Tony’s steakhouse at 6th and Olive. None have opened, though construction work inside the Pegasus location does finally appear to be moving forward. "We're very aware [of those delays]," said a representative of Glo's building owner at the meeting. "This deal is structured differently."

Primo Bistro has a March 24 planning hearing.