DTLA french culinary figures join together to open 'Spring' bistro
The new Spring bistro will be located in the Douglas building on Spring Street.
DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — Two culinary figures in Downtown French cuisine are joining up to open a new bistro on Spring street that promises seasonal, produce-driven food. The owner of Church and State in the Arts District and the executive chef of Patina on Grand Avenue have plans to open Spring -- a traditional, french restaurant but with less-rich options.
Church and State's Yassmin Sarmadi said the owners of the Douglas Building on Spring Street approached her about opening a new place in the bottom floor of their building. As her plans developed, she was introduced to Esnault and their partnership developed "naturally" from there, she said.
"It's a pretty small community in terms of chefs and restaurants in Los Angeles," Sarmadi said. "I'm not a chef, I don't work in the kitchen, so that [finding a chef] of course is one of my primary thoughts and questions."
The approximately 7,500-square-foot space on Spring Street will be split into a dining area and a bar/lounge. Spring will be serving Southern French food -- meaning less butter and more olive oil, less meat and more fish.
"We can get almost anything at any time in California," said Sarmadi, making it extremely easy to "cheat" on fruits and veggies usage. But she said at Spring, they will strive to use only the produce that's truly "in season" at any given time.
Church will have been open four years this September, said Sarmadi, and the number of things she's learned in that time "could fill an entire magazine."
"I'm a different person today than I was four years ago -- for sure," she said. "It hasn't always been easy, but its certainly been a pleasure."
Although Sarmadi was approached about doing other foodie projects further to the west, she seems happy to remain Downtown where "there's so much growth and enthusiasm and vibrancy."
"In the time that I've been there with Church and State, I feel that Downtown has become a home to me," she said.
Sarmadi said that although no renderings or final floor plans have been drawn up for the new bistro, she is planning on working with the "natural, beautiful elements" the curved, corner building provides.
Sarmadi said the reasoning behind the Spring name is multidimensional: Not only is the location on Spring Street but there is an actual spring that runs beneath the building. Also, the spring season is an "exciting time" for life and food, she said -- it's about abundance, fragrance and the resurgence of produce that's not readily available during the winter.
Spring French bistro is slated to open next summer pending permitting, construction and other scheduling issues.
Eric Wang on July 17, 2012, at 12:57PM – #1
Cool. I hope this is real. Any potential business should approach these ideas with an abundance of caution, but I'm rather wary of these kinds of announcements of potential new businesses in DTLA, and then not having it materialize. Remember this story: http://blogs.laweekly.com/squidink/2009/11/grace_restaurant_st_vibianas_n.php?
This corner of Spring and 3rd is a challenge. I always felt that the buildings and parking lot around have created a dead zone. But of course it also takes a really great concept to bring people to Spring/3rd. Best of luck to them, and please make it happen!
Mr Whitman on July 17, 2012, at 03:28PM – #2
What's so challenging about 3rd and Spring? Church & State made it in the heart of the industrial zone.
Downtowner on July 17, 2012, at 06:40PM – #3
Mr. Whitman, I have to agree with Mr. Wang: It's not an optimal corner. There isn't much residential or other destinations or attractions in the immediate vicinity, and the daytime/office lunch crowd might not enough to sustain an eatery in that location.
If you look closely at the pic, you'll see Origami (a Japanese restaurant) and Lot 44 (a coffee bar), both of which failed. There was also a French bakery there on the ground floor, which sadly did not last very long in that space.
But we can always hope.
Robert A on July 18, 2012, at 08:48AM – #4
The area will be changing...the hotel coming it at 4th and Spring, the Banco Popular building becoming lofts and the space above the Ground Floor Gallery on Spring betweend 4th and 5th is turning residential. If the food and atmosphere are top notch, Spring Bistro can be very successful here. Also, there is supposed to be a retail development at 4th and Broadway..where the burned out building sits. What they need to do is create a beautiful and lush patio. That is what we need more of in the Historic Core.
Eric Wang on July 18, 2012, at 11:19AM – #5
I love the Douglas Bldg., and seeing old photos of it, and the buildings that used to surround it. The foot traffic in this intersection during the 20s, 30s, 40s, etc. was a given. The challenge now for any potential tenant of the ground floor of Douglas (or Bradbury for that matter) is to generate/inspire foot traffic again despite the hulking state buildings on SE and SW corners of Spring & 3rd - that dead zone I was referring to. Clearly, Douglas' previous ground floor tenants wanted to do well, but became examples of how even concept is not enough to overcome a dead zone.
Church & State did an incredible thing for Industrial - it became the anchor tenant that inspired other restaurants and businesses (and residents) to come, and really made Molino/Industrial more enjoyable, as well as liveable. To be able to do it again for another DTLA area that needs it,... well, that would be awesome, but hopefully, it's not like asking a baseball player to hit two home runs in a single game.