Restaurateur Larry Nicola is putting together what could be his last menu as he goes forward in his career.
Nicola, who opened Silver Lake’s L.A. Nicola in 1980, went on to open other eponymous eateries over the last three decades: Nicola, in downtown Los Angeles, and his current offering, Nic’s Beverly Hills. In addition, Nicola works as a dining consultant to resorts around the world.
Now, after working on his present menu, dubbed Ode to Vintage Beverley Hills, which includes vodka-cured salmon and grilled octopus, he wants to move into the production side of the food industry.
“It’s not possible to be a chef in 40 different restaurants,” he said. “I see young talented chefs and I want to bring them up.”
The former Army cook wants to focus on expanding his Vodbox concept, where customers wear faux fur coats into a refrigerated room to drink vodka, and on an upcoming television series he’s working on with son Luke. The show will feature the Nicolas traveling around the world, exploring vodka culture, going on foxhunts and singing songs while drinking the spirit in cabins.
Its part of a plan to help bolster Vodbox, now housed in his Beverly Hills restaurant at 453 N. Canon Drive.
“We have Vodbox, but we really need to learn more about vodka and own the field,” Nicola said.
Best-Dressed City
Santa Monica, known for its scenic beaches and by some as the “home of the homeless,” is being acknowledged for its fashionable residents.
Movoto, a San Mateo real estate research company, named Santa Monica as the best-dressed small city in the United States.
The company’s metrics for ranking fashionable cities included finding out which ones had the most high-end stores selling fashion, jewelry and shoes per capita. It also factored in the number of tailors and dry cleaners a city had, an indicator of how well residents maintain their clothing.
Randy Nelson, a content editor at Movoto and native Southern Californian, said he was not surprised with the findings.
“It’s a beautiful community with a lot of attractive people,” Nelson said. “It’s sunny and everything is higher end than it ever was. That attracts a certain customer. As those customers start to flock there, I feel that businesses see those customers and set up shop there.”
Movoto evaluated 153 cities with populations of between 75,000 and 99,999.
Revolving Doors
Proud Bird, a restaurant known for its location near Runway 25 at Los Angeles International Airport, will close in November. The restaurant had a 48-year run. … Umami Restaurant Group opened its 20th Umami Burger on Sept. 23 on Third Street in downtown L.A.’s Arts District. The 60-seat location offers a menu with its “greatest hits” items as well as a variety of local beers. … Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley from rock band Kiss look to continue expanding their restaurant and entertainment concept, opening their newest Rock & Brews on Oct. 10 at LAX’s Terminal 5. … Fort Worth, Texas, electronics chain RadioShack Corp. has leased a 1,800-square-foot shop on 1138 E. Rosecrans Ave. in Compton. … TLT Food has opened a 1,000-square-foot location on Seventh Street and Broadway in downtown. … St. Louis shoe chain Famous Footwear has opened a shop in Walnut Park. It will be the chain’s 35th store in the Los Angeles market. … La Jolla seafood restaurant Herringbone’s new outpost will take over Asia de Cuba’s spot when it opens New Year’s Eve in the Mondrian Hotel on the Sunset Strip.
Staff reporter Justin Yang can be reached at [email protected] or (323)549-5225, ext. 228.
