Catering and To-Go Sales Booming at Pacific Grille

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When Aileen Watanabe took over ownership of downtown’s Pacific Grille restaurant five years ago, she planned to boost sales with catering and to-go business.

She seems to have hit that goal the catering business has tripled since she took over, and business at the to-go kiosk Pacific Grille Express has increased 40 percent in the last two years.

The downturn in the dining sector has actually been a boon for these segments of Watanabe’s business as her corporate clients take fewer business lunches.

“Instead of taking clients out to lunch, they’ll order catering for the office,” she said. “And if people are brown-bagging lunch, they’ll still at least get coffee at the kiosk.”

Like other fine-dining restaurants, including Citrus at Social, All’Angelo and Michael’s on Naples in Long Beach, Pacific Grille is tweaking its menu to offer lower-priced fare. Diners will soon be able to purchase a salad-and-sandwich combo for $15; current prices are more than that for just one item.

“We’re going with the trend,” Watanabe said.

She said she is able to do this by buying cheaper paper and plastic goods. Executive Chef Manny Diaz also buys ingredients himself at farmers’ markets whenever he can, making some savings on delivery costs.


Strip Joint

In a city where hip hotels are the norm, Los Angeles just got another: Andaz West Hollywood on the Sunset Strip.

Andaz is Hyatt Corp.’s boutique brand, comparable to Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc.’s W Hotel. Andaz West Hollywood, which opened Jan. 8, is the first Andaz in the United States; the company already has one in London, which opened in 2007.

The company transformed its infamous “Riot Hyatt” into sleek high-end lodging. The moniker was earned in the 1960s and 1970s, when bands such as the Doors, Led Zeppelin, Who and Rolling Stones made it party central.

But times change.

“As a Hyatt, it was somewhat tired and needed an injection of new life,” said Alan X. Reay, president of Atlas Hospitality Group in Irvine. “The type of clientele on the Sunset Strip wasn’t looking to stay in a Hyatt. Andaz is a newer, hipper product. There’s probably no better location for this brand than on the Sunset Strip.”

Andaz has some unique features. There is no traditional check-in desk; arriving guests are greeted by hotel workers who hand them laptops for registration. The hotel’s restaurant, RH for Riot Hyatt offers diners a build-your-own-meal menu from a checklist. And instead of traditional uniforms, the hotel’s employees get to choose what they wear from a selection of uniforms by two local clothing lines, Velvet by Graham & Spencer and Vince.

The rooms’ balconies have been enclosed to create sunroom areas, and perhaps to deter any rock-star wannabes.

“That wasn’t the purpose of enclosing the balconies, but maybe we kill two birds with one stone,” said General Manager Michel Morauw.


To Show or Not to Show?

At a time when well-known fashion designers are pulling out of runway shows at New York’s fashion week next month to save money, L.A.-based designer Max Azria is undaunted.

The designer, who is staging one runway show each for three of his brands, stands in contrast to Vera Wang, Monique Lhuillier and Betsy Johnson, who have opted for smaller-scale presentations instead of full-scale runway shows, which can cost anywhere from $100,000 to $500,000 each at Bryant Park.

“Runway shows remain an essential part of selling clothes,” Azria said. “In fashion, more than ever, the focus should be on emotion. Only emotion can make a consumer buy, and the best way to do this is through runway shows.”

Azria is scheduled to show fall 2009 collections for the brands BCBGMaxAzria, Herve Leger by Max Azria, and Max Azria when fashion week takes place Feb. 13-20.

In November, Vernon-based BCBGMaxAzriaGroup Inc. announced it had let go 125 employees, or about 10 percent of its workforce.

The company, which has 475 retail boutiques worldwide, has 13 in Los Angeles County.


Legal Woes

Forever 21 Inc. and singer Gwen Stefani’s Harajuku Lovers clothing line have settled a lawsuit over what Harajuku Lovers claimed was trademark infringement by Forever 21. The Los Angeles-based cheap-chic clothing company has agreed to stop selling merchandise that Harajuku Lovers felt too-closely resembled its hearts-and-Chinese-character designs. Forever 21 will turn over existing inventory to Harajuku Lovers.

Forever 21 is still in litigation with Trovata Inc. over design copies after settlement talks failed on Jan. 8.


Staff reporter Maya Meinert can be reached at [email protected] or at (323) 549-5225, ext. 228.

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