New Luau in Beverly Hills?

From EaterLA: "BEVERLY HILLS: A reader sent this snap proving that Colors on Bedford is finally and 100% defunct. Moving in: The Luau Restaurant. Interesting name choice considering one of LA's early classics was The Luau on Rodeo Drive (1954-1978 according to LA Time Machines), owned by Steve Crane, one of Lana Turner's husbands. Obviously not the same owners, but similar concept? We can't wait to hear"... http://la.eater.com/ .... Anyone have any info on this? Pretty ballzzzzy to use the name, even decades later in Beverly Hills... LA.EATER JUST ADDED THIS INFO: "Jay Weston, who writes Jay Weston's Restaurant Newsletter, spills some dirt about Luau in Beverly Hills: "Owner is Andy Hewitt of Il Sole, Chef is Mako of Mako’s on S. Beverly Drive and Loree Rodkin is doing the design…should be fabulous".... It doesn't sound very tiki, and will probably just be a haunt for pseudocelebs to drink $18 cinnamon infused-rum coladas but if Mako is doing the food (I'd love to see his take on Hawaiian / Polynesian cuisine), it should at least be great eats - but no doubt insanely pricey...

[ Edited by: Crowntiki 2008-01-17 14:03 ]

On 2008-01-17 11:15, Crowntiki wrote:
... http://la.eater.com/ ....

good site with many links to interesting
(and sometimes sad) stories:
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-ambassador16jan16,1,3406872.story?coll=la-headlines-california&ctrack=1&cset=true

I am not holding my breath. So far, when classic Polynesian pop names were acquired, the realization of the concept was anything but classic. My question: Why bother getting the name in the first place?

I did a little Googling and found this -

ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW

11. 369 North Bedford
    LUAU RESTAURANT
    Façade Remodel, New Signage, and Outdoor
    Furniture

Preliminarily Approved with Conditions; 6-0.

CITY OF BEVERLY HILLS ARCHITECTURAL COMMISSION SYNOPSIS

I'm prepared to be disappointed.

Cool, now we have the address and can watch what develops. Who would be a good Tiki agent in the area?:

ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW

369 North Bedford
LUAU RESTAURANT
Façade Remodel, New Signage, and Outdoor Furniture
(PL 076 5219)

Preliminarily Approved with Conditions; 6-0.

I can do it Big Bro,

I'll take a picture this weekend and then a couple a week until it's finished.

Well...with the post yesterday about MAXIM MAGAZINE'S IN and OUT list, with TIKI BARS "IN" for this year coming up, let's see what develops. No one is going to do a Tiki restaurant the old school (ie: right way) but let's see what happens.

A bridge over a moat, with a HUGE A-Frame entry is what SHOULD be on those permits, but I;m not holding my breath.

Imigine if one of us in here had big developer's money..... :)

Bring it on!

There is good reason to be optimistic about this venture. Keep your fingers crossed!

Beverly Hills was like a Ghost Town today, which was nice.

Next time I'll shoot before the Sun starts going down. :roll:

On 2008-01-17 11:15, Crowntiki wrote:
"Owner is Andy Hewitt of Il Sole, Chef is Mako of Mako’s on S. Beverly Drive and Loree Rodkin is doing the design…should be fabulous"....

Il Sole is on Sunset in West Hollywood, so the owner should have the necessary contacts to secure financing sufficient to do justice to the interior, particularly if hiring an interior designer.

I think this BH space is considered in the "Golden Triangle," so there should be enough traffic to keep it going (unlike SF TV).

That appears to be the former site of "The Ginger Man" restaurant, owned many years ago by Carroll O' Connor. Except then it was dark green with brass accents, that sort of thing. New York style place, piano bar. It was lovely.

On 2008-01-17 16:03, tikiyaki wrote:
Well...with the post yesterday about MAXIM MAGAZINE'S IN and OUT list, with TIKI BARS "IN" for this year coming up, let's see what develops. No one is going to do a Tiki restaurant the old school (ie: right way) but let's see what happens.

A bridge over a moat, with a HUGE A-Frame entry is what SHOULD be on those permits, but I;m not holding my breath.

Imigine if one of us in here had big developer's money..... :)

In Waikiki, a new A-frame is being built.
However, this structure, with its emphasis on the horizontal and the patio, is probably not the best candidate for an A-frame.

However, Trader Vic's BH and Tiki-Ti have small A-frames, so who knows?

I was hoping for tiki torches.

Found this recent Zagat article:

http://www.zagat.com/Blog/Detail.aspx?SNP=NLA&SCID=37&BLGID=9295&zagatbuzzid=jan08week4

Here's a map from the Old Luau location to new Luau location -

It will be very cool to have the Luau and Trader Vic's Lounge so close to each other.

Update: They have covered the windows. Very Sneaky!

You wouldn’t think that Beverly Hills would have crappy streets but look at those cracks!

I walked by the new Luau again today and for the second week in a row there were no visible changes on the outside. Since I was already parked I walked over to where the old Luau was at 421 North Rodeo Drive.

NOT THE NEW LUAU! :down: PLEASE DON'T HAVE A HEART ATTACK!

It is now a slightly out of focus outdoor mall, which is no surprise considering the original Luau has been gone for 30 years. :)

[ Edited by: Bora Boris 2008-02-10 21:04 ]

Something tells me the new one is not gonna look like the original...but hopefully better than that mall that replaced it!
That's a great, crisp color photo, Boris, where from?

[ Edited by: bigbrotiki 2008-02-10 21:23 ]

On 2008-02-10 21:22, bigbrotiki wrote:
That's a great, crisp color photo, Boris, where from?

I "Borrowed" it from another website.

Any updates on this?

On 2008-01-27 18:43, Bora Boris wrote:
Update: They have covered the windows. Very Sneaky!

You wouldn’t think that Beverly Hills would have crappy streets but look at those cracks!

B.H. has gone to hell since Merv Griffin died!

The owners need to start spending some cash to get the place renovated for summer!
Besides, they still must be paying rent - and maybe insurance - even though the space is not earning any $$.

On 2008-02-21 07:05, RevBambooBen wrote:
Any updates on this?

Just for you Ben I drove 5-1/2 miles in the rain to see if there’s been any change. :wink:

Nothing has changed on the outside but I was able to take a peek at the inside, they’ve pretty much removed the previous restaurant’s interior and have not yet started on the new interior. It’s going to be a couple more months.

I drove by today and didn't see any visible changes. The windows are still masked as in the photos above. Can't wait for this, if anyone has news on an opening date, please share. Thanks!

I hear it's gonna be a "hand job".

On 2008-04-08 20:16, bigbrotiki wrote:
I hear it's gonna be a "hand job".

Umm...I really hope this is one of those language barrier/cultural difference kind of things. :blush:

On 2008-04-09 08:40, Tiki-Kate wrote:

On 2008-04-08 20:16, bigbrotiki wrote:
I hear it's gonna be a "hand job".

Umm...I really hope this is one of those language barrier/cultural difference kind of things. :blush:

heh heh - BigBro's comment will make sense eventually.

On 2008-02-10 21:01, Bora Boris wrote:

Isn't that the mall that was used in "Body Double" when the peeper and the creepy guy follow the brunette to the lingerie store?

The slang dictonary has this as one of their definitions;

“Hand Job”
“Something that really sucks. Anytime things work out really poorly, due to lack of planning or someone simply ruining all of your plans.”

So I take it one should say this phrase with the requisite hand motion and roll of the eyes?

On 2008-04-09 14:01, TIKIBOSKO wrote:
The slang dictonary has this as one of their definitions;

“Hand Job”
“Something that really sucks. Anytime things work out really poorly, due to lack of planning or someone simply ruining all of your plans.”

On 2008-04-09 14:40, GatorRob wrote:
So I take it one should say this phrase with the requisite hand motion and roll of the eyes?

I was hoping that it was some delightful German idiom meaning something constructed by hand...

I drove by today. Construction was underway, the doors were open and I was able to see that it is very much an EARLY work in progress.

Good.
Hopefully it will open before Trader Vics Lounge closes, so BH can maintain their Tiki mana.

Chris, I think your mistaken about the TV's lounge closing.

unless you heard something while at the lounge recently.

Jeff(bigtikidude)

Any updates on the state of this place?

The last I heard was late July.

On 2008-04-22 23:21, christiki295 wrote:
Good.
Hopefully it will open before Trader Vics Lounge closes, so BH can maintain their Tiki mana.

Don't count on it...I heard thru the grapevine there will be no tiki at the Luau. :(
Now, the Malibu Beachcomber on the otherhand....

On 2008-06-29 08:37, tikiyaki wrote:

On 2008-04-22 23:21, christiki295 wrote:
Good.
Hopefully it will open before Trader Vics Lounge closes, so BH can maintain their Tiki mana.

Don't count on it...I heard thru the grapevine there will be no tiki at the Luau. :(
Now, the Malibu Beachcomber on the otherhand....

How can one have a Luau without Tiki. Have the owners no sense of history?

What is up with the Malibu Beachcomber - is it the vacation bungalow rental?

Update,
Went by there today to check out the progress. Outside has not changed at all from the pictures posted previously, except the awnings are now covered in white (looks like some sort of masking for painting or something). Lots of construction activity going on inside visible through open doors, but still no visible Tiki or Luau styling cues visible. Interior buildout is still in very early stages. Unable to tell what this thing is going to look like.

Tiki Jeff

Good to hear of the progress, even if currently hidden.

The latest Rumble from the Jungle that I've heard is September/October. We'll have to wait and see.

Bamboo Ben in the house ! (or should I say "hut" ? )

Looks promising.

Went to a Tasting last night.

The Mai Tai is Spot On!

The food we sampled was Awesome too!

Just remember...

"They are not trying to be the old Luau."

and....

"Jeff Berry consulted with them early on."

Stay tuned.....

[ Edited by: GROG 2008-08-13 08:41 ]

Instead of taking one's out-of-town guests to Spago, one can pass by and go to the Luau.

Posted Today on Eater LA.

Eater Progress Report: Luau Beverly Hills
Tuesday, August 26, 2008, by Lesley Balla

After numerous reader inquiries, we finally popped over to check out the status of the forthcoming Luau on Bedford Drive and noted lots of progress. Although this is Andy Hewitt's (concert promoter and owner of Il Sole) contemporary take on the classic Beverly Hills restaurant that was celeb-spotting haven on Rodeo Drive in the 50s and 60s (it closed in 1978), Luau won't be some kitschy ode to tiki. The colors of the former Colors on Bedford have been covered with an earthy brown, thatched awnings and bamboo lined patio (that one "local" found to be the perfect cover for an afternoon nap), and although the windows are completely papered over, we understand the inside is coming along nicely.

In the September issue of Vanity Fair, designer Loree Rodkin said she and Hewitt wanted to create a "Zen-like retreat," which translates to Balinese-inspired decor (wood, stone, water elements, Buddha relics, Turkish lanterns). Chef Makoto Tanaka (current chef/owner of Mako, opening chef of Chinois on Main) plans a Pacific Rim menu, things like macadamia-crusted lamb, braised pork spring rolls, and a pupu platter with Wagyu meatballs and firecracker shrimp among others. This might be the only real throwback to the original: Renown tikiologist Jeff Berry recovered many of Luau's original cocktail recipes (he literally cracked the code) and plans to serve some of the rum-centric signature drinks in hollowed out coconut and pineapple shells. The magazine says the restaurant will open in September, it's looking more like October.