Eating
Sep 2015 Endorffeine
Jan 2016 Unit 120
Apr 2016 Howlin’ Ray’s
Sep 2016 Lao Tao
Nov 2016 Baohaus
of urgency to come back and bring old Chinatown back to its prime time.” One of the plaza’s biggest champions of
change has been Alvin Cailan, who gained a dedicated following with the popular Grand Central Market stand Eggslut. Cailan opened Unit 120, a culinary incubator on the plaza’s first floor that has cultivated the rise of young, innovative L.A. chefs by letting them experiment with restaurant and dish concepts through on-site pop-ups. The incubator has produced LASA, a prix- fixe Filipino restaurant from brothers Chad and Chase Valencia, and Isa Fabro Pastries, a weekend endeavor from pastry chef Isa Fabro, who introduced her Halo Halo shaved ice and coconut malas to the masses. Some concepts operating out of Unit 120’s take-out
window have come and gone (Easy’s Burgers, from
restaurateur Jeremy Fall, was open
for just a few months), while others have morphed into brick-and-mortar restaurants (Here’s Looking at You) or reoccurring pop- ups (Cailan’s Amboy and Fabro’s Detroit-style pizza nights). “Unit 120 is unique in that it gives me opportunity and possibility,” says Fabro. “I’m not constrained by executing one kind of cuisine, or to only do pastries or savory, fine dining or casual. If something doesn’t work, I change it, but if it does, I can run with that idea.” The appeal of opening a restaurant within the Chinatown plaza isn’t just a Los Angeles pride thing—national chefs have hopped on board too. Portland, Oregon, phenom Andy
31
Ricker opened a Pok Pok branch, called Pok Pok Phat Thai, at Far East Plaza in December 2014; although it didn’t last, it served as a springboard for him to open a permanent Pok Pok down the street. Huang’s Baohaus concept in L.A. is almost an entire replica of the one he opened in New York, though it fits right in with its plaza neighbors. This is the draw of Far East Plaza today. Like
the rest of the city, it’s a space that welcomes creativity and risk, whether you’re a native Angeleno or a transplant looking to start over. And for those working the stoves, the possibilities are seemingly endless. “George Yu is bringing so many good people to support all the businesses here,” says Xie. “We are foreseeing this place becoming the next Grand Central Market.” à 727 N Broadway
January–March 2017 Time Out Los Angeles
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