This past Saturday night, Joachim Splichal of The Patina Group invited me and a guest to join him for the soft opening of his new restaurant, Ray’s and Stark Bar at LACMA. Naturally, I couldn’t pass up an opportunity to try some of his yummy food – so I decided to make it a date night!
Mistyka Garcia at the Urban Light installation before heading into Ray's!
The menu is farm-to-table cuisine based on seasonal, local ingredients (simple and delicious – my kind of food!). The highlight of my meal was the funghi appetizer, the over-sized gourmet “Oreo” dessert and the cocktails. I asked the bartender to use Grey Goose and lime and she prepared two different drinks that were amazingly dangerous! I also loved the design detail of having your own “flatware drawer” at each table. You will have to go there when it opens in late-March to know what I am referring to! And ladies, don’t forget your purse hooks.
I highly recommend making this into your own date night after taking a stroll through the exhibits at LACMA. The restaurant is designed by Renzo Piano and located at the center of the museum’s campus, behind the welcoming Urban Light on Wilshire. All-in-all it was a great evening with delicious food and a view of a beautiful art installation to boot!
A rendering of the Renzo Piano designed restaurant.