Provecho Brings New Mexican to Financial District
Eric Richardson
[Flickr]
The highlight of the dining room is a large window onto the kitchen, partially obscured by falling water during operating hours. In front of the window is the ceviche bar.
DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — Provecho is the type of establishment you wear nice shoes to. The recently opened fine Mexican dining establishment in the Financial District invites opulence with its floor to ceiling windows and sleek design. The eatery is headed by L.A. native chef Gabriel Morales, who earned his culinary stripes from kitchens in Italy to France and back to California.
“There wasn’t really good Mexican cuisine downtown,” Morales says about his culinary selection for Provecho. After a long wait, he opened both the restaurant and martini lounge Remedy last week.
While that may be arguable, Morales is bringing some fresh ideas to Downtown dining. One of the focal points of the restaurant is the ceviche bar. Diners face the chef's fish-slicing action and a glass waterfall above the kitchen. Morales explains his ceviche is not the heavily marinated cocktail version that many Americans are familiar with, but something closer to sashimi. Some of his raw bar favorites include just-out-of-the-water halibut and octopus with fresh lemon juice. Also on the menu is lobster chile rellenos, chorizo-crusted day boat scallops and other modern Mexican cuisine.
Downtown dwellers and business folk will find the restaurant, located on Wilshire next to Flower, a place to impress the boss or get romantic under Provecho’s high ceiling. Those still ready to play after dinner can step across the hall to Morales’ martini lounge Remedy. The bar has an entrance on Flower and can be reached within the restaurant.
The urban drinkery has opened with far less fanfare than its fine dining counterpart, but has already gotten a decent turnout of Downtown nightlife-goers as an alternative to velvet-ropes at the Standard and Elevate. Morales hopes to keep the cocktail lounge a welcoming, no-line necessary environment and a venue for businesses. The upstairs V.I.P. area is set up for screenings, presentations and private parties with its own sound system, DJ booth and TV screens.
Remedy shares a kitchen with Provecho, but not the menu. It offers American fare that still has the chef’s culinary sensibility. Some menu selections include fresh salads paired with seasonal fruits, pasilla crusted ahi tuna and ricotta swiss chard ravioli.
Provecho is located at 800 Wilshire Blvd. and opens for dinner this Wednesday. Remedy is located behind the restaurant on Flower.
Scope out Provecho’s full menu at http://www.ProvechoLA.com.
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Dave Bullock (@eecue) on December 08, 2008, at 04:59PM – #1
Oh man I was really excited when I read this hed, but you meant a new Mexican restaurant not a New Mexican restaurant. I miss New Mexico!
=]
The Dude on December 08, 2008, at 06:14PM – #2
I'm somewhat confused...does this place serve ceviche, or does it serve "sashimi" but just call it "ceviche"?
"Ceviche" by definition is citrus-marinated raw fish or cooked shellfish (or tomato-marinated in the Ecuadoran tradition). Ceviche has to be marinated (not just topped with juice) because the fish absorbs the marinade and begins to break down.
It's not really a big deal, but it's a pet peeve when restaurants misuse culinary terms to sound more "exotic" or "gourmet." Just call it what it is.
Rich Alossi on December 08, 2008, at 06:29PM – #3
I just love it when I return home from a nice meeting with a new restaurateur to find a complete write-up on blogdowntown.
Nice job!
klaus on December 08, 2008, at 06:46PM – #4
the interior looks really nice, but from the outside it just doesn,t look very inviting with those deep black windows and very little signage. it's real easy to miss this place when driving, or even walking by.
Desert Bruin on December 08, 2008, at 09:39PM – #5
Oh, I wish I were back in L.A. - Downtown particularly. But I have miles to go...
Someday.
Basta with TVs on December 08, 2008, at 10:53PM – #6
TVs in restaurants are bad, even in the bar area.
The Dude on December 09, 2008, at 06:43PM – #7
@ Basta: Didn't even notice that. Good eye. Sadly, I have a feeling that this restaurant would not be to my liking.
Urban Trojan on December 09, 2008, at 10:37PM – #8
Dude: remember to stay away from toilet bowls.... There's such a thing as toilet-boarding, you know..
I can make arrangements, if you're actually interested (sans lobster chile relleno). Chipotle sauce comes complementary. It good for reviving the senses, or common sense, as the case may be.
The Dude on December 09, 2008, at 10:53PM – #9
Excuse me?
Paul Dunn on December 11, 2008, at 12:19PM – #10
Too bad Senor Morales didn't study Mexican cooking in Mexico instead of France and Italy, Nontheless, I would love to love to try his Franco-Italo-Mexican cuisine.
theonerestaurant on December 13, 2008, at 09:53PM – #11
Very good job!!! Provecho!!! I really enjoyed their very fresh Ceviche(even though I only could try 2 out of more than 10 different choices...) I also loved their modern interior. I already have a plan to take friends to this restaurant for this weekend!!
Urban Trojan on December 13, 2008, at 11:51PM – #12
Dude don't know 'bout The Dude Lebowski, I guess; hasn't seen the cult movie. Hint: pay attention to the opening scene.
leavetonyalone on December 14, 2008, at 12:00PM – #13
It often doesn't matter where one studies a cuisine.
There are plenty of cooks who "studied" Mexican cooking in Mexico and are cooking shitty Mexican food here in Los Angeles.
Dennis on February 05, 2009, at 02:07PM – #14
I went to the opening of this restaurant last Saturday night 1/30 - and all I can say is TRAIN WRECK! It was the classless wannabes from Hollywood, en masse.
What I found completely baffling is that after all the PR work they did to get the crowd, there wasn't a bit of food from the menu being offered. Just really cheesy desserts like chocolate chip cookies and those brownie cubes that you can buy by the crate at Costco.
I also did not see anyone from the local downtown neighborhood - residents were not represented at all.
I predict this place goes bad in a few months, after the hype wears off and Hollywood screams, "next!"
Tom on February 06, 2009, at 09:27AM – #15
"I also did not see anyone from the local downtown neighborhood - residents were not represented at all."
If this is the case, I'm happy that downtown is achieving something past provincial, "know-everyone" village status. Bring those "classless" Hollywooders with their credit cards if you want new downtown restaurants to survive. You should be grateful that they're venturing downtown to see what all the fuss is about. I'd love to live downtown but have the diversity of good food Hollywood has to offer.