There’s a new modern restaurant nestled beneath the city lights of downtown Los Angeles. Partners behind the popular ML Eats food truck Chef Marcos Spaziani and Chef Louis Huh, both formerly of Taste, have teamed up again, this time to open The Marlou, an innovative new restaurant inside the O Hotel. Occupying the space that formerly housed Bar Kitchen Los Angeles, the restaurant opened in February of this year and is an evolving collaboration between the two chef-partners: a friendly amalgam of Latin, Italian, and Korean-influenced dishes.
On a recent visit, two of us sat at a dinner table next to a cheerful couple who sipped a bright red cocktail (I later came to find out it was Fade to Red, a vodka-based drink made with fresh strawberries and ginger beer). We started dinner with two small shareables, the caprese salad and the ceviche tostada – my personal favorite. Served in a modest-sized bowl, the starter was filled with fresh arugula gently massaged in balsamic caviar and reduction that glossed the fresh burrata at the center; a generous portion of mashed avocado was the chef’s kiss. The authentic-style ceviche contained fresh mahi mahi, diced onion, potent specks of serrano chiles, a swirled avocado; and aji amarillo, known as the “holy trinity” of Peruvian cuisine, all tossed in huancaina sauce that incorporated many layers of texture and flavor along with a subtle punch of spiciness.
The Caprese salad comes together intricately with flavor in every bite
I imbibed while gazing around the room at the space’s chic décor: it’s upscale without being pretentious, and has an intimate and cozy feel (thanks to the fireplace) with a sleek, modern touch. The Garden Punch cocktail I enjoyed was made with fresh watermelon, vodka and basil perfect for warmer evenings.
The main dishes arrived — Porcini e Truffle and Ribeye Steak —just as the second cocktail, Fade to Red, touched my mouth. The pasta was crowned with crispy zucchini and freshly shaved truffles, surrounded by blistered tomatoes basked in a garlic white wine sauce that was truly exquisite. The dish was an emulsion of flavor with strong yet delicate hints of truffle and garlic. A sprinkle of parmigiana complemented every bite.
The Ribeye Steak is accompanied with a trio of sauces
The sous vide seared ribeye was the highlight of the evening. Sprinkled with microgreens and rosemary, the 16-ounce steak was accompanied with a curiously appealing trio of sauces: chimichurri, bernaise butter, and aji verde. The real surprise was the aji verde. The iconic Peruvian sauce unleashed the perfect amount of heat which I applied to my bites liberally.
To round out the meal, we opted for the ML Tarte Tatin; an apple-shaped tarte replete with lemon mousse, apple filling, and crumbled puff pastry, for a pleasantly satisfying avant-garde dessert. In appearance the tarte is a bright red apple gilded with flecks of gold leaf for a photogenic appeal.
The ML Tarte Tatin: a dessert brimming with creativity and decadence
The dessert may sound aggressively sweet, but the final effect is nothing short of decadent, and reminiscent of homemade apple pie.
We followed dinner with a nightcap at The Burrow Bar and Kitchen located downstairs also owned by the chef-partners. The bar-centric concept features a creative craft cocktail and small bites menu with an emphasis on local and seasonal ingredients. The bar ambience is dim and modern, an environment that encourages lingering and is perfectly LA.
As far as future plans go, Chef Marcos and Chef Louis will open a second Marlou location in Koreatown later this year. The restauranteurs are eager to remain in the industry and hopeful to continue their expansion to Las Vegas and beyond. I’m excited for a taste of what’s next at Marlou.
The Marlou bar features handcrafted cocktails made with fresh ingredients
The Marlou is open every day for brunch from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. except Sundays when the restaurant opens at 10 a.m. Dinner is available daily from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. except Saturdays (closes at midnight). Convenient parking at the lot adjacent to the restaurant and hotel.
For more information and to make reservations, visit the Marlou.
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Additionally, if you are running a restaurant or preparing to start a related business, in addition to great food served in the restaurant that customers love, the decor of the store cannot be ignored. Good restaurant decoration can give your customers a good first impression of your restaurant.
For a more personalized restaurant decoration, custom neon signs are a good choice. You can customize your store name and logo into neon signs as a sign to attract customers, or you can choose some unique patterns or meaningful letters to customize into neon signs as decoration in the restaurant to add atmosphere.
