Communal tables in LA and surroundings

[Lois]

I'm looking for a good restaurant in LA or the surrounding area with a communal table, since those are fun places to eat when you're on your own. Has anyone found any that are particularly congenial or where you're especially likely to meet interesting people? Or is this trend not really taking off in LA?

[rjwong]

I'm looking for a good restaurant in LA or the surrounding area with a communal table, since those are fun places to eat when you're on your own. Has anyone found any that are particularly congenial or where you're especially likely to meet interesting people? Or is this trend not really taking off in LA?

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Lois,

Check out this post from the Los Angeles Times Food Section Digest (9 Mar. 2005). At the bottom of the post, is an article on communal tables.

I would also add the Original Pantry in downtown LA. It's open 24 hours a day, owned by former Mayor Richard Riordan, and the decor is straight out of a Raymond Chandler novel.

This should give you a good first start.

[Ore]

Do you think the LA crowd can handle more Comunal Table restaurants???

[tanabutler]

Evan Kleiman, a glorious earth mother of a woman, operates Angeli Caffé on Melrose Avenue. Dinners on Thursday nights are communal—Evan tries all kinds of menus, though her specialty is Italian. Price is a mere $28 exclusive of beverages, tax, and tip.

She is one of the most amazing people: I own two of her cookbooks and love them. She was the inspiration for both chefs who started the Outstanding in the Field farm dinners (for which I worked for five years). She was guest chef in October, 2003, at Coleman Family Farm in Carpinteria, California, and her meal was absolutely perfect. (There were five perfect farm dinners in the whole time I photographed them. Fewer than 20% had Every Single Course Perfectly Prepared.)

I plan to come down and go there myself, very soon. I'll be hitting up AOC and Angeli Caffé.

Go for it.

[tanabutler]

Check out this post from the Los Angeles Times Food Section Digest (9 Mar. 2005). At the bottom of the post, is an article on communal tables.

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It's a premium link, meaning it's useless to people who aren't paid subscribers.

[gwilson]

If I remember correctly, Lucques has a communal table. Although, it may only be on Sunday nights, when they do their Sunday Supper thing. Regardless, I would recommend the restaurant.

-Greg

[FoodZealot]

I'm not sure if this is the type of place you mean, but Philippe's has communal tables. Lots of opportunities for small talk asking if a seat is available, asking for the mustard, etc. It's hard to be in a bad mood at Philippe's, which doesn't hurt.

The Mishima/Yashima restaurants usually have a central communal table for as well as regular tables.

Ore, my opinion is that LA diners would go along with communal seating if they're told it's cool. For various reasons, people are less open to random meetings, and it has to be a declared interaction zone.

[Ore]

FZ...I think you are right. If they are told it's cool, then sure, it will be alive but will have a super short PLC and close/change ownership really quickly. It may though succeed, branch out and take over the world...hmmm!!!!

O r e