The Sydney Morning Herald logo
Advertisement

DJ Grant Smillie to open restaurant and rooftop bar in LA

Leanne Clancey

Melrose place: David Combes, Grant Smillie and Louis Tikaram at the site of their new Los Angeles restaurant, EP.
Melrose place: David Combes, Grant Smillie and Louis Tikaram at the site of their new Los Angeles restaurant, EP.Daniel Collopy

Successful local DJ, entrepreneur and Ponyfish Island co-owner Grant Smillie is set to write his own LA story when he launches Australian-influenced restaurant EP and adjoining rooftop bar Long Play this year.

After sourcing "a truly remarkable location on Melrose and La Cienega" in West Hollywood, Smillie and his team of Australian and US business partners (including Aussie model Ashley Hart and David Combes from the Botanical Hospitality Group) are working towards an October opening, with Smillie splitting his time between Melbourne and LA.

He has poached Longrain Sydney chef Louis Tikaram to lead the kitchen and engaged Melbourne design team Projects of Imagination, whose fitouts have included Chin Chin, Moon Under Water and the new Supernormal.

"If you're going to do something in LA, you had better do it well, hence the dual pillars of Louis driving the food and POI on design - who we think are at the leading edge of Australian cuisine and design, respectively," Smillie says. EP and Long Play are due to open in West Hollywood in October.

Correction: An earlier version of this article credited Projects of Imagination with the Cutler & Co fitout. The design was by Pascale Gomes-McNabb.

Restaurant reviews, news and the hottest openings served to your inbox.

Sign up

From our partners

Advertisement
Advertisement