Tired of noisy restaurants? Five dining spots where quiet is on the menu
A Food Affair chef and owner Christian Royere unveils one of his fabulous deserts and makes an effort to meet everyone that dines in his establishment.
Unless you’re dining at Providence or Mélisse, two relatively quiet L.A. fine dining restaurants, chances are you’re having difficulty hearing your dinner companion across the table.
At Pot, Roy Choi’s Korean hot pot restaurant in Koreatown, and both the Manhattan Beach and downtown L.A. outlets of Little Sister, Tin Vuong’s pan-Asian restaurants — two of this town’s popular, less formal restaurants — the dining room volume is mostly attributed to music, an intentional auditory experience designed by the chefs.
“I like high energy, and it feels right for this type of food,” said Vuong, who is known for his bold flavors, restaurant artwork (think helicopters and butterflies) and choice in music (decibel reading: 103).
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At Pot, there’s a DJ in the lobby who supplies the dining room with beats for the evening, so you can bob your head to a good playlist while eating your hot pot and kimchi. It is not quiet. (decibel reading: Louder then Little Sister’s.)
“We invested heavily in the best speakers, subwoofers, amps, sound engineers and acoustics,” Choi said in an email. “And most of all, to me, it’s an alchemy of the music, the bass, the mood and the food coming together to make you burst out of your skin into something just a bit more spiritual. That’s Pot.”
So there’s the music, plus myriad other factors making your Friday night dinner very, very loud. High ceilings — which, unless properly padded, can mean poor acoustics — open kitchens and that rowdy party of 12 at the table next to you, all contribute to the very possible ringing in your ears by the time dessert arrives.
Because loud dining rooms can translate into an increase in liquor sales (less talking means more drinking), high table turnovers and an overall upbeat atmosphere, it may seem hard to find a truly quiet place to dine out — particularly if your taste in food is as upbeat as the chefs’ taste in music. But the following five restaurants offer a relatively good chance of having a quiet meal. Just ask to sit in a corner, away from that table of 12.
A Food Affair is a French restaurant that boasts excellent food and service and a quiet and intimate setting.
A Food Affair (decibel reading: 72): Christian Royere’s French restaurant is tucked into a small space on South Robertson Boulevard. Here, a nice, quiet evening consists of bringing your own wine, plus house-made foie gras terrine and a short but spirited conversation with Royere, who visits each table to check on how dinner is progressing. A table on the patio is prime seating for anything from a first date to your 10-year wedding anniversary. 1515 S. Robertson Blvd., Los Angeles, (310) 557-9795, afoodaffair.com.
Doma (decibel reading: 74): Walk up Camden Drive in Beverly Hills past the madness of Mr. Chow and into Doma. The Italian restaurant is ideal for a quiet date night. Sit along the back wall of the dining room against the banquette or on the patio outside. You’ll be able to have an actual conversation over a shared order of meatballs. There are also private rooms upstairs. Good food and wine, plus possible celebrity sightings, but without the extra decibels. 362 N. Camden Drive, Beverly Hills, (310) 277-7346, domarestaurantbeverlyhills.com.
JTYH Restaurant (decibel reading: 73): The restaurant, in the corner of a spare strip mall in Rosemead, specializes in handmade dumplings and noodles. It is about the furthest thing from what you think of when you imagine an L.A. hot spot. There is no valet or alternative soundtrack playing in the dining room, but there are pan-fried bao and hand-shaved noodles. Plus, a couple of members of the staff sit at a table in the dining room carefully forming dough into dumplings throughout dinner service. If you’d like to take an hour to reflect on the many mysteries of your life over pork buns, this is the place. 9425 Valley Blvd., Rosemead, (626) 442-8999.
The Park (decibel reading: 80): It’s a neighborhood restaurant where you can expect an aloof host, a modern American menu that includes duck liver pâté and Brussels sprouts, and a dining room full of the well-dressed Silver Lake hipster set. If you come for Sunday brunch and a group of 12 sits down next to you, it will be on the louder side. But for dinner, ask for a table in the corner, order a glass of wine and go Zen. 1400 Sunset Blvd., Echo Park, (213) 482-9209, www.thepark1400sunset.com.
The Raymond (decibel reading: 78): The dining room, in an old Craftsman cottage in Pasadena, is designed to make you feel as if you’re eating at a good friend’s house. The hardwood floors creak, fabric curtains shade the windows, and you half expect to find family photos somewhere above the fireplace mantle. If you crave a little excitement after dinner, make your way to 1886, the adjacent bar, where you can hear the bartenders shaking drinks and laughter on the patio. Yes, this will be louder. 1250 S. Fair Oaks Ave, Pasadena, (626) 441-3136, theraymond.com.
Note: Noise readings were taken with the Decibel 10th app.
Twitter: @Jenn_Harris_
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