Restaurant review: The Park in Echo Park

THESE days it usually takes a minimum of half a million dollars to open even the smallest restaurant in Los Angeles. For a young chef dreaming of his or her own restaurant, doing it on the cheap means going for a small space in an under-serviced neighborhood, forgoing the edgy design and pricey PR firm, and doing most of the cooking -- and everything else -- yourself. As part of a growing movement of modest chef-owned neighborhood restaurants, the Park in Echo Park opened in March with a budget of $100,000. It may not be able to boast plush banquettes or water features, not to mention Christofle flatware or Riedel glasses -- but it makes up for it with pluck and a menu realistically priced for the times.

By S. Irene Virbila

August 6, 2008