Playa in Los Angeles
At John Sedlar’s new Playa, exterior and interior design elements create the dining space. It was designed by architect Osvaldo Malozzi and interior designer Deborah Gregory. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)
Among the notable cocktails at Playa is a Oaxacan in the Clouds, made with mezcal and flavored with espelette pepper and crispy sage with roasted cherry tomatoes on a skewer across the top. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)
Tortillas florales: maize cakes with organic flower petals, served with a velvety avocado butter. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)
Chef and owner John Sedlar also owns the downtown restaurant Rivera. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)
One of the maize cakes features mojito-poached shrimp and braised napa cabbage with mustard ice cream pearls scattered across the top. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)
Tamale chipotle: a wild-mushroom duxelles dumpling, filet mignon and chipotle béarnaise. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)
Lights look like giant albino sea urchins, and mirrors above the banquettes give the space a Parisian bistro feel. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)
The maize cake Bombay Taj is made with pork belly confit, chile-lime jicama, mango pickle, masala, chana crisp and raita cocktail vinegreta. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)
The Azul dessert plate is a blue corn gateau, almondine ice cream, Tahitian vanilla bean sorbet and apple potpourri. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)