Ask the Critic: S. Irene Virbila

Question: What do you think about the debate on New York versus L.A. restaurants? It’s often said there are no great restaurant experiences in L.A. as opposed to NYC. Why is that?

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Virbila: While I can’t come up with any certainties, I do have some hunches.

First, the two cities are very different. In Manhattan, practically anybody is a short cab or subway ride from any restaurant on the island, so location isn’t as critical. Traffic here is getting so bad, even some of the most intrepid diners won’t drive across town on a weeknight. But the good news is that L.A. chefs are stepping into the gap with neighborhood restaurants like Nook in West L.A., Literati II at the border of Santa Monica and Brentwood, or Avenue in Manhattan Beach.

This town also goes to bed early; most kitchens close by 9:30 or 10. New York restaurateurs are able to turn tables at least two times a night, which means they’re making more money.

Lunch is going the way of the dodo in L.A. too. Very few restaurants do a booming lunch business, so while real estate prices may be roughly equivalent between New York and L.A., the income-generating possibilities are not equal. L.A. restaurants aren’t racking up as much money with wine and liquor, because everyone has a drive, half an hour, an hour, after dinner.

Another factor is the entertainment business and the people whose livelihood depends on how they look. It’s discouraging for a chef to be serving hordes who don’t eat that much or want the sauce on the side. It’s a cliche, but there’s some truth to it.

Sometimes L.A. seems blissfully unaware of what’s going on in the rest of the country, culinarily speaking. Norman Van Aiken is a top chef from Florida who recently opened Norman’s on Sunset Boulevard. It’s a thrilling restaurant, but not enough foodies seem to have noticed. If that’s the kind of reception name chefs get in L.A., you can’t blame them for not showing up in droves.

We have great restaurants in L.A., but they’re different from the high-end New York places -- less buttoned up, more casual, and in the end, more fun.

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