Tables: undressed for success

L.A.’s newest restaurants are baring it all and ditching what’s long been a hallmark of fine dining establishments -- the white tablecloth. The trend is taking hold not only because restaurateurs are moving away from decor that signals formality but also because they’re furnishing their dining rooms with some especially attractive tables.

Take Simon LA, chef Kerry Simon’s 2-week-old, modern American spot in the Sofitel. (Simon also has a place in the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas, another no-tablecloth zone.) The zebra wood tables throughout the expansive dining room go au naturel.

“I’m just not really interested in having a restaurant that has tablecloths,” says Simon. “You’re supposed to be able to come here and cool out.”

“We considered place mats,” he adds. “But you look at these tables and they’re so gorgeous, you can’t cover ‘em.”

At West, the month-old Italian steakhouse atop Hotel Angeleno near Sunset Boulevard and the 405, the too-pretty-to-hide tables are white Carrara marble.

To muffle the clink of silverware and glass on cloth-free marble, the tables are set with place mats at breakfast and lunch, and off-white linen runners in the evening.

Chef Josh Moulton says restaurants are avoiding the white tablecloth because of its “stigma of formality.... It always makes people feel like they’re going to spend too much money.”

At Cut, the new Wolfgang Puck steakhouse in the Regent Beverly Wilshire hotel, celebrated architect Richard Meier designed the entire restaurant, including the white oak butcher-block tables. So naturally they’re not covered.

Also proud enough to appear naked in public are the dark chocolate wood tables at Kantina, the fashionable new upscale Mexican place on the harbor in Newport Beach.

Same with the tables at Bridge, the glamorously golden Italian spot on La Cienega, and at Republic, the modern American dining room and lounge also on La Cienega.

“It’s a cleaner look,” says Republic owner Mikayel Israyelyan.

Bin 8945, the month-old wine bar and bistro in West Hollywood, also goes without tablecloths. But they do have white paper place mats so customers can appreciate the precise color of their Pinot.

“They represent stuffiness,” says Bin owner and tablecloth foe David Haskell. “Also, you have to iron them every single day if you want them to look nice.”

Did we mention the money saved in dry cleaning bills?

-- Leslee Komaiko

Small bites

* Katsuya, the popular Studio City sushi joint (with an outpost in Encino) has opened in Brentwood, in the old El Dorado location. As much a flagship as a branch, this Katsuya -- a joint project of SBE Entertainment, which operates Yu Restaurant in Santa Monica as well as several popular L.A. nightclubs, and chef Katsuya Uechi -- has a Philippe Starck-designed interior and expands the original concept with a robata bar.

Katsuya, 11777 San Vicente Blvd., Los Angeles, (310) 207-8744.

* Los Angeles just scored another Beard Papa’s, the cream puff specialist out of Japan. The new location, which opened earlier this month in the same storefront that houses the bakery Mousse Fantasy, is in West L.A. There are additional cafes in Hollywood and Gardena.

Beard Papa’s, 2130 Sawtelle Blvd., No. 110, Los Angeles, (310) 479-6665.

* One of the owners of Green Field, a Brazilian churrascaria in Long Beach, has opened another all-you-can-eat churrascaria, this one called Porto Alegre and located on the second level of the Paseo Colorado center in Pasadena. Prices, which include a salad bar, are $18.50 per person weekdays between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. and $35.50 per person all other times.

Porto Alegre, 260 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, (626) 744-0555.

* Boa Steakhouse in Santa Monica starts Sunday brunch service this weekend. The a la carte menu features options such as bananas Foster, French toast, fish and chips, and of course, steak and eggs.

Boa, 101 Santa Monica Blvd., Santa Monica, (310) 899-4466.