Diners at the Park restaurant in Echo Park, where empty picture frames grace the walls and the chef and maitre d cleaned, sanded and painted much of the interior themselves. (Lori Shepler / Los Angeles Times)
Chef Joshua Siegel serves up some butter lettuce salads at the Park restaurant on Sunset Boulevard in Echo Park. (Lori Shepler / Los Angeles Times)
Fried calamari Sichuan-style. (Lori Shepler / Los Angeles Times)
Mini cornmeal pancakes with seared shrimp and chipotle butter. (Lori Shepler / Los Angeles Times)
Chipotle butter-grilled wild salmon with Chinese black bean sauce and garlic noodles. (Lori Shepler / Los Angeles Times)
Fruit cobbler crumble. (Lori Shepler / Los Angeles Times)
People eat in the outdoor patio area at the Park restaurant. (Lori Shepler / Los Angeles Times)
The chef and manager-maitre d’ remade the restaurant interior, put black and white tiles on the floor, found an old street lamp (now the logo on their menu) and empty picture frames at the flea market to hang on the wall. (Lori Shepler / Los Angeles Times)
