One of L.A.’s most acclaimed restaurants just returned in a new space with high ambitions
LA TimesFor two brief years, in-the-know L.A. diners gathered around a small U-shaped counter hidden within José Andrés’ now-closed restaurant the Bazaar to witness chef Aitor Zabala craft whimsical, avant-garde creations at Somni, one of the country’s most notable fine-dining experiences. L.A. Times Food critic Bill Addison called Zabala’s 20-plus courses “the headiest heights of luxury dining” and Somni appeared on the L.A. Times 101 list in 2018 and 2019. “We were not looking a new technique or something like that,” Zabala says of the new Somni menu. In a 2022 interview with The Times, Zabala said he expected the new Somni’s price to increase; since then, local and statewide legislation raised the minimum wage and inflation jumped, boosting costs even further.
Discover Related