Los Angeles, CA – Owner Lisa Long and The FLATS introduce new Executive Chef Paul Shoemaker, Cocktail Consultant Marcos Tello of Template Consulting, and Head Barman Shaun Summers as The FLATS celebrates new Artisanal Flatbread Pizzas, New Dining Menu and Handcrafted Cocktail Menu!
Owner and Restaurateur Lisa Long knew just the recipe to give The FLATS an edge when she brought on Executive Chef Paul Shoemaker and Template Consulting’s Marcos Tello. A force to reckon with in her own right, Long has made a name for herself over her remarkable thirty-year career, spearheading the likes of La Loggia Ristorante, Barsac Brasserie, Firenze Osteria with Top Chef fan favorite Fabio Viviani, and the upcoming Montrésor opening in Studio City later this month. The FLATS, situated in the former location of the profound game changing, Red Medicine, Long is confident her new team will keep things fresh and exciting.
Executive Chef Paul Shoemaker rose with recognition at Alan Ducasse and French Laundry before proving he is worth his salt in the kitchens of Water Grill and Providence with Chef Michael Cimarusti, his own restaurant Savory in Malibu, Firefly in Studio City, and most notably, Joe Pytka’s Bastide, where, in less than six months he earned himself a Michelin star. Most recently, Shoemaker was at the helm at INTRO Art Gallery & Chef’s Table, the secret supper club that took guests on a multi-sensory journey, and in 2018 Shoemaker will also oversee the kitchen at the upcoming Verse, located in Long’s Firenze Osteria space, but now guests can look forward to sampling Shoemaker’s delectable fare on a daily basis at The FLATS.
Utilizing fresh, seasonal Farmer’s Market produce and maintaining strong bonds with all his sources, Shoemaker describes his Artisanal Flatbread Pizzas and New Dining Menu “A strong foundation with a twist.” He further explains, “I have created a very diverse menu that provides a creative twist for our guests. My goal is to keep the food familiar, but wake it up a bit.” Many components are made in-house, from the pizza dough, to the bread, infusions, sauces, reductions, and house-cured meats, all crafted with that meticulous Shoemaker standard of quality and composition. At the forefront of Shoemaker’s New Dining Menu are the namesake Flats, artisanal flatbread pizzas, where Shoemaker stresses the balance of the crisp, the chew, and the flavor in every bite. The Flats section of the menu kicks off with the classic Margherita, topped with organic tomato sauce, fresh basil, house made mozzarella, and then continues on a vegetarian odyssey with the Artichoke & Burrata, topped with bell pepper, tapenade, sun-dried tomatoes, and arugula, and the uber decadent Truffle, topped with truffle mascarpone, Reggiano cheese, truffle burrata, and shaved winter truffles. The garden of meatless delights continues with the Spinach & Goat Cheese, featuring garlic confit, pine nuts, sun gold tomatoes, and rounds off with a trip to the Mediterranean with the Eggplant & Hummus made with cucumber, feta, tomatoes, olives, harissa gremolata, the Arugula & Stracciatella, featuring black olive tapenade and marinated heirloom tomatoes. For added proteins, there is the Burrata & Prosciutto Di Parma, organic tomato sauce, arugula, sea salt olive oil, and the ultimate meatapalooza, the Five Meats, topped with pepperoni, bresaola, duck prosciutto, chorizo, and Finocchiona salami.
It would be difficult to resist filling up on the Appetizers alone with such a unique variety to choose among, starting with the Famous Fried Olives, with whipped cremè fraiche and Meyer lemon gastrique. Warm the mind and body with the Chestnut & Truffle Soup, made with truffle crème fraiche, salsify, and quince, or savor contrasting textures with the Crispy Hen of Woods Mushrooms, comprised of crispy tempura, and garlic water. Get meaty with the Meatballs, featuring tomato sauce, burrata, arugula, accompanied by ciabatta, or go for all the Italian without any of the meat with the Ricotta Gnocchi, with macadamia nuts, spinach, tomatoes, and burgundy truffle. Get a head start on your greens with the Broccolini Florets, featuring anchovy butter, Stracciatella, balsamic, and croutons, or the Brussels Sprouts, with brown butter, honey dates, and cured egg yolks. Seafood lovers have six scrumptious dishes to dive into, starting with two Shoemaker spins on classic starters beginning with the Angels on Horseback, comprised of Moon Dancer oysters, bacon, pickled honey date, and whipped mascarpone, or the Dungeness Crab Cake, featuring pumpkin, currants, and cocoa ginger reduction. Flavors of Japan are at the forefront of the Hamachi Sashimi, featuring barrel-aged yuzu ponzu, pickled daikon, gingko nut, red shiso, and Chef Shoemaker’s personal favorite, the Big Eye Tuna Tartar, made with organic avocado, umeboshi, and smoked sesame, accompanied by ciabatta. There is a delightful decadence to the Mexican Shrimp, featuring creamy polenta, poached egg, frisée, and bacon, as well as the Bouchot Mussels, with brown butter, honey, Meyer lemon, and Reggiano brioche crumble.
With Shoemaker’s dedication to sourcing the finest produce, the Seasonal Market Salads are nothing short of extraordinary, starting with the Winter Nelis Pear Salad, made with honey poached cranberries, cocoa, and goat cheese, and the Grilled Little Gem, featuring avocado, pickled blueberries, Reggiano dressing, and brioche croutons.
Entrees are nothing short of pure ingenuity with dishes like the Flats Burger, with bacon, gruyere, rosemary aioli, and caramelized onions, and accompanied by hand-cut Kennebecs, or the cheeky Honey Boo Boo Burger, prepared with whipped honey butter, pork belly, and creamy Robiola, while the Wolfmother Burger will leave guests howling for more, featuring balsamic red onion compote, blue and brie cheese, and arugula aioli. Kick it up a notch with the Calibama Hot Chicken Sando, with hot aioli, cabbage, red jalapenos, and pickles, accompanied by hand-cut Kennebecs, or ditch the heat but leave the poultry with fried Mary’s Chicken Breast, with cauliflower, bacon, capers, honey dates, and Meyer lemon. Two deceptively simple pasta dishes will leave guests satiated and amazed, starting with the House-Made Pappardelle Pasta, dressed with porcini mushrooms, Parmesan, and tomatoes, and the luxurious Maine Lobster Bolognese, house-made pasta alla Chitarra, and tomato sauce. Last, but certainly far from least, is red meat heaven with the Prime Tenderloin, prepared with bourbon onion soubise, accompanied by hand-cut Kennebecs and sauce bordelaise.
Familiar comforts with a twist do not stop at the savory, with an array of incomparable Desserts created by Pastry Chef Raymond Morales, the heavenly bliss of the Valrhona Chocolate Brownies definitely sweetens things up at The FLATS. Be bold. Be different. Be enamored of the Crème Fraiche Cheesecake, with pickled blueberries, or the Carrot Cake, served with whipped butter meringue. Not one for sweets? Morales has just the bite for you with the Pistachio Biscotti, featuring Meyer lemon.
For the bar program, Long turned to Marcos Tello, known for his acclaimed cocktail programs at the likes of Seven Grand Whiskey Bar, 1886 Bar at The Raymond in Pasadena and this year’s newly opened 50s-inspired cocktail den, Birds & Bees in Downtown Los Angeles to name a few. Tello’s attention to detail and ability to blend corporate organization with creative ingenuity was the determining factor for Long when selecting Tello and Template Consulting to come on board and spearhead The FLATS new beverage program. Tello, then in turn brought on Head Barman Shaun Summers to be the professional friendly face behind the bar at The FLATS. “Shaun is the every-man; he is creative, approachable, friendly and he has a great presence behind the bar. Shaun has the unique combination of compassion in the way he approaches hospitality and precision in technique.”
Fresh off his tenure as Head Bartender at Accomplice Bar in Mar Vista, Head Barman Shaun Summers has paid his bar tab as a bartender at Copa d’Oro under Vincenzo “The Godfather of Cocktails” Marianella, before moving on to the Tasting Kitchen to work under Justin Pike. A Portland boy at heart, Summers is looking forward to developing and nurturing a community of regulars at The FLATS. “The proper barman is everything his customers need him to be. I want our guests to feel even better when they walk out our doors than when they first walked in.”
As Shoemaker’s food marries familiar with intriguing twists, so does Tello’s Cocktail Menu, which applies fall and winter ingredients to both well-known classic cocktails, augmenting them while keeping the original flavor pairing intact. Incorporating underutilized flavor pairings, the Carrots: White Russian revivifies this 1960s classic with vodka, espresso liqueur, and house-made carrot cream. Cozy up to the bar and keep warm with the Winter Spices: Hot Toddy, comprised of Japanese whiskey, house-made winter spice cordial, lemon and orange juices, and hot water. The quintessential fruit of fall and winter is at the forefront of Pumpkin: None But the Brave, prepared with roasted pumpkin-infused cognac, ginger, lemon, soda, and allspice dram, while fungi have their moment in the spotlight in the Mushrooms: Brooklyn, made with Candy Cap mushroom-infused rye whiskey, dry vermouth, Maraschino liqueur, and Cynar. While digging through old cocktail books, Summers personal favorite, the Cranberry: Angel Face features a cranberry-infused apple brandy and gin blend, apricot liqueur, Nocino, and a house-made cranberry fruit roll-up for garnish. “The original is a pretty obscure cocktail,” says Summers. “It was fun to take the base of this vintage cocktail, balance it out and make it winter forward.”
The recipe for success is no secret: just add one avant-garde chef to one innovative cocktail program, mix well, and viola, the house specialty, The FLATS, is served!
Eat. Drink. Be Local.
The FLATS is open every Monday through Friday from 11:00 am to 12:00 Midnight, and every Saturday and Sunday from 5:00 pm to 12:00 Midnight. For more information on The FLATS, please visit www.TheFLATSRestaurant.com or call The FLATS directly at 310.909.7549.
Social Media: Please follow The FLATS on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram @TheFlatsRestaurant
The FLATS
8400 Wilshire Boulevard
Beverly Hills CA 90211
T: 310.909.7549
