Eat Chow, Newport Beach

By Catherine Hood

I don’t know if I am about to coin a new phrase but I have never heard it before, I call it “cozy industrial.” A new restaurant has sprung up in west Newport Beach, CA called “Eat Chow” the décor is straight forward just like the name and the food.  The exterior of the building is a combination of stacked slate, moss green cement plaster and bronze warehouse lighting (insert photo 1 Eat Chow; photograph by Catherine Hood). The combination of colors and materials give the impression of an old school water front warehouse with new school modern ques.

Upon entering the restaurant you are greeted by a hostess who is standing behind a chest high two toned knotty pine counter top and dangling above are three mid century modern inspired cracked dome glass pendant lights.  The use of the knotty pine normally thought of as the tacky interior of a 1930’s vacation cabin in the Poconos is made fresh by giving it a highly polished finish (insert photo 2 Eat Chow, photograph by Catherine Hood).

The wood is following through by incorporating it into their table tops and adding the occasional detail of an hourglass shaped mahogany wooden dowel bringing a certain continuity to the entire space. The use of stone is brought indoors only this time as flagstone style mosaic walls in warm tones (insert photo 3 Eat Chow).

The interior utilizes a variety of finishes and colors that give an intimate feeling to a decidedly modern interior.  Devoid of any brick-a-brack one of two pieces of art on the walls is an old tin block letter sign with cracked and faded red paint that simply reads “Eat” (insert photo 4 Eat Chow; photograph by Catherine Hood).

The earth toned organic paint choices of pale yellow, taupe and shades grey off set the stark polished industrial looking concrete floors.  The contrast between hard man-made surfaces and soft and natural surfaces continue in the choices of the furniture.  The industrial looking pressed aluminum chairs are balanced by Danish Modern teak chairs woven with natural rattan style cordage and long wooden benches attached to the walls and fronted by the same knotty pine used on the counters and table tops.  The table tops are mostly a no-frills affair save a small five inch real cactus spikes and all set into a four inch round small cement planter.

For pops of color the seating combines faux leather orange, light blue and grey cushions as well as bright orange painted ducting on the ceiling and a red/orange starburst clock on the wall. All carefully edited as to not overwhelm (insert photo 5 Eat Chow, photograph by Catherine Hood).

The lighting starts with plentiful window frontage which allows a nice capture of natural light augmented by carefully placed can lighting through the dining area. 

The bathrooms did not disappoint.  Although straightforward they continued the modern/industrial yet homey feel of the décor.  The concrete floors continued into the bathroom space. A stainless steel framed full length mirror on the wall is surrounded by light grey porcelain tile with a strip of glass mosaic accent tiles in grey and white tones.  A white pedestal porcelain sink was just enough to make sure the bathroom did not appear to be an afterthought but a cohesive part of the overall modern feel. As for the men’s bathroom I cannot comment I can just assume there is a bucket and a mop inside with a half roll of toilet paper on the floor just like there is at my house.

The only problem I had with the design of Eat Chow Restaurant is the lack of seating for waiting customers. A nice long bench would have sufficed instead I found myself milling about the place waiting for one of the three chairs placed in front of the restaurant under a small umbrella which gave the only shade for waiting customers.  For that reason and that reason only and because I was not wearing sunscreen I give the overall designer grade of an A-.

 My overview of Eat Chow is that the designer of this restaurant maximized the benefits of the existing structure which included large window frontage that allowed for plenty of natural light and high ceilings which gave the impression of a much larger space for a restaurant that only allows 58 people per the fire code. Although I usually distain intimate seating arrangements that force you into close proximity to other diners, the combination of design and food quality was enough to win me over. A cleaver combination of small booths, bench seating and small tables made the close proximity of whatever seating that was available along with a well priced mimosa seem more comfortable.

 * No Outside Resources Materials Were Used In This Case Study.