Red Table

By Tiffany Huang and Nicole Sandoval

Did you know that there’s a restaurant in the Huntington Harbour Mall that embodies and embraces the community? That’s the Red Table gastropub. Red Table was opened in July of 2011 and was transformed from an old Ralph’s grocery store. The “Red” in Red Table stands for Relax, Eat, and Drink. Red Table is a partnership with three owners, Louie Jocson, Sandy Bauer, and Cozzette Dunlap. The restopub is a combination of sophistication and manliness – “ruggedly handsome”. From talking to one of the owners, Louie, who is also the chef and creator of the entire menu said that one of the main ideas for this restopub was to have a sense of comfort. They wanted customers come in to eat or drink and feel like they were in the comfort a home, not a restaurant, with the materials and products used to create the space. We have collected that not only does this restopub gather the Southern California community, but it gathers the whole world. The origins of the furniture, materials, and menu come from all over the world – from the Hawaii to Tibet – putting it into one setting. The whole concept of Red Table is true to heart from the beginning to the end.

The way that this gastropub embodies the community is centralized on their massive rectangular red table in the center of the space. The color red is warm and inviting, which is comprehensible because the red table seats twelve people. Red Table is about the community coming together in one setting. The red table in the center of the restaurant can seat multiple parties coming together to socialize. There is also a community night every Monday night to give back to an organization that is in the area.

– Red Table

 

 

At both ends of the table, there are branches vertically laid out as a room divider. Not only does it function for aesthetic purposes, but it also functions as a way to break up the interior space. 

 

The Interior Space embodies the direct complementary colors of red and green.  Three of the walls of the interior space are cemented and the color of the accent wall facing the entrance of the gastropub is green.  The color green is also present in the different types of plants that are located around the area. There are trimmings of red along all of the walls that unites the whole space.

 

      Artwork

            The artwork that is placed throughout the restaurant was actually taken by Cozzette Dunlap’s son. He took most of the photos himself and they fit the masculine feminine look which fit perfectly into the look of the restaurant. Although all the pictures are not his own, it is encouraging to see photographs of things you can see everyday make it into a restaurant where everyone can come and see.

           When the restaurant first opened you would enter into the waiting area that consisted of two sofas and two chairs that kept the feeling of being at home alive. In the center of the meeting area, there was an opium bed that was acquired from China that was then converted into a table.

 

  opium table

         The massing of the golden framed mirrors and artworks above the mantle gives the space a nice eclectic touch. The intricate details and organic lines of the frames contrast the cemented brick wall; there is a juxtaposition of unlikely elements from femininity to masculinity and also from the Old World to the New World. Even some of the furniture and light fixtures were acquired from the old world and also reused from other furniture. The dark wooden table tops were hand-made from a missionary in a little village located in China. They were then used for the purpose of building running water for the entire village. The benches along the bar and the tables outside were reclaimed from the remains of old barn doors that were destroyed due to tornadoes.

                                          bench/ high table tops

            There are many different types of chandeliers throughout the restaurant, there are very few that are identical to each other. Four of the pendant light fixtures were acquired from Tibet that was used as fishing baskets in the villages of the Eastern countries. The chandelier hanging above the cash registers are made of shells that were made in Hawaii. There are correspondingly two more chandeliers that are hanging over two of the tables when first walking into the restaurant that are made up of shells. Above one of the booths in the back of the restaurant is a gold leaf chandelier that is made of metal, but it has a sophisticated look which is a contribution to both the masculine and feminine entities.

                                                              lighting

            Overall Red Table is an enjoyable restaurant with a feeling of being at home. It is certainly enjoyable coming here and looking at the eclectic style that was brought into this one space. The décor is inspiring considering that some of the materials were reclaimed and eco-friendly, which essentially helped people that are less fortunate. We highly recommend coming and eating at this gatropub and seeing it with your own eyes. It really is a nice place to Relax, Eat, and Drink.

 

Resources:

Picture 1 and 3 – OC Register

Pictures 2, 4 and 5 – Nicole Sandoval

Interview- Louie Jocson