The Supreme Plate

The Supreme Plate

 

By Laura Dyball

 

 

Since its beginnings as a culinary magazine five years ago, The Supreme Plate has expanded, and become one of the best rated restaurant and catering companies in the greater Los Angeles and Inland Empire areas. The roughly 1380 square foot restaurant, located in Rancho Cucamonga, was originally an Indian spice market, but The Supreme Plate has left no trace of its location’s previous business.

The cool, neutral palette, accompanied by pops of blue, green and orange are a soothing combination, in comparison to the “turmeric” yellow walls (as described by the owner) and brown floor tiles that filled the suite in its market days. The lobby and dining room floors are now covered in beautiful 21 by 21 inch gray-brown Italian tile. Behind the counter and throughout the kitchen, you will find the floors are covered in a custom gray epoxy with black and blue flakes. The walls are all a clean white, which helps the restaurant feel spacious and bright. However, the wall to the right of the counter features a large mural of The Supreme Plate’s logo, adding color and interest to the space.

The owner, Chef “Cheeba” Moscowitz, and Executive Chef “Roc” Thompson, told me that they were involved in every aspect of the remodel. “We did everything ourselves,” said Cheeba. “Disposed of the old materials (including a giant deli meat counter) replaced the old electrical and plumbing, laid the new tiles, painted, and put in all the new stainless steel appliances.”

I found myself really impressed by these two gentlemen’s overhaul of the space, especially since there were no public restrooms in the suite when they took over. “It was all from scratch, the walls, everything.” Now keep this between you and me, OK? The restrooms were hands down my favorite part of the restaurant. Now, I’m in no position to purchase a home or condo (reality of a poor college student), so seeing what was essentially my dream bathroom at The Supreme Plate made me a little envious (no judging). The gray tiles they used for the floor and walls, paired with gray wall paint, made these bathrooms feel extremely modern, chic, and luxurious. The look is something straight out of a design magazine.

I can only imagine that the remodel of this space was a tough project for those involved, but I’m sure you’ll agree with me in saying that the end result is outstanding. I believe this design, combined with their delicious menu, will keep The Supreme Plate a favorite for years to come.

 -All photos and quotes are courtesy of Chef Cheeba Moscowitz.

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Chipotle in Orange

Chipotle - E. Chapman Ave., Orange,  CA

Blog post by Heidi & Cheila

Chipotle is undergoing a nation wide remodeling process, that is "wowing" costumers all over the country. Not only does Chipotle offer delicious food, they also have a great eye for design! Recently, the location on E. Chapman avenue completed their renovation.  With eco-friendly fixtures and materials and a creative seating floor plan, the design is both responsible and friendly- and, well, pretty great looking too!

So let me tell you about it,
There is a mosaic of wall panels that adds texture and interest.  Back lit plywood paneling add to the ambiance with striking color and light.  To offset the warm wood walls, stainless steel paneling is strategically used at the drink station and front counter for its look and durability.

LED fixtures are used throughout.  The long linear shape in the dining area gives it an industrial feel. 

The shape of the steel counters is the perfect fit for this space.  It’s inviting for larger dining parties, but configured to give individual patrons their own personal space.

I would say the only downfall to this space is the seating coverings and slippery flooring. Even though their stools are  covered with beautiful natural leather, they are rather uncomfortable.  Although aesthetically appealing, they are neither durable nor easy to clean and are already showing wear.  The minimalistic chairs are no better with their unfinished wood backs and seats.
The grey stained concrete floors are really industrially chic. They are glossy, smooth, but somewhat slippery.

Overall great food, and the space design is pleasing to the eye!
Chipotle, you've done it again.. 

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Fig & Olive

Fig & Olive

The French Riviera

Written & Photographed by Haley Moss

             Fig & Olive opened in December of 2013 in Newport Beach, California. It is located in the well-known shopping center of Fashion Island. The restaurant totals at 12,000 square feet and can seat up to 330 guests at one time. They have offered different themed rooms to give individuals a choice of their dining experience. The rooms offered are The Lounge/Bar, The Orchard, The Garden, and The White Room. The Restaurant was inspired by the French Riviera and displays an open concept to bring in the lovely Orange County weather. Most of their inspiration comes from the coastal regions of France, Italy and Spain. For this reason they don’t use any cream or butter and keep their cuisine as light as the space by using only Olive Oils. This restaurant offers a wide variety of options for dining, you can have a very sophisticated evening or come out on a Friday or Saturday and spend the night with a live DJ listening to French Riviera Electronic music while receiving bottle service in the lounge.

Upon entering the restaurant you are greeted with tall ceilings with wooden beams jutting across the ceiling and limestone floors throughout the bar and lounge area. The barstools are made of rich red leather the sit up against the white marble bar counter tops. To display their liquor they have created suspended shelves made of iron and glass.

 

Moving to the next room we enter The Garden/Patio; which has continued with the limestone flooring. There are a variety of different materials used for the tables and chairs. Larger tables are made up of the white marble with a wood laminate trim. The smaller tables are made up of the light wooden laminate and the lounge tables are made up of engineered hardwood. For the structure of the patio they have continued with large wooden beams running both vertically and horizontally throughout the space.

 The next dining room is The Orchard which transitions into a darker wood flooring. The main focus of this room is the two faux Olive Trees they have placed in the center of the room. They have used bench seating for the majority and then used the red leather chairs to complement those in the bar area. The ceiling is again beamed with large wooden beams and the walls have a stucco finish. The suspended lighting fixtures give the effect of woven baskets.

 We then move into the white room, which of course is all white. The flooring is limestone but set in a diamond pattern through the room. The walls are stucco and painted white with three large skylights to bring in as much natural light as possible. The booths are upholstered in white and the chairs are upholstered in white leather with a dark wooden accent. This is the only dining room that uses white linens to offer a more sophisticated dining experience. They kept the lighting fixtures in this room very light and went with glass suspended lights enclosed with iron and then mostly recessed lighting. Both the Orchard room and White Room are lined with rosemary bushes with perimeter lighting to really transport the guests into the   French Riviera and give them more senses to go off of.

 

The restaurant is decorated perfectly to make you feel like you have been transported to the French Riviera, from the materials chosen down to the accessories. The restaurant displays Olive Oils all throughout on under lit shelves and even show the Olive Oil basins which shown what they are produced in. They also have inset displays on the wall that shows what herbs and spices are used throughout their cuisine. The even have a bookshelf lining an entire hallway with books filled with information about the French Riviera decorated with pottery and lighting. The doorways are very large and the one between the orchard and white room feature an archway.

 Overall their material selection was on point. There are a few critiques that I have. The white marble used on the tables does stain very easily. Marble is a very porous material and needs a lot of maintenance to keep it looking top notch. Since this is a place where wine is being drank they tables are left with rings of wine. The flooring throughout the bar and lounge also is a hard place to keep clean. With a very active nightlight on the weekends there are a lot of spills, that happen which leaves a sticky dirty floor that needs regular cleaning. Along with that the rosemary lining the room adds a beautiful touch but is not cost effective since it needs to be replaced about every two weeks.

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Blue Ocean and Robata Sushi Bar

Blue Ocean and Robata Sushi Bar
Carlsbad , CA
By Nana Kondo

 

I like to share some interesting pictures of the Blue Ocean and Robata Sushi Bar, which is a new brand building. It has 3000 square foot and is located at 2958 Madison Street in Carlsbad.

 

Exterior Design is characterized by combination of different colors (brown, green, white, purple) where plastic material sign features the LED neon light, which turns purple at night. This sushi bar named Blue Ocean due to its unique interior decoration. As you step inside, you may guess the actual taste of the designer by utilizing incredible materials to take your mind in a real ocean mood.  

 

 

When you look from each angle, wood is one of the major components of the design that looks elegant and eye catching. Urchin-like lamps and delicate bubbles of air floating to meet the refracted light of the ocean’s surface as symbolized by the origami ceiling.

 

 

If you haven’t had a chance to visit the Blue Ocean, I highly recommend you to go. Not only to enjoy the tasty food but also for discovering its fabulous interior design.

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The Residences at Bella Terra

The Residences at Bella Terra

7521 Edinger Avenue

Huntington Beach, CA 92647

By Celia Rice and Cassie Scott

The Residences at Bella Terra is a unique community of apartments with lots of amenities. The new apartment building is surrounded by new restaurants and stores which make living here very useful and exciting. While enjoying these new apartments, residence would never have to, or want to leave because it is such a great environment and many enjoyable features are welcomed while living here. It is a comfortable and welcoming place, and looks like a great area to call home. These apartments have a very warm and homey space which is so nice to be able to call your own. The beautiful salt water pool can make it seem as if on vacation lounging in the calming outdoors. Along with the outdoor cabana that also has a TV and a fireplace to keep everyone feeling right at home as well. There is also a full sized gym, Jacuzzi and pool tables for all the entertainment needed. The Residences at Bella Terra apartments have a very modern look and yet is simply classy.

(pictures from the residences web) http://www.udr.com/orange-county-apartments/huntington-beach/the-residences-at-bella-terra/

The Apartments offer space to come together as a community in the building. The light colors of the fabrics go great with the dark window accents and the dark wood cabinets. The TV is sunken back into the wall and behind the television and along the wall is a wall covering that adds life to the plain white walls. The Couch has geometric pattern that brings a little fun into the room and although it is very simple it is definitely the kind of room people will want to spend quality time together and watch movies.

 

The focal point of this room would definitely have to be the stainless steel chandelier. The room is very spacious and welcoming. The purple adds a pop of color and the gray in the furniture really brings the room together. If we could change anything about the room it would be to change the color of the dark purple chairs to match the lighter purple in the couch to make the rooms rhythm more consistent.

 

The lighting fixtures definitely bring in a dramatic factor into this part of the entrance and the sitting area that is directly under them. We really enjoy the simple yet crazy look with the circular theme throughout this apartment. The color theme of white with hints of purple really keeps this place looking classy along with splash of fun.

 

 

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Bear Flag Fish Co.

Bear Flag Fish Co.
By Nicole Burns and Jane Reynolds

 

 Concrete floors, light oak tables, tiled and paneled walls leave this space a perfect place for pops of color everywhere. From the black contrasting grout lines that seemingly compliment the white porcelain and brick tiles that are spread throughout the market, to the taxidermy fish of all shapes and sizes that swim across the bright white walls add so much character to the fish market. All over the walls, framed fish and surf stories with photos new and old are hung all about the walls leaving little room for untold stories. A new contemporary twist has developed this design into a hot spot for young adults to bask in great design and always be inspired.

The urban/industrial feel of lighting that hangs above gives off warmth that complements the white walls and natural light that is abundantly coming through the gigantic open wooden bay windows and double doors. Rows of lights illuminate the main seating area and are strategically laid out around the space to give repetition and uniform to complement the busy walls. On the outside, an open patio gives an off-to-the-sea vibe with a casual "bar-like" seating area facing away from the restaurant, so you can look out onto the boutiques in the distance of the street and sit in the sun while smelling the nearby ocean breeze. Looking up, above the patio, a long wooden ceiling fixture, that creates small boxes of natural light to poke through the shade as you sit on your mini food vacation.

The space offers all sorts of ocean to table plates and even a craft cocktail bar to pair perfectly with your fish taco or salad. Bear Flag has done an excellent job at providing for their hip and trendy costumers. The pops of orange, blues, black and white bring the place to life.  The culture that they bring you into, once you step foot inside, takes you on a journey of fun, fresh, and a more than beautiful place to discover good fish and a tasteful eclectic design.

 

 

By Nicole Burns and Jane Reynolds

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