We thought we’d passed the era where every owner branded their concepts with unnecessary qualifiers like “public house” “tavern,” and “social kitchen,” but lo and behold, those feelings were premature. State Social House & Backroom, a new restaurant from Isla Cantina owner Robert Silverberg, will replace Red Rock on the Sunset Strip this May. The project hopes to reinvigorate the block with three distinct spaces rolled up in one: A 150-seat dining room on the ground level for lunch and dinner, a second story piano bar open during the evening, and a neighboring lounge intended for smokers in the shuttered Isla Cantina space. Vernon Cardenas, the Matsuhia vet and former IDG corporate chef who led the kitchen at Pink Taco for a spell, will design a menu of small plates to stand up to 20 draft beers, seasonal cocktails, rank cigar smell, and boutique wines.
State Social House, 8782 Sunset Blvd. West Hollywood; 310-657-8100.
