Closings

Michael Mina’s XIV Gets 86’d From Sunset Blvd.

Happy Days: Michael Mina with Steven Fretz
Happy Days: Michael Mina with Steven Fretz Photo: Hadley Tomicki

Eater reports that Michael Mina’s XIV closed up shop for good last night on Sunset Blvd. Sorry to say, but we’ve been waiting for this shutter to hit the headlines for months. Mina’s L.A. outpost never caught on with anyone but reality TV neck-craners. L.A.’s serious diners cared not for XIV and its stumbles through an early concept that insisted everyone at a given table order the exact same thing in the same number of courses to share. Then there were were considerably more casual burgers and floats, new menus, some weird carnival brunch, S. Irene Virbila’s assault on its pastry visionary, the fleeing of chef Steven Fretz, and who knows (or really cares) what followed to the end?

While Mina himself was a rare presence at the restaurant, XIV felt much more like your typical SBE operation, an attempt to replicate the success of The Bazaar with another splashy disco restaurant and another celebrity chef, timed disastrously for the day weak finances forced everyone to abandon extravagant tasting menus on Sunset for hot dogs and tacos closer to home. Still, SBE will apparently hold on to the huge property and trytry again.

Michael Mina and SBE’s XIV Closed Doors Yesterday [Eater]
Earlier: Michael Mina Loses a Michelin Star Back Home [GS]

Michael Mina’s XIV Gets 86’d From Sunset Blvd.