A Los Angeles return: After a four-year hiatus, acclaimed restaurant Somni is reopening in West Hollywood, Calif. Somni (meaning “dream” in Catalan) was founded by chef Aitor Zabala and culinary leader and humanitarian José Andrés in 2018; despite being limited to just 10 guests each service, the restaurant rapidly grew in popularity. It also earned Wine Spectator’s Award of Excellence for its wine list in 2019 and 2020.
Challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic led to Somni’s closure in late 2020. But, in an August Instagram post, Zabala announced that the restaurant would reopen under his sole ownership and with 14 seats at the main tasting counter.
“After four years of us working behind the scenes to bring this project back to life, we are excited to finally share our space and invite our guests to embark on a journey of new memories and meaningful experiences together," Zabala told Wine Spectator via email.
When it reopens: December 2024
Wine list highlights: Wine director Caroline Costarella (who previously worked at 2024 Grand Award winner Lazy Bear in San Francisco) has built a 400-selection wine list that’s based primarily around California and Spain, with countries and regions like France, Italy and Oregon featured as well. The Rioja selection is notable, with selections from leading wineries like R. Lopez de Heredia Viña Tondonia, La Rioja Alta and Marques de Murrieta. Several lesser-known Spanish styles and regions, like Txakolina and the Canary Islands, are also represented.
Meanwhile, the California section includes the likes of Dumol, Diamond Creek and Peter Michael. Wine and drink pairings are offered as part of the tasting-menu experience (though guests can opt for alternative wines by the glass or for beer). For $225 per person, Somni's team will also offer a nightly pairing option of wines exclusively from Spain and California. And for $415 per person, guests can enjoy acclaimed wines from Spain, California and farther afield (this pairing option is included with the private dining room experience). Alternatively, corkage is $150 per bottle, with a limit of two bottles per party.
The dining experience: Zabala credits famed Spanish chef Ferran Adrià’s cookbook El Bulli: The Taste of the Mediterranean for his understanding that cooking can be an art form. This philosophy will be on full display at Somni, where the minimalist decor in the earth-toned dining room will encourage diners to focus, first and foremost, on the food. Guests will sit at two adjacent, crescent-shaped tables oriented toward a curved, cream-colored slab of marble, the final prep counter for Zabala’s dishes. Behind this counter, a window offers views into the kitchen, with the intention of blurring the lines between chef, server and diner. Dishes will be served on custom tableware that complements the elegant simplicity of the space. Long yet unobtrusive lights will hang above each diner’s plating area to spotlight dishes, as a museum does with works of art.
This culinary experience will cost $495 per person. For $995 per person, Zabala offers his tasting menu in a six-seat private dining room adjacent to the wine cellar. For both experiences, the meal will begin with small bites on the patio (weather allowing) before moving indoors. Vegetarians and others with dietary restrictions or preferences should note that the menu is fixed.—Greg Warner
Prelude Makes Its Entrance in San Francisco
Who’s behind it: Prelude is a new Southern-cuisine restaurant from Omakase Restaurant Group, the owner of Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence winner Niku Steakhouse. Marking his first opening as executive chef, Celtin Hendrickson-Jones helms the new fine-dining establishment at the Jay hotel (an Autograph Collection property), which recently opened in Downtown San Francisco.
When it opened: August 22
The culinary approach: Hendrickson-Jones draws from Southern recipes received from his grandmother and mother, with whom he regularly prepared Sunday dinners. He takes traditional dishes and expands on them with Northern California ingredients and contemporary cooking techniques, tapping experience gained at noteworthy Golden State restaurants: Hendrickson-Jones started as a sushi apprentice at Morimoto Napa before rising to executive sous chef at Best of Award of Excellence winner Commis. Later, he became chef de cuisine at Niku Steakhouse.
With emphasis on shareable dishes, the à la carte menu begins with small bites like deviled eggs with crispy chicken skins, pickles and ferments from Prelude’s larder, and pimento cheese with fish skin chips. The small plates include a dish of tomatoes and Galia melon with country ham and farmer’s cheese, as well as chicken-fried sweetbreads with mustard plum sauce. Among the large plates are hominy grits (for the table) with pickled shrimp and crispy ham, and roasted duck breast with cornbread and green tomato chow chow (a Southern relish). “We are gearing up to offer a chef’s tasting menu with some fun additions soon,” Hendrickson-Jones told Wine Spectator.
What’s on the wine list: Overseeing Prelude’s wine program is Master Sommelier Morgan Harris, formerly the head sommelier for Saison Hospitality, the group behind Grand Award winner Saison and Best of Award of Excellence winner Angler. (Harris is also an alum of Charlie Palmer Group). Harris works with floor sommeliers Evan Hufford, formerly of Saison, and Taylor Smith, who previously worked at Saison and Grand Award winner the Plumed Horse
The list’s main strengths are in Napa Valley, France and Italy, and there are a number of prized and older bottles, including Duckhorn Merlot Napa Valley Three Palms Vineyard 1985, E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie La Turque 1995 and Francesco Rinaldi & Figli Barolo 1964.
The by-the-glass list also features special pours such as the 2015 vintage of Trimbach’s Riesling Alsace Cuvée Frédéric Émile, along with aged Napa Cabernet, one of several potentially delicious pairing options for the restaurant’s Niman Ranch rib eye with braised greens. Prelude bar director Franco Bilbaeno—an alum of Angler, Niku and the now-closed Michael Mina in San Francisco—prepares Southern-inspired cocktails.
The design: In contrast to the Jay hotel’s concrete exterior, Prelude’s dining room exudes a more natural feel, with earth-toned designs and elements inspired by the eucalyptus trees and fog of the Presidio of San Francisco. Guests can expect walnut tables, rich fabrics, stained-glass features and soft-toned lighting fixtures in the space, which was designed by design firm AvroKO.—Chris Cardoso
Willamette Valley's ōkta Shutters
What’s happened: Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence winner ōkta, which debuted in Oregon's Willamette Valley in 2022, has unexpectedly closed in McMinnville, Ore. The restaurant was located in Tributary Hotel, owned by Katie Jackson and Shaun Kajiwara of California wine leader Jackson Family Wines.
When ōkta closed: The ōkta team announced the closure in a Sept. 24 Instagram post, noting that the final service was on Sept. 22. “We have made the difficult decision to close ōkta restaurant,” the post read. “This restaurant brought together so many community partners, friends, family and amazing people who believe in a new way of cooking and growing food.” (No leading members of the restaurant's team could be reached for additional comment.)
An ambitious culinary experience: With chef Matthew Lightner at the helm, ōkta offered cutting-edge dining for Willamette Valley, featuring frequently changing, hyper-seasonal tasting menus that used produce from the restaurant’s own farm and other local purveyors. During the restaurant’s two-year run, The New York Times named ōkta one of the country's most exciting establishments. “It was an incredible achievement,” ōkta’s Instagram post continued. “We are proud of what our dedicated team accomplished … We want to thank [Lightner] for his talents and passion.”
Celebrating Oregon wines: Wine director Ron Acierto compiled an impressive 730-selection wine list that earned ōkta its first Restaurant Award in 2023. The list was a love letter to Oregon wines, with particular attention given to rarer bottlings and library vintages, adding significant vertical depth. It also highlighted grapes beyond Willamette Valley’s preeminent Pinot Noir—such as Grüner Veltliner and Riesling—planted by the region's trailblazers.
Though the restaurant is closing, it seems that the inspirations behind ōkta will carry on. As its Instagram post finished, “We are committed to the Willamette Valley. [Tributary Hotel] and our farm and larder will continue to build on our vision of pairing excellence in hospitality [with] regenerative farming to share the story of this amazing place.”—Aaron Romano
