A different market, a bigger city and a brief-ish drive north, Vaca is coming to Los Angeles. After two decades of success in Orange County, executive chef/co-owner Amar Santana and co-owner Ahmed Labbate will bring their acclaimed Spanish steakhouse to Downtown L.A., to the ground floor of high-rise the Beaudry.
The move north is a strategic one, aimed at catering to a new kind of diner. “We wanted to explore a different market,” said Labbate. “We’ve been here for a little over 20 years in Orange County, and we have two restaurants. We said, ‘Why not bring Amar’s talent to Los Angeles and see what he can do.’”
The new menu, which has yet to be revealed, will feature “80% of the dishes we have in Orange County making it to L.A.” while leaving “20% more open to see what the L.A. crowd wants,” said Santana. Labbate added that LA diners are also “a little more adventurous” and “open to new ideas” compared to a bulk of Orange County diners who, comparatively speaking, remain creatures of habit.
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The wine list, known for being Spanish-focused, will stay that way, though a selection of domestic Spanish varietals will also be available.
Labbate and Santana, business partners for more than 20 years, had been searching for a spot in L.A. for years, and the “up and coming” DTLA neighborhood proved a perfect fit, with the Beaudry’s location, surrounded by offices, hotels and residential towers, being a major draw. Not for nothing, the Beaudry, which opened in 2020, lays claim to being the tallest residential building in California.
The new space itself will differ from the Costa Mesa location, which has the benefit of high, open ceilings. “The designers did a really, really good job,” said Labbate. “The ceilings now look pretty high.” He added that while the new Vaca will look different, ”you will still have the same feel.”
Guests will recognize the same burnt-orange hue gracing the walls and specific tile patterns from the original restaurant. Santana added, “If you look at either restaurant, you know that it comes from the same people.”
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The team hopes to open in October (early October, ideally). In the meantime, Labbate and Santana will stay in DTLA for the first few months to oversee training and operations.
Santana, who was born in the Dominican Republic and migrated to the U.S. at the age of 13, honed his skills at the Culinary Institute of America and in the kitchens of New York City before moving to Orange County to work at the now-shuttered Charlie Palmer at Bloomingdale’s in South Coast Plaza. He opened his first restaurant, Broadway by Amar Santana, in Laguna Beach in 2011, followed by Vaca in Costa Mesa near the Segerstrom Center for the Arts in 2015.
He also found time to appear on season 13 of “Top Chef” where landed as a finalist, returning for two additional seasons.