[DINNER PARTY]
Relive the Roaring '20s at LA's Cicada Restaurant and Lounge.
Enjoy historic Los Angeles with dinner, dancing, drinks, a big brass band, and food inspired by Northern Italy with a California twist. Get familiar with Cicada Restaurant and Lounge.
Welcome to chef/lifestyle expert Jazz Smollett’s column, Dinner Party, a corner of UpRising to ponder all things food and culinary culture. Hope you’ve got an appetite!
If you're embarking on Los Angeles this weekend for the Academy Awards, step back in time to experience old Hollywood glamour at the Landmark Oviatt building. Here you will find one of the city’s best hidden gems: Cicada Restaurant and Lounge, a glamorous supper club in Downtown L.A. Cicada’s cuisine is inspired by Northern Italy and offers a three-course menu, inclusive of vegan options. My go-to choices are the appetizer of tartare di tonno or the tricolor insalata, a main of the spaghetti lobster or the Branzino, and for dessert, it is hands down the torta al ciccolato. All courses are elegantly served and presented. As for libations, I would suggest the elderflower cocktail or anything from the lovely and extensive wine list.
In addition to an exciting drink menu and soul-nourishing meal prepared by a renowned chef, you will also partake in a full night of entertainment and dancing with your meal. This is a true night out on the town. The art deco setting is a throwback to the Roaring '20s; think Great Gatsby and Harlem Renaissance era. Enjoy live big brass bands on Saturday nights while elegantly clad dinner guests in flapper dresses and vintage suits swing dance the night away. The dress code suggests that you wear evening, vintage, or formal attire, which adds to the fun ambiance.
So if you want to skip the pre- or post-Oscars parties (or you didn’t get an invite), meet your friends at Cicada Restaurant and Lounge, where you can still get dressed up pretty and fancy, twirl with the finest dance orchestras, eat good Italian food, and enjoy Hollywood’s golden era.
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For something with a more casual vibe, check out Justine's Wine Bar in Frogtowm.
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