Name Game: Ludo’s Le Routier, David Myers Hinoki & the Bird

The Century, new home for David Myers resto

By Lesley Balla

These days new restaurant rumors hit the internets at break-neck speed, often preceding the name and sometimes even the concept. And naming a restaurant is no easy feat. We heard and then doubly confirmed that Ludovic Lefebvre partnered with Animal and Son of a Gun chefs Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo to open something small and intimate on Melrose, but details were still being worked out. Now Eater announced the name will in fact be Le Routier, inspired by the "truck stops" Lefebvre frequented in Burgundy (as seen on No Reservations recently). We hope this means it will indeed be more French-focused, as the passionate chef has claimed many times that there isn't any good French food in LA. Sprinkled with a little Animal? Even better.

David Myers has also announced that the name of his forthcoming Century City restaurant (as noted in our Fall Preview) is Hinoki & the Bird. Located on the ground floor of the fancy condo tower called The Century, the light-filled space has an open kitchen, 60-ft. windows and a large terrace. According to Daily Dish, Kuniko Yagi, who last helmed the kitchen at Myers' now defunct Sona, will be the chef creating the Cal-Asian cuisine. Hinoki means 'cedar tree' in Japanese, and the bird is "symbol of traveling the world for inspiration," according to Yagi. You'll also see her as a contestant on Top Chef Seattle, which debuts Nov. 7., a month or so before the restaurant's planned December debut.