Etra strength

ANDREW LAWSON • Ètra & Café Telegrama

WORK • Thursday Routine

ANDREW LAWSON • co-owner/GM • Ètra & Café Telegrama
Neighborhood you live in: Sherman Oaks

It’s Thursday morning. What’s the scene at your workplace?
I’m sitting in the dining room here at Ètra trying to finish some computer work, which is always a challenge with our daytime restaurant, Café Telegrama, right next door. I’ll lose focus, check in on the baristas, have a cortado, chat with some regulars, and help run food (which comes from the Ètra kitchen). And before you know it, my staff at Ètra starts to arrive. It's always lively, to say the least.

What’s on the agenda for today?
Because of the nature of our two restaurants (and not having an office), I generally get pulled in different directions. Today, I have my weekly check-in with our assistant GM Rebecca, followed by a wine tasting. Then it’s family meal, pre-shift, and open. We taste as a team, one or two dishes, new and old, right when we open at 530p. This is one of my favorite parts of the day — cooks and servers tasting together at the pass.

Any restaurant plans today, tonight, this weekend?
My wife Emma and I dine out a lot. Even more so now, post-fires. I’m generally away from the restaurant on Sunday nights. We love an early dinner at Dunsmoor, or at Osteria Mozza’s mozzarella bar. We had an amazing meal at Pizzeria Mozza recently as well (Nancy can do no wrong). On a Wednesday or Thursday, I’ll try to sneak out for a late dinner at Stir Crazy, Horses, or Bar Etoile.

How about a little leisure or culture?
Time away from work is spent at home with our dog Benny, and eating at friends' restaurants. For art, we have the best galleries within walking distance of our restaurants: David Zwirner, Morán Morán, Emma Fernberger, James Fuentes, and Southern Guild.

Any weekend getaways?
Los Olivos. We recently stayed at Mattei’s Tavern and had dinner at both Bar Le Côte and Bell’s. Side note, we're having our second dinner with BLC at Ètra at the beginning of March. The drive to the Santa Ynez Valley is beautiful and the restaurants are perfect.

What was your last great vacation?
Emma and I went to Italy back in September. Sicily, Rome, and Tuscany. In Sicily we stayed on Mt. Etna and visited some of my favorite producers. We had to make sure we got some R&D on our honeymoon. Rome is an incredible city with incredible restaurants. I still think about our meal at Rocco. From Rome we drove to Forte dei Marmi and ate pasta on the beach for four days straight.

What store or service do you always recommend?
LA Grocery & Café! You can get everything there: the best produce you'll find in LA, Peads & Barnetts sausages, a bottle of wine, and flowers. Grab a smoothie on your way out.

Photo: John Zabawa.