esca & florentin
Esca, the newest concept from James Beard-nominated restaurateur Ben Poremba, has been a catalyst for renewed interest in the burgeoning Delmar Maker District.
Formerly occupied by a barbershop, this 3-story brick building has been restored and reprogrammed to include ground-floor dining with residential occupancy, above. At ground-level, the restaurant’s entry was relocated from the western street-corner to the opposite, eastern side, where a covered courtyard invites guests directly into the heart of the space, providing safer egress and better connection to the outdoor dining. Utilizing the adjacent vacant lot, a new steel-framed patio structure continues the cadence of the existing storefront and doubles the restaurant's seating capacity. To provide access to the upper level units, a new exterior staircase was built, maximizing the usable interior footprint of each floor and complementing the architecture of the new patio canopy, reinforcing the design vocabulary of ‘old’ vs ‘new’.
Inside, diners are treated to a culinary performance. Intentionally on display, the open-concept kitchen and bar are veiled by a ‘stage curtain’ of charred cedar, affording a behind-the-scenes experience that showcases the team’s craft. Material selections are meant to represent the authenticity that defines The Cuisine of the Sun; said to be “rustic, fresh, simply prepared, deeply flavored, and with an emphasis on wood cooking.” Combining exposed brick, natural woods, and the building’s inherent, naturally-aged patinas provides a rich layering of textures. The interjection of new, custom steel components, with the addition of a full-height, telescoping, sliding-glass-door system along the patio, relates to the present, providing connection between inside and out, further relating the building to it’s context.
Directly across Delmar Blvd, sister restaurant Florentin (named after the eclectic Tel Aviv neighborhood) frames views of it’s sibling, offering alternative dining options at earlier hours of the day. The concept takes inspiration from “its Bohemian residents, street art, iconic food markets and its edgy, avant-garde restaurant scene.” Highlighting the remarkable white-glazed, Norman-brick structure, the space is layered with vibrant portraits and treasures found on Poremba’s travels. New skylights and large punched-openings bring light deep into the shotgun space, which opens on to the adjoining courtyard; serving as a forum for a variety of pop-up events.
The two restaurant concepts, in conjunction with the neighboring Craft Alliance space (a community art hub), are strategically located within the overall masterplan of the Delmar Maker’s District to benefit both the District and the operators, creating a node of density and interest from morning to night.
