The Los Angeles restaurant industry births another seasoned veteran, John Makhani. With 30-plus years in the industry, he steers restaurants all over LA. The formula for his success? “Being a business man…and not a chef,” he states with calm confidence. As such, he leaves the food to the kitchen, retaining a number of the most experienced chefs in the city. Everything else falls under John’s purview, most notably design. As a trained structural engineer, Makhani lasers attention to the design plan of each of his properties, and it shows.

Stacking his latest West Hollywood venture, Duplex On Third, Makhani wanted to portray the venue as a home. “I envisioned a truly second home for all of our neighbors,” Makhani said. “The idea was to make it very comfortable to come in anytime of the day…even until midnight on weeknights.” Luxury interiors designer, Thomas Schoos, took the calling to capture Makhani’s vision. For such a large space, formerly a residential building dating back to the early 1900s, the ambiance is quite cozy, separated into a lounge, bar, formal dining area, open-air patio and a private dining room on the second level. Seated in any area of the restaurant, guests can order locally sourced, new American style cuisine with western European flair.

A menu created by Executive Chef Larry Greenwood and executed by Chef Jeffrey Williams enhances classics with fresh bright flavors. We loved the mussels, memorably bathing in broth steeped with chorizo and chilies, bursting and begging for a dip of the accompanying frites. Earthy, wild and cultivated mushrooms accompanied a mascarpone risotto and a beautifully seared rib eye lent seasonal warmth to the meal. Smooth pistachio panna cotta closed as a perfect last bite. Specialty cocktails, the citrusy “Crazy X” and sweet “One Night Stand” shine while a nice selection of organic California varietals (among the diverse wine list) rounds out a comfortably filling evening at Duplex.