THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Deluxe

THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Deluxe Restaurant Review:

We consider this the kind of unpretentious, intriguing restaurant that friends recommend to friends. Deluxe is tucked in among watering holes, vintage clothing boutiques, antiquarian bookshops and stores that sell Fifties furniture and collectibles. It's located in an up-and-coming part of town that's still a little rough around the edges, but you couldn't tell from the hip, dressed-in-black crowd lined up outside the door, waiting for the restaurant to open. Inside the noisy, 30-seat eatery, there's more black---booths, chairs, tables, even napkins. Wild, leopard-print carpeting and some small paintings on the walls are the only splashes of color---except for the food. A pleasurable dinner might start with the signature masa-fried oysters and end with an ice cream sandwich. The unusual paella features the chef's own chorizo and creamy saffron risotto rice. Plump ravioli come stuffed with puréed pumpkin and goat cheese, drizzled with a sage-scented brown butter and garnished with shaved Parmesan. Locals make a bee-line to the five stools at the copper-covered bar with its kitchen view. The small wine list is interesting (Yalumba Cabernet from Australia and Kent Rasmussen Pinot Noir from California, for example), and all wines are offered by the glass.