LA restaurant scene veteran Alexis Readinger of the LA based hospitality studio Preen Inc has led Yapa’s aesthetic to fuse Japanese and Latin cultures in a blended, historically Japanese-American neighborhood. There is a playful juxtaposition of sparseness, typical to an izakaya, with a vibrant Latin bent in text and culture.
Guests are greeted with a host table offering sparkling Japanese punch, the dispenser designed for that little bit of extra.
Suspended racks of dried plants and herbs function as both striking botanical design feature and food resource, visited by kitchen staff throughout the evening for use in cooking and cocktails.
The restaurant was designed with seasonal vignettes throughout, with tabletops and floor tinted to amplify this effect.
The deepest part of the restaurant represents the harvest, an autumnal vibe and a big picture window to the kitchen, complete with haiku in Spanish.
Outdoors, the patio enclave represents the beginning of spring in all its shades of green, a growing patio of trailing vines and edible plants, used in the menu.
Meanwhile, the summer of the space features blond woods and natural textures.
Terra cotta walls and tiles bind warmth and togetherness in the space. A playful nod to the local restaurant community, these tiles are repurposed kitchen floor
Tinted mirrors add a fresh flush to the bar and visually connect patio diners and interior drinking team.
Zones of intimacy adorned by repurposed benches give patrons the opportunity to be casually connected from the safety of their seated zone.
Seating changes in height and type across the restaurant, offering a variety viewpoints and experiences despite the small space, and all occur within a definitive palette that remains izakaya.