It would seem that everyone would love a Westwood restaurant
offering
traditional Cuban cuisine, mojitos and salsa dancing ““
well, everyone except those with an allergic reaction to spicy
foods. But apparently this doesn’t sit well with some
Westwood homeowners.
Leo Prats, the owner of a restaurant in Alhambra called Cuban
Bistro, is trying to bring a similar eatery and salsa-dancing venue
into the unoccupied storefront between Jerry’s Famous Deli
and Star Chicken on Weyburn Avenue. Prats has said the proposed
restaurant, called Sofrito, would have two bars and a small dance
floor and bring some additional upscale dining to Westwood.
But don’t expect to see Sofrito open its doors any time
soon: Prats is still trying to obtain an alcohol license, and the
as-yet-unborn restaurant has already run into hefty opposition from
Westwood homeowners and community leaders.
Those who object to Sofrito fear that bringing in another
alcohol-licensed establishment, especially a bar/dance venue that
they allege could transform into a “nightclub,” would
also bring rowdy crowds and increased crime. This is upsetting to
homeowners in an area that ““ barring a couple of bars and the
occasional movie premier ““ is dead to the world by 10
p.m.
Residents do have some grounds for concern about nightclubs. In
1988, when Westwood was home to more of a nightlife, a 27-year-old
woman was shot and killed in a gang shooting outside a Westwood
restaurant. Since then, the Village has clamped down on alcohol
venues to discourage such violence from happening again.
Wanting to prevent crime is laudable. But residents’
aversion to Sofrito smacks of something else: opposition to a
business that would be student-friendly and appealing to the
student-aged demographic.
It seems some Westwood residents have an intense aversion to
anything that seems to indicate their city is being hijacked by
UCLA students. (Never mind that we make up a sizable portion of the
Westwood population.) Residents have influenced everything from bus
terminals to on-campus nighttime programming. But while it’s
true their needs should be accommodated to some extent, their
arguments against Sofrito are hard to swallow.
A restaurant that would have a dance floor the size of a one-car
garage and showcase live salsa music is hardly what one would call
a “nightclub,” nor does it seem to be the kind of place
that would attract hardened criminals.
Instead of a detriment to the community, Sofrito should be
viewed as an opportunity on which business owners can capitalize.
Bringing the Cuban restaurant into town would inject some
much-needed culture into the Village, and help make Westwood more
of a destination, rather than a dead end, for people who live
elsewhere in Los Angeles. It would increase foot traffic on Weyburn
Avenue and maybe even draw more customers to other businesses.
Prats deserves more support from people in Westwood ““ from
students as well as other residents. After all, his establishment
could bring new cuisine, a little dancing and a little fun into the
Village ““ and that’s a cause people can get behind.