On Monday evening at 8:19 p.m., the curfew in downtown Los Angeles reverberated through the city as public safety alerts warned residents to stay indoors from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.
The alert came just as I reached a vantage point on the south 110 Freeway, overlooking the city.
I was headed to Kinjiro, a cozy izakaya nestled in Little Tokyo.
This vibrant area has been among the hardest hit by the ongoing fallout from demonstrations against President Donald Trump’s immigration policies.
In an effort to manage the unrest, Mayor Karen Bass instituted the curfew the previous week, intending to restore order.
As I traveled through downtown, it was evident that the curfew had rendered the streets eerily quiet.
This marked another chapter in a series of challenges faced by Los Angeles restaurants, many of which have already suffered significant downturns in business due to the pandemic, Hollywood writers’ strikes, and recent wildfires.
The windows of establishments along 2nd Street were boarded, with graffiti expressing sentiments against police and Immigration and Customs Enforcement covering available surfaces.
The usually bustling Japanese Village Plaza was desolate, devoid of activity and sound.
Upon arriving at Kinjiro, I discovered it was closed, the entrance secured behind a security gate and wooden boards.
Seeking alternatives, we headed to Bavel in the Arts District, curious to see how this popular restaurant would respond to the curfew.
Normally bustling and fully booked on a Monday night, Bavel’s patio was mostly empty, with minimal patrons at the bar and a dining room lacking its typical vibrancy.
Checking available tables for the upcoming week on OpenTable revealed numerous openings each night.
Driving home past the curfew hour, I anticipated encountering checkpoints or an increased police presence.
Surprisingly, the streets were open, yielding no signs of law enforcement or protests.
Initially instituted on June 10, the 8 p.m. curfew had been shifted to a 10 p.m. start on that Monday.
By Tuesday, the curfew had been lifted entirely, yet many downtown dining establishments continued to grapple with low business levels.
Last week, Kato restaurant reported an 80% drop in reservations, which is quite alarming for the acclaimed spot that celebrated Chef Jon Yao’s heritage and was recognized as the No. 1 restaurant on the L.A. Times 101 List three times.
Despite winning a prestigious James Beard Award for Best Chef in California earlier this week, Kato faced ongoing struggles, with a 70% decline in reservations for the upcoming week.
According to Ryan Bailey, a co-owner at Kato, the damaging portrayal of downtown Los Angeles in the media, which misconstrued it as unsafe, has had a direct and detrimental effect on their business, forcing them to close for two nights.
Bailey elaborated that they had received numerous cancellations, including calls from guests expressing safety concerns about traveling to Los Angeles.
Cassy Horton, co-founder of the DTLA Residents Association, expressed optimism that the lifting of the curfew would not inflict long-term harm on the downtown area, highlighting the importance of community support for local businesses during these trying times.
She emphasized the need for regional residents to rally behind downtown businesses that are facing significant hardships.
Following the curfew’s repeal, signs of vitality began to emerge in downtown Los Angeles.
By 7 p.m. on Tuesday, a line had formed outside Daikokuya in Little Tokyo, a ramen shop known for both its delicious tonkotsu ramen and long wait times.
This was a promising sight amidst a week filled with uncertainty in a neighborhood that had previously been the center of protests.
Kevin Uyeda, waiting with fellow Echo Park resident Julie M. Leonard, expressed his hopefulness despite the recent turmoil.
Leonard remarked that much of the public perception regarding the protests was steeped in misinformation, asserting that most demonstrations had been peaceful and questioning the necessity of the curfew.
Nearby, at the Korean restaurant Jincook, the board covering the windows was removed earlier that day.
Hendrik Su, a server at Jincook, reassured that it was safe for customers to return.
At the Japanese Village Plaza, families with strollers navigated past shops, and patrons sampled boba tea.
Residents of the Arts District, Renee Sogueco and Chris Ciszek, carried bags filled with their meals from Daikokuya and Fugetsu-Do, a historic mochi and mango dessert shop.
Sogueco shared their eagerness to return to the area now that the curfew had been lifted, highlighting concern for the immigrant-owned businesses affected by the unrest.
Ciszek, whose parents had journeyed from Virginia for a visit, noted how friends expressed doubts about their safety in Los Angeles, remarking how media portrayal of the situation did not accurately reflect the peaceful nature of many protests.
In the vicinity of Grand Central Market, patrons were seen enjoying tacos at outdoor tables, and locals relaxed with wine at Kippered, a bar specializing in tinned fish and wines.
Lydia Clarke, a co-owner at Kippered, pointed out how boarded-up windows could deter visitors and tourists from exploring downtown.
She reiterated the importance of drawing in those from outside the area to keep the community thriving.
With the curfew lifted, many previously closed restaurants resumed operations, while some temporarily relocated outside downtown Los Angeles.
Lasita, a Filipino rotisserie and wine bar in Chinatown, reopened for dinner service, while Rossoblu, an Italian restaurant by Steve and Dina Samson, returned to its Fashion District location following a brief pop-up in Playa Vista.
Clarke encapsulated the spirit of the community as she remarked about the resilience of downtown Los Angeles despite the challenges.
As circumstances grow increasingly complex, she remains encouraged by the unity and strength of the community, echoing a sense of hope for a revitalized downtown.
image source from：latimes
