You might recognize Ilan Hall, the guy on the left, as the Season 2 winner of “Top Chef.” With Natan Zion, he now has his own restaurant, the Gorbals, in the historic Alexandria Hotel in downtown Los Angeles. The name comes from the Glasgow neighborhood where Hall’s Scottish and Israeli parents, both of Eastern European descent, grew up. (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)
The Gorbals is often referred to as a Scottish-Jewish restaurant, but it’s more than that. Call it global immigrant cuisine. Or perhaps post-garage-band-performance dinner spread. (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)
The dining room might seem a bit makeshift (customers sit at the bar on upended wooden crates), but that just makes the Gorbals seem weird and fun, if a little rough around the edges. (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)
Matzoh balls wrapped in bacon. Kosher it isn’t, but it’s typical of Hall’s cross-cultural food mash-ups. (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)
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Bone marrow with oyster mushrooms. (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)
The GLT: a gribenes (fried chicken skin), lettuce and tomato sandwich. (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)
The sticky toffee pudding seems more cake than pudding, served with espresso ice cream and a touch of Maldon salt. (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)
Ilan Hall extends a hand to a customer. In New York, the chef worked for Tom Colicchio at Craft and for Mario Batali at Casa Mono. At his new L.A. restaurant, he goes decidedly his own way. (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)
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The Gorbals is at 501 S. Spring St. in downtown Los Angeles. (213) 488-3408, www.thegorbalsla.com. (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)
