Raphael Wins Approval for Expansion

Despite some neighborhood protests about the noise, the Studio City Neighborhood Council granted permission to allow Raphael's upscale restaurant on Ventura Boulevard to expand by 1,864 feet and pursue a full liquor license.

Three neighbors who live up the hill on Blue Canyon Drive expressed concern that the expansion would continue to hamper the residential area.

Steve Holroyd, who has lived two houses away from the restaurant since 2005, said, "It's incredibly loud, and it will compound the problem when they expand the restaurant. I'm really upset about it."

Holroyd said that beer bottles have been chucked in his garden and people park along his street. The Transportation Committee of the Neighborhood Council recently looked into making the Blue Canyon Drive a restricted parking cul-de-sac.

The restaurant's co-owner Arnon Raphael said at the meeting that he didn't think the problems came from his restaurant at 11612-11616 Ventura Boulevard, but from the R Lounge at 11608. He owns that building and leases the space to a separate nightclub.

"I have lived here for 30 years, and six years ago my brother and I bought the buildings here," Raphael said. "The previous owner was worse."

The previous club at the location was a gay bar Fuel, which received numerous complaints from residents in the past, and the section where R's is now located was an erotic video store.

"There was a porn store there, we did not renew the lease," Raphael said.

Raphael's daughter Shoshana, and his son, Alon, who now co-manages the restaurant, are Studio City natives as well and went to schools locally, such as Carpenter Elementary school, Walter Reed Middle School and Campbell Hall. He said that in the past two years since he opened his restaurant—designed by his wife, Terry—their business had been featured in magazines and the place was ZAGAT rated.

Terry designed and put up a Green Wall filled with herbs and other plants from her garden, which has particularly earned some praise.

Raphael said he has hired world-class chefs from Spago and other areas and he has leased 100 parking spaces from a now-closed car lot for valet parking.

Neighborhood Council members said that Raphael's tenants at the R Lounge should listen to his advice about keeping the noise down, and they offered suggestions, such as giant fans to diffuse the noise to the neighborhood, and discount tickets for drinks when they use the valet parking.

Lisa Sarkin of the Land Use committee said they reviewed the plan and approved of the expansion.

Former council member and longtime neighborhood activist Barbara Monahan Burke spoke at the meeting and said, "I support it is lovely restaurant. They have wonderful food and a great atmosphere, I support their application."

The Council voted seven to three to approve the plan, with one abstention.