First off, Dreamboat is a hell of a name. The rest of us are drastically underperforming at naming things. It brings to mind the innocent romantic swoon, back of the hand melodramatically to the forehead, the glint of light coming off a real snazzy gal’s or guy’s super white teeth. A radically cuter and possibly lost slice of pre-algorithm Americana.
And Dreamboat is now the charming as heck little hiccup of a breakfast-lunch-dessert diner in University Heights. Dreamed up by the plant-based culture creators behind Kindred and Mothership. It’s got stainless steel and minimalist white everything (save for that floor, with a orange-ish lava lamp grooviness, creamsicle-esque) and one single counter with 10 barstools. Comfy ones, not the modern kind that makes you regret having an ass. Something cheerful about having a neon sign on a street that says: “DREAMBOAT.”
“We’re calling it a micro-diner,” says co-conspirator Kory Stetina. “It’s definitely not meant to be a history lesson or time warp to an actual diner. It’s a ’50s-, ’60s-California kind of thing. Fun and flirtatious and kitschy. We just thought, “‘Well, what would make us smile?’ and did that.”
Before I slander the place, it must be said Dreamboat has pretty magical standalone value. Exec chef Pancho Castellón is former chef de cuisine of Serea, and before that executive sous at San Francisco’s Michelin-star steakhouse, Niku. In that tiny diner, he’s got a woodfired oven to char and caramelize and boost all flavors (wood fire has 400 flavor compounds you don’t get with gas).
He’s doing breakfast treats, including a giant latke served with a fairly incredible spiced and stewed apple compote. And lunch—a cheeseburger with animal-style sauce and impressively American-ish nut cheese, plus a braised yuba (the very-expensive and luxurious tofu skins, like the chicharrón of tofu) with charred broccolini, ricotta, and salsa macha.
For desserts, Kindred exec chef Amy Noonan (who founded Glendale’s beloved vegan bakery, Peaches Bakeshop, and was head of pastry and baking at LA spots like Moby’s, Little Pine and Donut Friend) has an adorable mini rum cake, a NY cheesecake that almost eats like a Basque, brownies, and ice cream and milkshakes.
The drinks program is, per standards set by Mothership and Kindred, excellent and obsessive. Cocktail whiz Lucas Ryden (who led Realm of 52 Remedies and has his own shrubs company, Cool Hand Co.) has created the hit of the summer—a Dirty Shirley, adulting a Shirley Temple with tequila and strawberry grenadine. The ranch water with pickle brine and Old Bay-spiced rim is—weird and compelling. Not sure if I don’t like it or it will grow on me and become my favorite thing ever.
The coffee program is special. They’re using the same craft cocktail science for the caffeinated set. The star is the orange cream latte (creamy chocolate with orange notes), a salted toffee latte, and an espresso tonic that’s made with a lemon marmalade. Plus soda pops (birch and root spices), pistachio matcha fizz, etc.
As for the slander… Dreamboat might also be the most elaborate host stand ever created. Because behind it—down a hallway, through the time-space continuum—is Vulture. Opening in a few weeks, Vulture promises to be one of those otherworldly, super-stim design wonderlands that make Kindred and Mothership such a creative joy. The host stand will literally be in the corner of Dreamboat, and they’ll share a kitchen.
“It originally started more as this contrast to what was happening with Vulture, which is really over-the-top in all the great ways,” says Stetina. “The whole point is that in the evening when you’ve dressed up to come to Vulture, you have to walk into this little diner and wonder if you’re in the right place. And then you’ll walk through that curtain and have a real moment, a real ride into Vulture. Dimly lit, lots of color, kind of psychedelic.”
So it’s a planned progression to recreational vertigo. A restaurant mullet. Sweet retro American diner upfront, explosive disorientation out back.
Dreamboat is soft opening this Saturday. Soft opens are when restaurants work out the kinks. Be patient and kind.
