Walking into the space on Virgil Avenue that was fated to become Melody, Eric Tucker heard Serge Gainsbourg's flirty tune Pauvre Lola. "In my mind, the song is light-hearted with sexy laughter radiating from a distant tropical beach," Tucker explained to Citizine. "This set the tone for what I saw as an unconventional, modern, eclectic, Montauk-style beach house nestled and hidden in a very funky and relatively unknown neighborhood in LA; ironically, quite far off the beach!" It was quite a departure from his first restaurant in New York: Louie and Chan, a dark and sexy Neapolitan pizza and pasta restaurant with a Chinese-inspired speakeasy and club below.
As things fell into place for Melody, it became clear that outside funding was not going to be an option. "The process of starting any business is seemingly overwhelming and requires a bit of insanity, blind faith, strong (yet adaptable) vision, commitment and money," Tucker remarked. "Sadly, money seems to be that one element that is greater than all as it buys opportunity. For those of us with limited pockets, the process then demands more diligence and focus on creativity and budget. When it became clear that outside funding was doubtful, Paloma [Rabinov, Eric's wife] and I sold our home in Venice to finance the crazy dream of Melody—making this project a true 'mom and pop shop' and labor of love that continues each moment of every day. Owning a restaurant is your life, not a job."
Their house sold, Eric and Paloma set out to tranform a basic bungalow into a space dripping with natural light and no barriers between indoors and out. Acting as the primary designer, Tucker worked with Tim McCarthy of Forma Design and Peter Terpinski to open up the space. "We all agreed that the structure needed more volume, light, and fresh air," Tucker continued. "So we built a large, clear story in the main dining room and opened the majority of the south-facing exterior wall up with a large La Cantina window and door."
Image courtesy of Melody
When it came time to furnish the restaurant, Tucker and Rabinov's love of vintage markets and Sunday fleas led the design choices. "I focused on LA’s abundant Sunday fleas, the Culver City thrift store
BTS Thrift Boutique (my favorite second-hand store),
Pepe's Thrifty Shop in Palms,
Wertz Brothers Inc in West LA, and my very own home collection I had amassed over the years," Tucker continued. "I relentlessly and religiously revisited these places so as not to miss the daily incoming stock. Sunday fleas and Wertz Brothers provided much of my seating and tables. The majority of our lighting was purchased at Pepe’s, and nearly all our mismatched '70s - '90s “china” was uncovered at BTS. The priority on all these finds was to keep it "cheap and chic.” Much of my inspiration (color, graphics, lines, attitude) came from the '80s artist Nagel, best known for the legendary cover art for Duran Duran’s
Rio record."
The influence of Gainsbourg's tropical beach didn't stop at the design of Melody. Tucker and Rabinov coined the term "lazy french" to describe the feeling of the restaurant. It "sums up the sexy relationship of Serge Gainsbourg and Jane Birkin (our spirit couple) and the idea of flipping and relaxing classic French to embrace the farmers markets and laid-back sunshine lifestyle of LA," Tucker said.
Eric Tucker and Paloma Rabinov, image courtesy of Paloma Rabinov
The abundance of farmers markets and sunshine is clear in the dishes you'll find on Melody's menu. "We are fortunate to have Rick Dominguez as our neighbor who sources produce from his farm in Fallbrook daily," Tucker noted. "Avocados, citrus, and eggs are a staple and seasonal fruits and vegetables such as figs and passionfruit have made their way onto the menu given the month. As the site was to be a funky, breezy 'beach house,’ the menu should reflect the environment with fresh, bright high acid food: oysters, mussels with harissa and Vietnamese herbs, elote française (grilled corn on the cob with café de Paris aioli, chili, cheese, and lime), smoked brandade with housemade potato chips, a merguez burger, and a brioche bahn mi breakfast sandwich—to name a few. This menu, of course, demanded a vibrant wine program with a focus on small producers of organic, biodynamic, natural wine from both the new and old world that is constantly rotating under our excitement and direction."
Image courtesy of Melody
Image courtesy of Melody
Beyond the menu, Melody puts a heavy focus on the music played while you dine. "Music makes all these things better when it is personal and unpredictable," Rabinov said. "On a given night, one may hear soul, funk, boogie, disco, rock, '80s gems, hip hop, jazz, world, blues, and country music… yes country! On weekends we are fortunate to host deejay friends from near and far who sometimes choose a musical theme, while others keep the set eclectic."
When they're not at Melody, Rabinov and Tucker have a deep list of neighborhood favorites. "We absolutely love and adore Tsubaki, Night + Market, Anajak Thai Cuisine, El Huarache Azteca, Wolfdown, Alimento, Rustic Canyon Wine Bar and Seasonal Kitchen, Foxy’s Restaurant and The Prince," they concluded. "All these restaurant/bars possess a strong, original point of view that is intriguing and personal."
Image courtesy of Melody
Header image courtesy of Melody
BTS Thrift Boutique courtesy of @btsthriftstore
Pepe's Thrifty Shop courtesy of @pepesthriftshop
Wertz Brothers Inc courtesy of @wertzbrothers
