Golden State Thursday!

If you're reading this and it's dark, that means tomorrow. If it's light, get yourself to 426 N. Fairfax for Golden State's opening day. We checked in with them when they were building, and I wrote about them here, but I've been obsessing pretty much every day in between. Constantly checking in with Jason and Jim (Jason Bernstein and James Starr, the owners of the place, are dear friends), stopping by to see progress, picking up a rad gold-foil-on-black g-state tshirt, listening in as they negotiated with contracters, then hearing the saga of codes and inspections and rules and fees.

And now, it's a real restaurant! So excited! A casual place in my neighborhood where I can go for a beer, for Scoops, for delicious and reasonably-priced food, all in a gorgeous industrial space, run by my own friends.

But beyond the personal connection, what's wonderful about this restaurant is how deeply entrenched it is in its surroundings, the Fairfax Village neighborhood. On one wall hang old black-and-whites of what the neighborhood used to look like: during the soft opening Saturday night, Jason's mom pointed out the The Budapest Restaurant in one photo. Formerly located in the spot where Largo was formerly located, it was a frequent dinner spot for her family. The owner of the Golden State space is the father of one of Jim and Jason's high school classmates. The art on the walls is by local artists who also happen to be personal friends. The sign outside the shop was painted by Norm Maxwell, the owner of the gallery next door, whose storefront Jim and Jason painted in return. There is so much heart in this place.

So, starting tomorrow, get yourselves to the Golden State! And tell them I sent you.

The Golden State is at 426 N. Fairfax, between Oakwood and Rosewood. Call them and tell them you already miss them: 323 STATE-31