finalist upscale restaurant Bavel Los Angeles Photos by TANVEER BADAL A dramatic ceiling installation made of steel planters brimming with cascading green pothos vines (thanks to a cutting-edge irrigation system) is the first sign that chefs Genevieve Gergis and Ori Menashe's downtown LA-based Middle Eastern concept is "an oasis away from the harsh industrial area surrounding the building," says Greg Bleier, founder and design director of locally based Studio Unltd. The firm worked with LA architect Osvaldo Maiozzi to create the open, airy environment where natural light pours in from the sawtooth skylights. An eclectic palette of saffron yellow and deep blue-green punctuates the space-mingling with warm woods, arabesque tile, and hints of rose gold-creating just the right amount of "magic to match the cuisine," he says. Owners and Operators Ori Menashe and Genevieve Gergis Architecture Firm Osvaldo Maiozzi, Los Angeles Purchasing and Interior Design Firm Studio Unltd, LA hospitalitydesign.com June 2019 127