Meet Christine Tufenkian Kantner of DADA ECHO PARK

Today we’d like to introduce you to Christine Tufenkian Kantner.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
A neighborhood Restaurant, Bar, Disco & Market brought forth by a couple of LA kids and their friends.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Post Covid, post fires, post stay indoors orders, looming tariffs & recession.
The struggles have always been there in some form. They may seem unsurmountable but overcoming the fear and moving thru them has brought more resilience and a desire to work even harder.
Creating a gather space like DADA ECHO PARK, where our senses are activated will never be recreated by VR/AI/Online is what keeps the fire burning.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about DADA ECHO PARK?
DADA ECHO PARK is an independent neighborhood where you can roll in for breakfast or lunch at LITTLE FISH AT DADA ECHO PARK (Little Fish is opening their own stand alone restaurant in Melrose Hill early next year) shop our wine & beer selection & independent grocery edit at DADA MARKET, visit DADA BAR & DADA RESTAURANT (via alley) to experience our wood fired grill by Chef Ramon Morales. Chef Ramon brings out the best in California seasonal produce, quality meats from LIGMA PROVISIONS and savory vegan options. I would say DADA RESTAURANT and our seasonal fresh juice cocktail program is what we specialize in and are most proud of. We also have a late night program with DJ’s on Friday and Saturday nights as well as special events.

When people ask “what kind of food do you serve?” I answer with “L.A. Food”….our menu is an amalgamation of all of the cultures that mash up here.
Growing up in the 70’s & 80’s, I remember going to my friends’ houses and experiencing the best in home cooked Cuban, Vietnamese, Korean, Mexican and Persian foods, not to mention my own Turkish Ethiopian Lebanese Armenian household. These first generation immigrant households that I would float thru as a free range So Cal kid left a deep impression and its cool to see how the appreciation for these multicultural cuisines has grown over the years.
Much of what is in DADA MARKET comes from Asian, Latin and European producers. We joke that we are a protest against Corporate America.
Chef Ramon and I were at the Santa Monica Farmers Market yesterday and he came across the Hierba Santa or Mexican pepper leaf his mother used to wrap meats in then roll into banana leaves and cook over an open fire. We bought some to develop a dish with- this is DADA ECHO PARK

In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
Every industry is on a wild ride right now. Building community and gather spaces is more important than ever.
DADA ECHO PARK is a mash up of Maslow’s “Hierarchy of Needs Triangle” (a theoretical classification system intended to reflect the universal needs of society) Eat a little food, drink a cocktail, meet some friends, do a little dance. This is more essential than ever. The word restaurant comes from the French “restaurer” to restore, revive. We are here trying to raise the vibe of humanity one experience at a time.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.dadaechopark.com, www.dadamarket.com
• Instagram: @dadaechopark, @dadamarketechopark
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/DADA-ECHO-PARK/61574470414393/#

Image Credits
1/storefront: Tylo Tillah
2/restaurant entrance: Christine Kantner
3/food: Jeff Fox
4/owners:Brad Shaffer