A restaurant that appears to be doing business as Hijo De Planta could be taking over where The Whisperer once was, now listed as “permanently closed” at 1325 Echo Park Ave. The lease states that the property is undergoing a full build-out and a move-in date is listed for December. This new restaurant could be connected to Joshua Pourgol, the owner of Tacos Tu Madre on 1945 1/2 Westwood Blvd as per a Trademark filing, but they would not confirm how they are related.
According to the Trademark and Service Mark Application, the restaurant includes “Bar services; Restaurant services featuring Vegan Mexican Food; Restaurant services, including sit-down service of food and take-out restaurant services.” Pourgol is known for the restaurant Tacos Tu Madre, which serves a variety of Mexican dishes like carnitas, lamb birria, and a breakfast burrito served all day. If Hijo De Planta is a Mexican restaurant, it would contrast with The Whisperer’s menu, which consisted of mostly small bites like wings and salads.
The Echo Park space was previously occupied by Red Hill, which shut down in 2014. Eater LA reports that a year later, The Whisperer took its place, which was first made evident by black paint replacing Red Hill’s branding. The Whisperer was a darker, “ominous” change of pace, but it isn’t known yet how or if Hijo De Planta will transform the Echo Park space.
(Edited to clarify Pourgol’s affiliation with the project and to state that Hijo De Planta’s opening in The Whisperer isn’t totally clear)
