Ilan Hall, famous on Season Two for his intricate hairstyles (Mohawk, bald, etc) and his penchant for Spanish cuisine, has landed at the 1920s art deco Alexandria Hotel in downtown Los Angeles to launch his first restaurant, The Gorbals. Be prepared for wild combinations (bacon-wrapped matzo balls, anyone? That's a kosher contradiction if we've ever heard one) and a relaxed vibe that emphasizes casual good eats. The restaurant had its grand opening this past Saturday, November 7th.

Chef Hall (who is, if you haven't seen him, dashingly handsome...holler at it ladies), born of an Israeli mother and a Scottish father, decided to name his restaurant after the section in Glasgow where his father grew up. The Gorbals, Scotland, housed poor immigrants first moving from their homelands whose unusual foreign offerings were feared. The Gorbals Los Angeles, centered in an area famous for certain “downtown elements”, aspires to embrace this ethnic home cooking in a hip minimalist gastropub. In this spirit, Hall has dedicated the menu to a sampling of the foods with which he was raised. Included are clever small plate combinations like those matzo balls wrapped in bacon with horseradish mayonnaise (I’m guessing not Rabbi approved!), octopus with gizzards and lemon, and turkey wing with tabouleh. The menu is wallet-friendly with the most expensive item running at $14. Save room for the house-made desserts, like the baked chocoloate hazelnut kugel or the oddball cous cous rice pudding with bacon brittle, which run for an affordable $5. The Gorbals do have a small wine list (with small glasses), beer (with larger glasses) and a full bar. You're likely to find an amazing whiskey list (curated!) as Chef Hall is passionate about the spirit.

Sit at the communal table or at the bar where you can be dazzled by Hall’s charm and good looks (go ahead, click on it, you know you want to), fully on display in the open kitchen. And best of all, the restaurant is open til midnight Sunday, Tuesday and Wednesday and open til 2:00 am on Thursdays Friday and Saturday. So after a night of hanging out downtown with your best buddies, head over to fill your stomachs with Chef Hall’s new take on eclectic comfort food.

GetWize: Hall’s besting of opponent Marcel Vigneron in the Season Finale of TOP CHEF Season Two is STILL the most watched episode of the series. The Gorbals is located at 501 South Spring Street. Check out their website for more information, or give 'em a ring at (213) 488-3408.