Marlou: Where Heart, Soul & a Dash of Below Deck Magic Meet in Downtown LA Experience

I’d had Marlou on my “must-visit” list for ages, and on my last trip home to LA, I finally made it happen. Tucked along Flower Street in the heart of Downtown, this spot is the love child of Chef Marcos Spaziani and Louis Huh—a passion project born from the success of their beloved food truck, ML Eats, and transformed into a sleek, soulful restaurant that hums with creative energy.

If Chef Marcos’s name sounds familiar, it’s probably because you’ve seen him on Below Deck Sailing Yacht—the unflappable culinary wizard aboard the Parsifal, cool and composed even when the sails (and tempers) went flying. That same calm confidence and inventive flair are exactly what make Marlou special: refined without being fussy, bold without ever losing balance.

The Meal: A Love Letter to Flavor

My best friend and I didn’t know it yet, but this night would become one for the books—though the food alone could’ve made it unforgettable.

We started with the Hamachi Tiradito, kissed with aji soy vinaigrette, pickled onion, and just the right pop of radish. Then came the Octopus, paired with house-made chorizo and fingerling potatoes, all draped in a sauce so addicting I considered licking the plate (I restrained myself… barely).

The Cachapa, a sweet corn dough folded around braised pork, felt like a warm hug from Latin America—comforting, nostalgic, perfect. And then came the Crispy Trout—and I’ll be honest, I’m not usually a trout girl. But this? This was pure magic. Perfectly crisp skin, buttery interior, and layered flavors that made me a believer.

The cocktails held their own right alongside the plates:

• The Parsifal — Empress Gin, Giffard grapefruit liqueur, cranberry, and lime — light, bright, and beautiful.

• Nutty Professo — think espresso martini meets dessert, with Screwball peanut butter whiskey and a whisper of Cointreau.

• Mezcal Old Fashioned — my new signature sip. Smoky, sultry, a little sweet… and yes, I may have had a couple.

The Surprise Ending

And just when I thought the evening couldn’t get any better, the universe sprinkled in some magic.

Chef Marcos himself stopped by our table — humble, gracious, radiating that same quiet confidence you see on screen — and before we knew it, we were chatting the night away with Below Deck legends Chef Dave White and Hayley De Sola Pinto, who were in town and just as lovely as you’d hope. Add in my fabulous Trossey, and it was the kind of night that felt like lightning in a bottle.

Why Marlou Belongs on Your LA List

Marlou isn’t just dinner. It’s the kind of place that feeds your curiosity as much as your appetite — where food, energy, and conversation flow effortlessly.

If you find yourself in Downtown LA, make the reservation. Order the octopus. Have the mezcal. And keep your eyes open — because you never know who you might end up sharing the night with.