Chef Paul Shoemaker Joins Firefly

Paul Shoemaker has joined Studio City's Firefly restaurant as executive chef. Shoemaker has an impressive gastronomic background, which includes working in the kitchens of The Water Grill, Bastide, French Laundry, Alain Ducasse, and Providence, all which shaped his current culinary philosophy. His new menu at Firefly reflects his partnerships with local farmers, ranchers, purveyors, and fishermen to deliver the essence of California's best produce, fish, and beef. 

The inventive menu includes dishes such as South Carolina big-eye tuna tartare with umeboshi, avocado, and smoked sesame; chilled Maine lobster Bloody Mary salad with heirloom tomatoes, celery sorbet, and caviar; Niman Ranch hanger steak paired with smoked Rosa Bianca eggplant, Hen of the Woods mushrooms, and green onion;  and bone marrow ravioli topped with potato, red onion compote, and truffle foam.

Whimsical desserts created by Raymond Morales and the latest cocktail menu designed by Damian Windsor, Jason Bran, Francis Castagnetti, and David Castagnetti, complete the experience. From blackberry cheesecake rolled in a hibiscus gelée and served with orange-candied Marcona almonds, crème fraîche sherbet, and an ice cream cone with brûléed coffee and chocolate sherbet scooped into a magic shell, to refreshing cocktails such as the Watermelon Patch with vodka, watermelon, hibiscus, and lime, and the Strawberry Swing served up with cachaça, strawberry, and lemon with a brim of cinnamon sugar.

Firefly's indoor and outdoor spaces offer cozy dining year-round. Lined with Herringbone flooring crafted from vintage milled timbers and enclosed by a large vaulted ceiling, the library lounge offers plush banquettes and candlelit coffee tables among built-in bookshelves. The vast open patio is lined with intimate cabanas overlooking the airy dining room. Softly lit by sconces that reflect off-red Spanish mission tiles, Firefly provides a romantic respite from the city.