"Is there a dessert that could help you understand the violence of the Black Dahlia Murder?"
Such is the question posed by Los Angeles Eats Itself, a new dinner party in town that—bear with us—combines multi-course meals with some of LA's most sordid historical events, reinterpreting murders and riots and prostitution scandals through food and art. Their first dinner in March, called The Night Stalker Supper, saw Guerrilla Tacos' Wes Avila recreate the anticipation and public absoprtion felt the summer of the Night Stalker through food—a feat that you have to taste to believe.
On April 12, The Black Dahlia Dinner will feature chef Jonathan Moulton (of the Block and Wheel underground dinner series) and artist Julie Orser create a meal based around the murder of Elizabeth Short—more commonly referred to as The Black Dahlia. Diners will experience a five-course meal, ending with a dessert from Cloak + Dagger's Rebecca Swanner, who also works for the Depressed Cake Shop (which is the most appropriate cake shop to work for if you're involved with this dinner).
What does a meal based on The Black Dahlia even look like? We won't go into all the gory details, but the 1947 murder left Short in two pieces—literally—so it's safe to assume that there will be a lot of parts to each course. You can find out for yourself, though: RSVP at losangeleseatsitself@gmail.com. Tickets are $65 for the 7pm seating, which includes the dinner (location announced three days prior) and a commemorative plate designed by ceramicist Brandon Lipe. Oh, and nightmares. Nightmares are definitely included.