photo by:Thomas Hencz

Introducing Goa, a club so dynamite the city wants to defuse it while it’s young. The inside of this unmarked Cahuenga supper club is gorgeous, rich, and so exotic it’s in danger of being kidnapped from owner Michael Sutton’s possession. The juxtaposition of an Indian palace-type setting paired with Japanese cuisine makes the Goa experience pretty surreal.

Named after the city in India where trance originated, the décor is certainly fit for modern royalty. You have to be known to know the inside of Goa.

“While Goa’s technically a public club, it’s also very controlled,” says Sutton. “Everyone here is great, from the security staff to the bus boys. The crowd knows me either directly or indirectly, so it’s organic. It’s a very jet-set clientele.”

Not only does this keep the place manageable and posh, but Sutton’s here every night that it’s open, so he can oversee the front lines among friends. The club opens at 7:30pm to serve dinner, by reservation only. The sushi chef, Ted Fujita, slices up such fresh and flavorful cuts of seafood, it won’t matter that it’s so dim inside that you can hardly see what you’re eating. Recently added hot menu items include savory shrimp skewers and seared scallops. And once you’ve done some light eating, you’re already in an elegant place to do some weighty drinking.

Along with the enormous success of Goa comes the inevitable demand to begin developing offspring. Unfortunately, there are some speed bumps that even a man as fortuitous as Sutton can’t avoid.

“I’d be sitting here with a big smile on my face if it wasn’t for the city [of Los Angeles],” says Sutton, seated at a circular corner booth that faces out over the entire main room of the club. “I’d like to expand this concept to a lot of different markets, but this city won’t be giving out many more club licenses. There are a bunch of club owners who got together to keep other people from getting club licenses… owners who don’t have a clientele, and the only way they can make money is to keep others from making it.”

Fear not; this kind of beauty is worth fighting for. The determination on Sutton’s face reflects his fierce love for this “baby” of his. Despite ongoing battles with permits and legalities, he’s got things running fluidly. The whole club feels like a set for a film. Everyone’s smiling flawless smiles, the music is bumpin’ just loud enough, and the atmosphere is as smooth as the top-shelf liquor you’re undoubtedly sipping on.

“I’m loving what I’m doing right now,” says Sutton. “The whole creative process is exciting. Two weeks before opening, I said, ‘In three weeks, the world will know what I’ve been working on for three years.’ Now, I have a Thursday, Friday, and Saturday night you can’t touch.”

Article & Interview By Violet Morris