Marché is closing. Owner Andre Guerrero said by phone this afternoon that he's closing his Sherman Oaks restaurant, which opened just last September. Their last day will be May 8th. “We've got a core of extremely loyal customers, but it just hasn't been enough,” said Guerrero (Oinkster, BoHo). Executive chef Gary Menes, who had previously been at Palate Food + Wine, is fielding offers; Guerrero is focusing on opening a second Oinkster. Guerrero says that the restaurant's closing may have been due to the economy, or “maybe demographics.” “We had a good run: 8 years, 7 years as Max. But this economy is brutal.”

After the restaurant closes, the Marché location — which was previously Max restaurant — will function as a test kitchen and commissary for Oinkster. And maybe as storage for the high end coffee equipment that was originally supposed to go into Butter Tart bakery, for which Guerrero scrapped plans last month.

Meanwhile, Guerrero says that he'll be using the last two weeks of operation to “blow out some of my inventory.” Look for half-price wines and other specials. And as for Marché's Sunday suppers, this Sunday will be the last. “The last supper,” said Guerrero, then stopped. Right. Well, after you have your last supper at Marché, you can always go eat pastrami at Oinkster. And we will surely keep you posted on Menes' whereabouts, as the extremely talented chef will hardly be off the food radar for long.

Marché: 13355 Ventura Boulevard Sherman Oaks; (818) 784-2915.

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