Zanzibar’s Arabian nights

The tradewinds of change have apparently blown a twister through the former West End nightclub in Santa Monica. Where once stood a no-frills live venue hosting disco and reggae/rock cover-band nights popular with the frat crowd now stands Zanzibar, one of the Westside’s most elegantly appointed pleasure palaces.

Staff members joke about all the broken teeth and carrot sticks they had to clean up in the 19 days it took to transform the space into an upscale, Moroccan-flavored DJ salon. Louie Ryan, who co-owns and operates Zanzibar with his wife, Nettie, explains: “The vision for Zanzibar grew from our desire to build and design a DJ lounge that had a comfortable vibe but was unpretentious.... We wanted a de-emphasis on race or one particular culture dominating a club.”

The Ryans have already delivered a similar ambience to Westside patrons with their other club, the Temple Bar on Wilshire Boulevard. Since 1999, it has tempted multicultural hipsters out of their holes with a combination of ritzy bar food (care for some fried plantains with your Mediterranean pasta?), lush red interiors and pan-African live funk and world music lineups.

So consider Zanzibar the Temple Bar’s distant cousin from back East -- the Middle East, in this case. Get set for a whiff of sandalwood incense as you blow in from the club’s side entrance on Arizona Avenue, and don’t forget to bring night-vision goggles -- tea lights and sparse overhead illumination create the darkened, cavernous feel that reminds a clubgoer why bats developed sonar.

The outer lounge area opens up early, at 5:30 p.m., and local music and film industry professionals have already secured this spot for the inner-contentment sensibility most happy hours don’t provide. The dance floor opens at 9 p.m., and the clientele expands to include sophisticated 20-something clubbers and well-heeled, casually attired professionals who happen onto the club through word-of-mouth or announcements on local listener-supported radio station KCRW-FM (89.9).

“When [people] get here, they’re here to listen to the music and talk to their friends, as opposed to seeing who else is coming,” says Carly Gecima, 25.

The space offers club patrons ample opportunities to enjoy the music or just enjoy each other. Lounge areas on opposite ends of the room flank the DJ booth and the soundboard. Here, wallflowers can sip their Mai Tais on tan leather poufs and adjust the curtains hanging from the ceiling for a more private affair. Clubgoer Ghislane Sefroui, who recalls the West End’s “black box” interior, considers it an improvement. “The atmosphere’s very loungey and comfortable,” she says.

Zanzibar inherited a powerful sound system from its previous tenants that can handily accommodate live musicians. But with a few notable exceptions, such as a rare area appearance tonight by ethno-techno pioneer Banco de Gaia, and another by Bay Area hip-hop heads Blackalicious on Nov. 23, clubgoers shouldn’t expect to see too many live acts. Rather, Zanzibar is staking its claim on area jocks like KCRW’s Garth Trinidad, who hosts a free Sunday DJ session, and local dance floor hero Jason Bentley, who recently moved his popular Bossa Nova club night from Club Sugar to Zanzibar for the Friday night action.

Every now and then, an occasional straggler from the West End days will show up and wonder what’s up with all of the Arab decor -- and for them, the owners still maintain the coin-operated condom machines in the restrooms.

Funky decor and West End memories aside, Zanzibar shares the operational slogan “Diversity Through Music” with the Temple Bar. But in this case, it comes from the modern-day culture of the DJ. “They’ll go from Asia to Africa to America and Europe and back in their selections,” says Louie Ryan. “And we design clubs that evoke that same vibe.

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Zanzibar

Where: 1301 5th St. (enter at Arizona Avenue), Santa Monica.

Cost: From free to $10.

When: Tuesday-Sunday, 5:30 p.m.-2 a.m.; tonight: Banco de Gaia.

Contact: (310) 451-2221.