Step inside this restored 1928 Spanish mission-style cottage, located on Riverside in Toluca Lake, and you might think you’ve been transported to somewhere in the exotic Spanish or Latin American countryside. D’Caché is a lively restaurant where they serve modern Latin-fusion cuisine, tapas and fine wines and great drinks. Try a fresh Columbian mojito made from Aguardiente and fresh mint or raspberry, melon and strawberry mojitos and margaritas.

The converted house has medium-sized dining rooms and secluded patios with comfy sofas to lounge on underneath white draperies. The back patio also has a pretty fountain. Out there, the two-seater tables are made from huge, polished discs of wood, hand-hewn from a large tree they had to lop down in the backyard. These beautiful tables are remarkable!

D’Caché also has a smoking patio and inside there is a small private room with a ‘U’ shaped couch and a TV. Perfect for a laid-back board meeting.

Before I get to the outstanding cuisine, one feature of the experience is the Rumba Gipsy and world music performances every night. The live entertainment starts at 7pm and goes until 9.30pm or so, Tuesday ’till Saturday evenings.

I went on a Wednesday evening and the musicians were incredible. Bandidos de Amor, a talented trio of flamenco-style guitarists and singers, sounded a lot like the Gipsy Kings and played plenty of boisterous music of that flavor.

So, to start with drinks, any Spanish restaurant worth their salt had better offer sangria. At D’Caché they concoct an exotic blend of three wines with gin and perfume it with cinnamon and brandy infused apples. Also their wine list is fairly extensive and features wine from Chile, Argentina and Spain as well as domestic varieties, all priced at around $8-9 per glass, bottles also available.

We started with the soupe du jour – wild mushroom soup ($9). This was unctuous and incredibly rich and delicious; a caramelized-sweet, smooth soup that was fragrant with truffle oil. Just fantastic!

With only twelve appetizers and eight entree dishes on the menu, you can tell the kitchen does it all well. We started with a serving of three large empanadas ($12) filled with slow-cooked shredded pork and dressed with a confetti of mango salsa. Lovely! Other appetizers to snack on include tapas such as Patacones con Cerviche – shrimp cocktail over fried plantains – or a variety of pizette.

Main courses include Spanish classics such as a smoky and seafood-packed Paella ($32) and Pollo Catalan. They also offer seared blue fin tuna with a cilantro crust and a warm salad of asparagus and greens.

Brazilian-style Lamb chops, crusted with pistachio pesto ($42), were perfectly cooked. The basil and truffle oils almost gild the lily, but the red wine reduction cuts through the rich sauce like Zorro!

Everything was very rich, so order wisely, but like a siren’s song, the best flavors of all Latin cultures at D’Caché will call you to return again and again.

Valet and street parking available.

D’Caché Restaurant, 10717 Riverside, Toluca Lake, between Lankershim and Cahuenga.
(818) 506 9600.
Open 5pm ’till midnight, Tues - Sat.
Sunday and Monday – only open for special events.

[photo from their website]

I occasionally like to imbibe a cocktail or dine in a hotel. It feels extra glamorous and I can pretend I’m a traveller in a foreign land. So when a visiting friend suggested we meet for lunch at the Hotel Intercontinental, on Avenue of the Stars, I jumped at the chance to put on a pretty frock and heels (despite LA’s pre-emptive June gloom – okay, I added a chic cardie, aka sweater) and tool over there.

The Park Grill dining room at the Hotel Intercontinental is surprisingly unpretentious. Diners can relax in the clubby atmosphere of the dining room, with its gay, striped carpeting and comfy, upholstered armchairs.

Beyond the large, glass french doors lies the garden patio, where I’m sure we would have dined had it been a sunny day. It’s an attractive and intimate little garden and the umbrella’d dining tables skirt an expanse of lawn. Apparently this is a popular venue for weddings.

The menu offers a decent range of two soups, several salads and sandwiches, a few hot meals and desserts. My dining companion went for the great sounding watermelon and spinach salad ($15). This came out as a kind of log cabin of sticks of watermelon with a mass of baby spinach, chunks of chevre and candied walnuts in the middle. On either side of the ‘cabin’, the long, rectangular plate was attractively drizzled with the mango dressing as well as cross-hatched drizzles of vibrantly ‘kermit’ green basil oil. Now, while this looked impressive, in fact it’s a little tough to get the dressing off the plate and onto your food. But the baby spinach was also lightly dressed and sprinkled with black sesame seeds (love them!) so this wasn’t an issue, just a tiny bit irksome.

She also ordered a prosciutto and arugula pizza ($19) that was, shall we say, extremely disappointing. Suffice to say, upon reflection, one probably shouldn’t go to a hotel and expect them to have a roaring pizza furnace…

I opted for the ‘Bento Box’ ($35) as it gave me four small courses with two options per course. It arrived all at once, on a large, white, square ceramic platter with four smaller square dishes within.

The soup was the soup du jour; a chicken broth with a hint of lime, neat cubes of breast meat and finely chopped vegetables. Delicious! Of the two salads, I went with the wild rocket salad. It was studded with candied walnuts (actually, too many…), sweet slivers of dried pear, and a couple of teeny little heirloom tomatoes. The rocket was generously dressed with a rich balsamic vinaigrette that was perfumed with white truffle oil. Rich and satisfying. I couldn’t imagine a whole bowl of it; it worked really well as one small course of four. It also came with two batons of plain but toasted crostini.

The ‘entree’ portion of this bento was one of their cooked entrees, and I would recommend dining at the Park Grill for this dish alone. A small but sufficient hunk of Chilean Sea Bass, beautifully cooked, was resting on a bed of ‘forbidden’ black rice that actually looks dark red. The modest portion of fish was served with two gorgeously braised and grilled wedges of endive and a sprinkling of soft greens. It was superb!

For my fourth course I went with the plate of fruit over the pastries, and I was glad I did. A sprinkling of blueberries, boysenberries and raspberries were complemented by a slice each of honeydew melon, cantaloupe, orange and pineapple. All the fruits were exquisitely ripe. This was a perfectly balanced, filling and delicious meal.

I noticed they are doing a special buffet for Mother’s Day. I definitely think hotels are the ideal place to pamper the grande dame in your life. I’ve already raved about the exquisite afternoon tea at the Peninsular Hotel.

But the Hotel Intercontinental might be just the place for a family gathering. If it’s a nice day, you can dine outside and the kids can run about on the grass. There will be a band performing soul, jazz and Latin music.

The buffet menu is pretty extensive and has something for everyone. Highlights from the menu include:

Kid friendly choices such as wild berry mini pancakes, triple decker peanut butter sandwich, mini BLTs, mini nutella and banana club sandwiches and baby sliders.

Assortment of miniature breakfast pastries and a seasonal sliced fruit display. Egg dishes include omelettes by request and crab eggs benedict with paprika hollandaise.

There are salads such as mushroom and shrimp salad with green papaya, multicolored heirloom tomato salad with bocconcini and aged balsamic reduction, ahi tuna salad ‘a la nicoise’, grilled marinated artichoke salad with Asian beef and so on.

In addition to a sushi and sashimi display, there’ll be shrimp, mussels, oysters, clams and crab claws. Pasta dishes include truffle gnocchi with sage and brown butter or wild mushroom risotto.

Barbecue items include prime rib eye steak, citrus marinated organic white salmon, and baby lamb chops marinated with whole grain mustard and lavender. Loads of grilled and roasted vegetables, such as parmesan grilled corn on the and roasted vegetables with fresh cilantro and lemon oil.

Assorted cakes and desserts, including panacotta, tarts, pies, cookies, brownies and blondies and even a sweet crepes station with fresh fruit sauces.

This gastronomic spread will cost $68 for adults and $34 children 4-12, (with no charge for children 3 and under).

Happy Mother’s Day!

Park Grill, Hotel Intercontinental

2151 Avenue of the Stars,
Los Angeles
Front Desk: (310) 2846500

[FYI – Validated valet parking was $6.00]

Backstory: Hatfields has been high on my hit list for well over a year. We just hadn’t made it until now (we’re not eating out as often as we used to or as much as we’d like to) I decided it was the place I wanted to try for my birthday dinner out, which was last night.

Three of us went after a movie last night (Forgetting Sarah Marshall - it was quite funny), so we didn’t go for the whole three courses or drink very much as it was late when we got there (after 9.30pm).

We each had one entree and a dessert (but I was given a free dessert because I’d told them it was my birthday and sensibly opted not to order one - I’m no dummy!)

Also we each had one drink, namely beer, a glass of prosecco ($11) and a very nice Cotes de Rhone ($11) with my perfectly pink, date & mint crusted lamb cutlets ($38). My guy raved that his slow cooked beef ($33) was the most incredible thing he’d eaten since a highly memorable Christmas Eve dinner at a fancy place in Paris (Le Carre des Feuillants) where we were served rare lamb that you could virtually cut with a spoon.

Our friend had the Olive oil poached halibut which was truly sensational. This is something I’ve seen a lot on Iron Chef but have never made myself. It had a fresh sheen of citrus on it, which was yet another example of this fantastic chef’s restraint (Quinn Hatfield; Karen Hatfield is the pastry chef and I believe often runs front of house). Also our friend was going to ask for the mushrooms to be omitted, because he never eats them, but I urged him to try them and it turned out he really liked them!! None of us had heard of shimeji mushrooms, but I assumed they were a japanese variety.

I think it worked out to approx $60 pp
Not bad for such high quality fare.
Everything — I mean everything – was outstanding, from the amuse (a shot glass of warm celeriac soup plus a devilled quail egg with smoked trout on a tiny spoon) to the best little bread rolls EVER to the magnificently prepared, presented and perfectly cooked meals. The desserts were great - I loved the crispy napoleon.

Just WOW.

Oh, here’s the other thing - I am not a huge eater and generally take food home. The portions (also our ordering) were so spot on that we all cleaned our plates. The only thing that wasn’t consumed was one of the little petit four that we were given with our bill. One tiny cake. Every dish went back empty. If I were a chef, that would be proof positive I was doing something right, right?

But I don’t know if this is just a special occasion, birthday place.
The place seemed very small (we were seated right in a front window and I didn’t go exploring, but I believe they have a patio) There was nothing remarkable about the decor or ambience.

It’s more like a really great and unpretentious place to dine out every once in a while.

The thing about Hatfields was, yes $32-38 entrees…
With three courses and ample drinks, you could rack up quite a bill…
So I thought it was fairly reasonable and comparable in price to (one of our favourite places) Lucques, I would say, and slightly more impressive in result.
Loved it!

Open 6pm till 10pm or 10.30pm Fris and Sats
Closed Sundays

Hatfields
7458 Beverly Blvd, between La Brea and Fairfax (actually between Vista and Gardener, on the sth side)
(photos via Hatfield’s website)
tel — 323 935 2977

The decor is cool without being cold. They’ve successfully folded together the concrete jungle that is LA with mellow, natural elements reminiscent of, well, a park. Designer beehives buzzing with warm lights hang from the large tree in the main dining area. The rich wood accents throughout add a strong, sophisticated feeling to the space.

There are 3 champagnes offered by the glass on the “champagne & caviar” menu. We ordered 2 glasses of Veuve Clicquot. My dining companion was a true wine guru and thought their list to be quite interesting and impressive for the size. Our waiter genuinely enhanced the entire experience as he had considerable knowledge of both wine and food. A complimentary sunomono style salad made with Persian cucumbers was served first. It was fine but uninspired.

Our server recommended we order 3 or 4 items to share between the two of us which was perfect. First to arrive, the Artichoke Boursin Fritters with Jalapeno Ponzu Aioli. This dish was my least favorite of the night. It lacked in both presentation and flavor. The 3 fritters, served on a wilted piece of lettuce, were fried to a crisp golden brown, but any artichoke was overshadowed by the rich cheese. The aioli was watery and reminded me more of a store bought cheese dip. I know that’s harsh but honesty is the best policy right? :)

Moving on to the Beet “Noodle” Arugula Salad with Crumbled Goat Cheese & Roasted Red Pepper Dressing; This presentation did have more zest, but reminded me of gourmet cuisine from the early 90’s “plate painting” and “tower” designs became super popular. The al dente texture of the beet noodles was outstanding and a great pairing with the creamy goat cheese and spicy arugula. It was a touch over dressed but still very enjoyable.

My favorite plate was the Clay Pot Chilean Sea Bass, baked with black pepper, caramel and scallions, then topped with crispy onions. The tender bass was resting in a sweet, delicate broth and the batter browned fried onions made this dish pop!

Last, we had Burg’s Grilled Lamb Chopettes marinated and grilled with a rosemary Port Ginger Sauce. The lamb was butter knife tender and I enjoyed rich, comfort food flavors with each juicy bite. We opted out of dessert to catch Wicked at the Pantages. I guess I’ll have to revisit for caviar, cocktails and dessert.

THE BOTTOM LINE ~ Better than good, yet not great Asian French fusion tapas … go for the scene, ambiance, wine and cocktails, not for an exquisite gastronomical experience.

PARC
6683 Hollywood Blvd
Hollywood, CA 90028
Phone: (323) 465-6200
Cross Street: Las Palmas Avenue
Hours: Daily 6pm-2am

I’m not sure I should even be writing this review. As far as I’m concerned, Mezzomondo Trattoria, with its cosy neighborhood vibe and its fantastic fresh and simple northern Italian cuisine, is the best kept secret in Studio City. I love being able to cruise in and snag my favorite table at lunchtime (though for dinner we always make a reservation).

But I can’t really expect to keep this adorable restaurant all to myself, can I?

‘Maestro di Casa’ Elio Cavallari and Russian-born Luba are possibly the most inviting hosts you will find on Ventura Boulevard. “We like to be here!� they say.

Just east of Whitsett, behind the sunny yellow awning, lies a warm, inviting atmosphere. Mezzomondo truly feels like dining in a good friend’s home, decorated with wooden wine racks and sweet paintings, with large mirrors reflecting the soft light and granting a homey feel.

The menu is also unfussy and unpretentious. Running his kitchen, Elio deftly executes a roster of some of the best Italian cuisine you will find outside of Florence, Italy.

Elio places an emphasis on simple, fresh fare and even offers several plain dishes that follow the South Beach diet regime. Almost all their salads are dressed with lemon juice and olive oil. Their seafood-and-citrus infused Insalata Four-O-Five is a hot favorite, with its hearts of palms, mango, avocado and shaved parmesan, dressed with lemon vinaigrette ($9.95). Our favorite is the warm calamari salad, with avocado and chile peppers ($10.95).

For the rest of us there are plenty of homemade pastas, with a variety of sauces to choose from. I love their ravioli in pink sauce, which is a light tomato sauce kissed with a splash of cream. Depending on the season, it may be plump pillows of pumpkin, spinach or artichoke-filled pasta ($13.95).

Right now Elio is offering black and white pasta, which is (again) homemade thick ribbons of parpadelle, some plain, and some that have been infused with squid ink. This contrasting dish is served with grilled fresh water prawns. They also offer the pungent squid ink in a Risotto Nero (black risotto) served ‘alla pomodoro’ (with tomato sauce), calamari and peas. In fact, they have the capability to dish up any risotto combination at your command. So you can have orange risotto, which is simmered rice with saffron and scallops, or red risotto, which is made with tomatoes and shrimp, or the dramatic black risotto ($15-16.95).

If you’re lucky, their fantastic lasagne won’t have sold out. They make it with a delicate meat sauce and layered with a creamy, cheesy sauce ($14.95).

Another light menu option are the tasty carpaccio selections, warm or cold ($11-14.95). The thinly sliced beef is drizzled with lemon juice and olive oil and served with either rugola and shaved pandano cheese (cold) or topped with a warm sauce of oregano, caper berries, olives and fresh tomatoes. Another warm carpaccio is topped with a portabello mushroom sauce sauteed with garlic, parsley and topped with fontina cheese. Wow!

Heavier fare includes lamb chops with spicy apple sauce ($20.95), veal scallopini ($21.95), slow-cooked beef short ribs in sauce ($20.95) as well as imported Sole fillet ($19.95) and daily fish specials.

For sunny days and balmy evenings, there’s a gorgeous outdoor patio out front that’s ringed with terracotta pots brimming with colorful flowers. Out there the foliage glimmers with pretty lights by dusk. It’s the perfect venue for their summer cocktail, Peach Bellini, where they blend summer peaches with crisp, bubbly prosecco ($9.50).

Their wine list is moderately priced, like their menu. Elio gets his wines from all over, favoring Italian regions such as Toscana and Abruzzi and northern California, especially Nichols winery in Paso Robles. Also available is imported Italian ‘Moretti’ beer, either light or dark.

Many of the luxurious desserts are made on the premises, too, such as the dreamy tiramisu and the refreshing limoncello mousse, served parfait-style in an elegant flute.

Luba maintains that every single day she hears the same praise from her customers, “Your food is so good, I feel like I am home.�

Mezzomondo is the kind of place I want to call home.

Viva Italia!

Mezzomondo Trattoria
12415 Ventura Boulevard
just East of Whitsett Avenue,
Studio City, CA 91604
Phone: (818) 508-1301
Mon-Fri 11:30am-2:30pm, 6pm-10pm
Sat 6pm-10pm

Celadon is a beautiful restaurant and bar/lounge that offers a unique experience. This is definitely the kind of romantic venue you could take someone special to, though the menu is actually skewed towards shared plates, hence ideal for groups of 4-5 or more.

Adjacent to the main bar are a few lounge rooms, where anyone underestimating the kick of the various sake or soju-based and other Asian cocktails can recover on one of the comfy-looking antique daybeds.

The dining room is large and glamorous (without feeling at all stuffy) and its walls are lined with dozens of flickering crimson votive candles. Along the walls, the booths are comfortable, though a little more brightly lit than the four-top tables set within the muted dining room.

Executive Chef Danny Elmaleh apparently hand selected the many South East Asian artifacts that decorate the little alcoves and nooks of his gorgeous restaurant. This same attention to detail can be found in his distinctive cuisine, offering a selection of small plates that meld traditional Asian tastes with ingredients from Europe and the Middle East.

The main thing to note here is his tendency to serve fairly generous portions. In this era of “small plates� dining, many establishments are taking advantage of this trend to offer minuscule portions with hefty entree prices.

Not so Celadon.

Two must-try appetisers are the Tuna Tartare Lollipop(s) and the citrus Hamachi starter. A long glass platter arrives bearing five substantial-looking portions per $15 (or so) plate, which is fantastic.

[Eight-18 in Toluca Lake – I’m thinking of sending you a photo of Celadon’s plated fare. $9 for two lousy shrimp with pomegranate reduction just doesn’t cut it.]

Poised on slender bamboo skewers, the ‘lollipops’ are tasty cubes of spicy tuna tartare and rice, layered with tempura seaweed, adding a satisfyingly oily crunch.

The fresh and nicely substantial cuts of hamachi are paired with citrus salsa, minced jalapeno, ponzu gelée and citrus dust. Funnily enough, the citrus powder sent me on an (ascorbic) acid flashback; this sweet and tangy dust tasted exactly like crushed orange froot loops!! I swear!

Almost every dish arrives garnished with micro greens, pansy petals or flowers and a brush of sauce reduction. The crispy shrimp toast fingers are crammed with a layer of black and white sesame seeds.

There was a fantastic toasted pepita and microgreen salad to accompany perfectly pink and perfectly cooked plump slices of Maple leaf Roasted Duck ($18 - from memory), on a bed of pureed purple potato which nicely contains a puddle of the duck juices.

We didn’t like the Grilled Octopus dish ($16 - from memory), though. But it is important to note, this is not baby octopus (a pertinent fact that eluded us at the time), therefore these slices are well-cooked but extremely chewy and, to my mind, indigestible. Flavourful but quite rich, with pesto and paired with a rather greasy sweet potato fritter. The only ‘miss’ among so many hits.

We skipped dessert, though the choices looked promising.

One thing we have to come back for is the “Saraudon� sizzling crispy noodles and rice ($18) – spied at the next table. A large, rustic stone pot (like an oversized mortar) comes to the table then sizzles as they serve the noodles and seafood (shrimp, scallops and bok choy) in front of you. Dramatic and impressive!

We enjoyed a delightful sake, the Daishichi Kimoto Honjozo, which arrived in a gorgeous bamboo carafe ($30).

Total for two was $108.00 (before tip). Dining at Celadon is sure to put a smile on your face.

Celadon
7910 W 3rd St., just West of Fairfax
Los Angeles, CA 90048

Tel: 323-658-8028

Dinner, Tuesday – Sunday

For over a year I have driven past a nice-looking venue (at 11334 Moorpark, just east of Tujunga) where a posted sign promised “ZenChi – Coming 05.â€? Eventually the sign was changed to read “Ok….2006.â€?

Funny! At least these restaurateurs have a sense of humour.

Well at long last ZenChi Cafe has opened its doors, just making its 2006 date by the skin of its teeth.

The first thing you notice about ZenChi is the massive and serene stone Buddha statue that greets you as enter their main doorway. The decor has a decidedly Asian influence, featuring dark stained and glossy wooden tables and chairs, stylishly unadorned. A bustling open kitchen dominates the wide front room, while there is a more intimate dining room off to the left hand side. Patio dining is also available.

Chef Manuel Castro (formerly of the Parkway Grill) concentrates on Asian-fusion dishes at this full-service restaurant. The black napkins indicate they have their eye on the business lunch crowd. Indeed, the lunch menu is well chosen for swift one-hour dining, while the dinner menu seems a bit more leisurely.

The starters range from $8 to $12, with offerings such as Thai pork spare ribs ($8), sesame kobe beef satay sticks with asian slaw – very tender and delicious – ($9) and sufficiently meaty blue crab cakes with citrus aioli ($12). At lunchtime you can partake of the ZenChi Sampler and get a little taste of vegetable dumplings, baby crab cakes and crunchy calamari.

On the lunch menu, the $10-11.00 sandwiches and burgers come with a choice of fries, curry sweet potato fries or asian slaw, and while the curry sweet potato fries were shoestring thin and delicious, but there was no discernable curry present. The usual suspects are here; albacore tuna burger, bbq pork rib sandwich, turkey burger with avocado and caramelized onions.

The salads are substantial and tasty, arriving as a mountain of multicolored greens and vegetables on a square white plate. I especially liked the insalata misto (mixed green salad) which at lunchtime ($7.95) came with powerful nuggets of blue cheese, little cubes of tomato, sliced shiitake mushrooms and water chestnuts that add a satisfying crunch. The so-called “shaved� red onions in the salad were actually sliced, and a bit too pungent for my liking. I’d remembered how much I’d liked the raspberry vinaigrette during a previous dinner visit and the kitchen very obligingly substituted it for their usual balsamic vinaigrette, so I was all smiles. You can also get chinese chicken or shrimp salad ($11.95 and $13.95, respectively), classic caesar with rosemary croutons and wild salmon, seafood or wood-fired sirloin salads.

The only sticker shock was experienced at dinner, when my foodie companion opted for the Thai-glazed Lamb Chops entree with rosemary pesto and mashed potatoes. These were very good, but seriously priced at $25.00.

From their full bar they feature martinis and cocktails made with Korean Soju as well as mojitos and margaritas ($8.50). There are typical martinis such as apple, lemon drop and even a few daring ones such as lychee and pomegranate.

A crisp Ecco Domani Pinot Grigio was reasonably priced at $8 while the mellow St Jean Pinot Noir was $9.00. In fact, none of the wines by the glass cost more than $10 and – best of all – all come in a voluminous wine glass with a generous pour. For bottled wines, the prices are as conservative (we’re talking Ralph’s-level boring) as the selection.

I hardly ever notice service, whether it’s bad or good. I sometimes get annoyed if the check seems to take forever to arrive. That’s because when I’ve decided it’s time to leave, I don’t like to mess around. But this wasn’t the case with ZenChi. Above all, the service was really attentive without being intrusive.

At ZenChi they offer valet parking, but unless you’re teetering in stiletto heels, you should be able to find a parking place on the local streets nearby.

Bottom line – while ZenChi is a welcome addition of decent yet not exciting cuisine to my ’hood, its low-key ambience left me craving more of a vibey scene.

ZenChi Cafe
11334 Moorpark St.
(Tujunga Ave.)
North Hollywood, CA
818-760-3890

Open Tues – Sun, 11.30am–9pm

Last week I posted a query regarding this place. You can read the recs I received here –

http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/340730

I’m going to adopt Poet Kitty’s style for this review (thanks, PK – you rock!)

Very chic, cosy and large bar area. Warm vibe. French reproduction – stamped tin ceiling, little (faux) paintings, period light fixtures and other decorative touches everywhere. Comfy, deep red leather booths in large wing of restaurant. But they spelled a few French terms incorrectly on their menu! Hmmmnnn…

Cocktails: They have several champagne cocktails (made with a cheap local bubbly). Most of us girls went for the champagne with pomegranate juice, which was very nice. $14 or $18, from memory. I thought I might have to drive (my sweetheart drank two “very good” Sapphire martinis throughout his meal) so I opted for the fanciest champagne they had by the glass – Tattinger – $24. It was fine, but pricey, non? Four of us had two or so cocktails with their meal, three of us had one cocktail and shared a bottle of Iron Horse Pinot Noir ($54), which I liked.

Bread: Excellent – fluffy and freshly made, more Italian style than French, methought. Came with this delicious spread – mayonnaise, garlic, a touch of black olive tapenade and possibly balsamic vinegar. Everyone loved this. It was an optimistic start to the meal.

Appetizers: Mine was the crab cake. Medium in size and very meaty. Good flavour. My guy had the prosciutto-wrapped scallops with white corn ragout, sage brown butter. This dish was easily the best thing I tasted all night. Two fat, perfectly cooked and scrumptious scallops but swimming in a pond of butter/oil that floated next to the corn relish. I found that a little off-putting. Someone had the caesar salad, which was massive. I tasted the lobster beignet (a special) – decent morsels of lobster encased in a lot of batter, which was crispy on the outside but soggy inside. Nicely presented in a cone of paper inside a tall, metal parfait ‘glass’, atop shoestring fries.

Sides: There were loads of delicious-looking sides on the menu. The only one I tried was the creamed corn, which was sweet and yummy. The steamed asparagus hollandaise looked nice.

Entrees: Mine was a big disappointment. I just can’t go past duck in a French restaurant, but this “duck two ways” ($24) was really ordinary confit leg and pink, chewy sliced breast on a smattering of cherry sauce. The halved artichoke was undercooked. Potato gratin was unremarkable. I ended up taking most of my main meal home. Duck salad for lunch!!

My guy also ordered the duck and cleaned his plate, though.

I really wish I’d taken a ’hound’s rec and gone for the short ribs a la Bourguignonne with red wine sauce and horseradish cream… But then again, would it have been better than at Lucques?

Dessert: We all shared two desserts; the berry cobbler which was okay and not too syrupy, though there were nuts in the crumble (ugh!) The chocolate, hazelnut and banana crepes were fantastic, featuring a crunchy toffee element that was there ’till the last bite. I should know – I snagged it!
Damage for 7 diners, $608.00, before tip.

THE BAD – One girl’s dish came out wrong AND cold. She’d ordered the chicken crepes and got the vegetarian. To their credit, her meal was replaced within 10 minutes and was hot.

Also, we asked if they could put $200 on every couple’s bill and $100 on the single girl’s bill. They said they could do this, but hers (same girl as the wrong meal!) came back with $120 total, which didn’t seem fair. I told her to send her bill back, but she just ate the extra cost. I certainly wouldn’t have.

RESTAURANT REPORT CARD - French 75 Bistro, Visit 1

Ambiance A
Service A (but the place wasn’t crowded)
Food (Taste) B-
Food (Presentation) B
Wine/Drinks B
Value C
Vibe/Energy/Scene B-

Overall Experience B-

Final word – Decent menu, many choices. We had a very nice time with our friends, but I probably wouldn’t go back. Too many better places in LA to knock my socks off and leave a similar hole in my wallet.

French 75 Bistro

3400 W Olive Avenue,
Burbank, CA 91505

right next to Arnie Mortons

(818) 955-5100

www.French75Bistro.com

BTW – There are four other locations – Newport Beach, Irvine, Century City and Laguna Beach.

Warm, friendly and inviting – Le Petit Jacques Café is a delightful and charming neighborhood French bistro just east of Woodman in Sherman Oaks. Neither stuffy nor especially dressy, it strikes the right balance for a nice evening out if you’re in search of fine French fare.

As you enter the restaurant, there is a distinct sense of dining on a pretty balcony as white louvered wooden shutters, half opened, serve as semi-dividers between the two intimate dining rooms. A lovely mural at the back of the restaurant evokes the paintings of Renoir and Toulouse Lautrec. There is also seating on the patio out front for smokers.

Sliced baguette and crisp seeded flat-bread was served with a little pot of hummus and a little pot of smooth paté of chicken livers. As this was an unusual treat, I did think someone should have announced what was in each pot lest an unwary vegetarian dive in.

Eric was our fantastic waiter who guided us through the specials of the evening, but we’d already decided what we wanted to sample and could not be swayed.

I opted for the escargots “au four� (meaning out of the oven, $9.95) and instead of six, as advertised, I was treated to a seventh morsel of exquisitely tender and tasty snails in a herby, garlicky butter. Anyone who’s ever wanted to try escargots but has been too afraid to risk it, this is the place to go.

My gastronomic companion chose the coconut shrimp ($10.95), which were perfectly crisp and coconutty and served with a piquant mango chutney as well as a good amount of well-dressed organic salad greens. Our entrees came out hot on the heels of the appetizer plates being whisked away – we’d barely taken a breath – and that was way too prompt for our liking. But this being California, it is somewhat the norm… When asked about this, Eric explained you can request a leisurely dinner if that is your preference.

The filet mignon ($24.95) – perfectly cooked to order – was pan roasted with sautéed mushrooms and served with a rich, bordeaux wine sauce. It was also served with spinach and a leek and potato gratin side dish that was sufficiently cheesy and creamy without feeling like it was about to bring on a heart attack.

My dish — tender medallions of roasted duck breast with butternut squash puree, mushroom ravioli and a truffle cabernet sauce ($18.95) — was heavenly.

All in all we enjoyed attentive service without it ever being too pushy. I loved that they didn’t clear away my plate while my companion was finishing his meal.

There are plenty of desserts ($7.00) to choose from, including standards such as Creme Bruleé, fruit sorbets and a berry cobbler.

You simply have to save room to sample the Pot au Chocolate (we ordered ours without whipped cream.) This baked “mousse� was dense and superbly chocolatey without being too heavy.

Their wine list is not going to knock your socks off, but my glass of pinot noir was perfectly decent while the house cabernet sauvignon was also fine. Corkage is $10.00.

If you treat yourself to a quiet night out at Le Petit Jacques Café, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by their high standard fare.

Le Petit Jacques Café
13456 Ventura Blvd
Sherman Oaks, CA 91403
818 - 789-3575
Open seven days — lunch Monday-Friday, weekends dinner only, with early closing time of 9.30pm Mon & Sun eves

STOP PRESS: As of 8-11-06, Maximilians is closed for “staff vacation”. No date has been set for their reopening.

Tucked away in the NoHo Arts District is an unexpected find; a fine French dining experience minus the stuffy atmosphere and high prices found elsewhere in LA.

Open since mid-March 2005, Maximilians is a little gem in the Valley just north of Magnolia at the corner of Tujunga and Weddington. Chef Marc Boussarie delivers a selection of authentic French Bistro fare with a light touch.

Outside is a sweet, canopied courtyard. Inside are two gently lit rooms with a French-country motif and polished woods. White-clothed tables set the mood for relaxed, refined dining. Meals begin with warm slices of crusty baguette and herb-laced butters. The entire menu has plenty of tantalizing options to draw you back again and again. Available on the weekend, the specials are worth sampling.

A standard option is the French Onion Soup, dressed with caramelized onions, gruyere cheese and buttered croutons. I opted for the soup du jour ($6.50); a delicious puree of cauliflower and carrot with tiny pieces of vegetables adding a little texture. This soup was divine and so like a bisque that I had to be convinced there was no cream present. A quick word on the stunning presentation. My deep soup bowl arrived with the vegetables in the bottom. Our server followed by dramatically pouring a jug of steaming broth into my bowl. Impressive theatrics! Best of all, this soup doesn’t overwhelm the palate nor the stomach. Boussarie proves he is an artist when it comes to soup. He clearly relishes his work.

My companion devoured the Dungeness crab salad with a refreshing lemon vinaigrette. Typical of French chefs, the salad was a little too salty for my taste, but that aspect was off-set by the segments of pink grapefruit and soothing avocado with delicate threads of crab and snow pea tendrils distributed throughout.

My entree was a buttery, pan-fried filet of John Dory, which is thin and lightly-flavored; a little like sole or sand dab. Here it’s served with melted leeks, cabbage and artichokes and napped with a foamy foie-gras nage (sauce).

I urged my companion to sample the Columbia River Sturgeon. It was pan-seared and served with roasted cabocha squash puree, a cauliflower and chanterelles relish and drizzled with a syrah reduction sauce. Sturgeon is a dense fish, though not as firm as halibut and not as flaky as sea bass. This dish, with its earthy autumnal flavors of squash and mushrooms, is perfect for this time of year.

Other popular entrees from the open kitchen include the Filet Mignon ($28.50), the Organic Crispy Roasted Chicken ($18.50) served with eggplant mousseline and also the fabulous-sounding Bouillabaisse ($21). This classic fish stew, served with garlic croutons and a rich, mayonnaise-y rouille, surely will be worth returning to try.

Wine was elegantly served in their own tiny carafes. We sampled a couple by the glass and found them complex enough to delight.

Desserts are made daily and provide the perfect conclusion to a superb meal. A dreamy panna cotta was paired with oven-roasted strawberries and strawberry sauce. The special was a chocolate cake layered with piped cream and topped with crunchy, caramel-covered banana slivers. It was served with sticky, prune-like cherries in a reduced sauce.

Maximilians is the ideal choice for an exquisite lunch or dinner. Their devoted cuisine is high quality and satisfying, without burning a hole in your wallet.

Final comment — what a great name for a restaurant!

Maximilians
11330 Weddington St.
cnr Tujunga
North Hollywood CA 91601
(818) 980-6294
Lunch 11.30am – 2.30pm; Dinner 5.30pm – 10pm
Closed Sundays and Mondays

Please note — this review was also published in the Studio City and Sherman Oaks Sun newspaper under my (real) name.