
22

"A new-school French experience that leans heavily on Asian ingredients and references its sibling in Paris, where a small kitchen uses uni, tobiko, and soy effortlessly in a buzzy dining room. Chef Alisa Vannah, a veteran of République, prepares reconstructions of classic bistro fare such as coconut curry ocean trout crudo and lumpia with chicken and shrimp mousse served with calamansi aioli. Branzino is presented with crackling skin and grilled endives, receiving sweet-salty comfort from Japanese sweet potatoes amid a pool of loose beurre blanc. Steak frites arrives with a well-seared outer crust and tender, medium-rare interior alongside crisp fries and a peppercorn sauce, while the boeuf bourguignon carries a subtle Korean element — a sweet-soy sauce and apple kimchi — resulting in a French-style galbi jjim. The space negotiates a ground-floor office setting with thundering music and industrial-chic decor, opening up to an expansive patio, and overall fits neatly into LA’s global dining scene. — Matthew Kang, lead editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest" - Eater Staff