"Even before opening Ototo and Tsubaki, partners in business and life Courtney Kaplan and chef Charles Namba dreamt of running an untraditional bistro that combined their love for French and Japanese food. Taking over the former Church and State and Caboco space, Camelia imagines what a French restaurant would look like in Japan, from the kissaten (coffee shop) inspired interior to the dishes that seek to find harmony between two cuisines. The menu reads mainly French but integrates Japanese ingredients and techniques throughout. At Camelia, fluffy Parker House Rolls are infused with black sesame and served with house-cured ikura, while ham katsu is enveloped in Gruyere at the center of a Croque Madame. Namba roasts chicken in koji before topping it with a seaweed cream sauce, and clams in a bouillabaisse are steamed in a traditional Japanese donabe. Drawing on Kaplan’s experience working in sake bars and as a sommelier in France, Camelia offers a menu of sake and wine to pair with the food. While rooted in Japanese and French tradition, and paying tribute to the history of the space, Camelia feels like something entirely new, and Los Angeles is lucky to have it. — Rebecca Roland, editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest" - Eater Staff
