Celebrated French Restaurant Mr. T Adapts to Tough Times in Hollywood | Eater LA

"Opened in Hollywood in September 2022 by restaurateur Guillaume Guedj (previously of two-Michelin-starred Passage 53) with opening chef Alisha Vannah (from République), this chic Parisian bistro launched with inventive Angeleno-leaning takes on classic French fare — dishes like chicken pot pie with tare chicken jus, tuna crudo, roast lamb kebabs, and Koshihikari rice topped with sea urchin créme — and later expanded a daytime pastry program led by François Daubinet (whose “impossibly smooth” chocolate mousse drew particular praise). Early acclaim included a four-star review from Time Out LA and placement at No. 87 on the Los Angeles Times’ 101 Best Restaurants, but the restaurant’s reliance on nearby office foot traffic (including tenants above the space), the 2023 writers’ and actors’ strikes, and the Palisades and Eaton wildfires depressed business and prompted a strategic menu shift. The kitchen has since leaned into warmer, more approachable French-American bistro classics — poulet rôti (roasted chicken) with a clarified jus, steak frites with a thick peppercorn sauce, a twist on beef Bourguignon, a Caesar-style salad using stacked endive, branzino with beurre blanc, apple pie with roasted apples, plus comfort items like a burger and macaroni and cheese — emphasizing farm-to-table ingredients, focused sauces and technique over high-concept experimentation. Daytime pastry service was scaled back to weekends as the team adapts to local demand, and the current goal is to build a steady base of regulars and become a neighborhood favorite while surviving a difficult economic environment." - Matthew Kang