CAFÉ TRISTE

Cafe Triste Review - Chinatown - Los Angeles - The Infatuation

"The perks of going to Cafe Triste are twofold: you get to drink eclectic natural wines, and you get to do it at neon-lit Mandarin Plaza in Chinatown. This bar from the team behind has quickly become the “it” spot for 20-somethings, wine drinkers, and anyone who can pull off spray-painted jeans. On weekends, the sidewalk out front is a packed, see-and-be-seen scenario where people stand around with glasses of gamay till midnight. If you'd rather grab a table, sit inside their moody, low-lit dining room, and look around at the paintings on the walls. You'll probably see a few people who regularly get paid to look bored in Eckhaus Latta ads doing the same thing. Whether you’re a self-certified expert or don’t quite know how liquid can be described as “chewy,” the staff will help you find something exciting and affordable on their condensed wine list. As for the food, Cafe Triste mostly serves snack-sized items, and you may find that aggravating until you try a few—they'll remind you why you still bother with small plates. The rotating menu leans into the kind of stuff you'd expect to find on a gourmet charcuterie board, and there’s usually some kind of tartare on the menu. Get it. It might arrive in a pool of deep-green olive oil, or it might come topped with thinly sliced cucumber that, somehow, you're excited to eat. Pair that with some gouda and a bottle of Pinot Gris, and this place becomes one of the best spots to hang out in Chinatown, full stop. " - Nikko Duren