Camélia
French restaurant · Place Vendome
251 Rue Saint-Honoré, 75001 Paris, France
Highlights
French Japanese bistro with garden tables and exquisite desserts
French Japanese bistro with garden tables and exquisite desserts
"Celebrating one year in the Arts District on July 14 with specials that include seafood towers, country pate, steak frites, and baba au rhum, plus special bottles of bubbly and sake." - Matthew Kang
"It’s normal to want to one-up your last date night, but using a Groupon on a trapeze class isn’t everyone’s idea of romance. Sometimes a sophisticated dinner is all you need, like one at Camelia. This French-Japanese brasserie in the Arts District from the Tsubaki people emits a sultry glow and is the kind of spot where a “nice sport coat” feels appropriate. Sultry doesn’t translate to stuffym though. The early 2000s hip-hop playlist bounces off the wood paneling, the staff sneak in jokes with every menu suggestion, and the French-leaning menu features clever Japanese twists, like a croque madame stuffed with ham katsu and juicy roast chicken in seaweed cream. Get access to exclusive reservations at this spot with Chase Sapphire Reserve. New cardmembers get $300 in annual dining statement credits." - sylvio martins, brant cox, cathy park
"Described as offering Japanese-inflected French cooking with sleek vibes in the Arts District—a fusion approach combining technique and cross-cultural flavor profiles." - Eater Staff
"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 Know before you go: Parking in the Arts District at night can be tricky, so take advantage of Camelia’s valet right out front." - Mona Holmes
"Camelia, a French Japanese bistro from the team behind Tsubaki and Ototo, has quickly become a new favorite among Arts District diners. The menu reads French with dishes like duck frites and a Croque Madame, but swaps in Japanese ingredients for French ones like koji on the roasted chicken and a touch of wasabi on a braised beef cheek. Co-owner Courtney Kaplan curated the beverage menu for the restaurant, which equally features French wines and Japanese sake. Every meal here should start with an order of the fluffy black sesame Parker House rolls." - Rebecca Roland
