Camelia

"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

"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

"An esteemed dining establishment in Los Angeles, California, with chef Charles Namba at the helm." - Rebecca Roland

"Arts District French Japanese bistro, Camelia, is serving a six-course prix fixe menu for $165 a person on New Year’s Eve. The menu will include dishes like blini with caviar and uni and toshikoshi soba, plus complimentary Champagne for a midnight toast. Book a reservation through OpenTable." - Rebecca Roland

"The crew behind Echo Park’s enduring izakaya Tsubaki have opened this classy French Japanese bistro in the heart of the Arts District. Though its former life as Church & State conjured a streetside Parisian restaurant, Camélia’s sleek wood panels and minimalist furniture feel like a retro American diner. The cooking is excellent right out of the gate, with terrific seasonal ingredients expressed as French classics. Think loup de mer with oroshi ponzu, grilled Flannery steak with ginger brandy sauce, and ham katsu Croque Madame." - Eater Staff