An American Masters Paris

Bouchon Beverly Hills
www.bouchonbistro.com

The French must tire of their tropes (see berets, baguettes). A trip to Paris reveals their cuisine has evolved beyond the bistro, with molecular gastronomy and multiculturalism shaking the house that Escoffier built. Perhaps it's nostalgia for summers and studies in Paris, but I still cling to the classics of French cuisine. I've got a bad case of Francophilia (she writes, sporting a marinière stripe romper).

While diversity abounds in L.A.'s dining scene, I yearn for more French-run bistros, like in my former stomping ground, NYC. We've got glimmers of it, with Cafe Stella and Maison Giraud, but on this Bastille Day, I'm craving Gallic goodness. Ironically, the Frenchiest fare in town comes from an American legend: Thomas Keller.

Like Julia Child, his Bouchon outpost in Beverly Hills has Mastered the Art of French Cooking  Sure, the interior feels more Paris, Las Vegas, than the City of Lights, but the menu--a who's who of bistro classics--is quintessentially French. Stunning seafood towers, steak frites, pâté de campagne and tarte au citron will whisk you across the Atlantic.

With exquisite food and impeccable service (GM Stephen Cook made it his mission to find us shade during a sunny, al fresco brunch), Bouchon is a lovely place to linger. Or, if you're in the mood for an afternoon nibble or a pain au chocolat, head downstairs to Bar Bouchon and Bouchon Bakery. Good things come in threes on Canon Ave.

Pain d'epi

Bouchon's bread is worth the trip alone. Here, they serve a wheat-stalked shaped pain d'epi, the crustier cousin to a baguette. Though in a fancy setting, the bread is set directly on the table familiarly,  encouraging you to tear off hunks for butter slathering. Make like a Français, and "saucer": mop up the last morsels on your plate with bits of bread. 

 Pâté de campagne

This thick slab of country-style pâté smacks of Paris. With traditional accompaniments--cornichons, Dijon, watercress--savor this porky pleasure. 

Laitue

J'adore the simplicity of a French salad. Bibb lettuce, fresh tarragon, parsley, chive and an uncomplicated dressing (Dijon, canola oil & red wine vinegar) create a palate cleanser perfect for our decadent meal.

Boudin noir

Lyon's legendary blood sausage, boudin noir, comes with silken, whipped potatoes and apples, bruléed to bring out their caramelized goodness. This wintry dish evokes après-ski in the Alps. 

Croque Madame

As comforting as grilled cheese with a wallop of French finery, this grilled brioche, ham, and cheese is topped with a hens egg and creamy Mornay sauce.  Breakfast for dinner? The croque is offered day-to-night, though this may be my new hangover cure. 

Quiche du jour

A masterful version of the 70's classic. This thick, deep-dish spinach and Gruyère quiche is miraculously dense and fluffy at the same time, thanks to the transcendent custard filling.

Chicken and Waffles

A sophisticated spin on Southern comfort. Instead of fried, the chicken is roasted with herbs and lemon and the waffles are bacon & chive. 'Tis the "gravy", a sauce Chausseur made from veal stock, bacon, and mushrooms, that drenches this dish in gourmet.

Tarte au citron

Grab a slice of this luscious lemon tart, which features a buttery, pine-nut crust and crunchy, bruléed top.

Bouchons

These eponymous chocolate minis (bouchon=cork) are a cross between a brownie and dense cake. Dunked in decadent, chocolate sauce alongside vanilla ice cream, they embody Keller's signature blend of the culinary and comfort. For all the bakers in the house, check out the recipe here

Bar Bouchon

www.bouchonbistro.com/bh-barbouchon

The casual cousin to the upstairs restaurant, Bar Bouchon offers a more intimate setting. Choose from the convivial, circular bar or the verdant terrace. With chalkboard menus, wicker chairs, and zinc tables spilling out onto the patio, the ambiance is très Parisien. 

Hobnob with the wealthy without dropping mad cash at Happy Hour, which features $4 beers and $5 glasses of wine, This summer, grab a seat outside to watch al fresco movies and concerts at Canon Gardens from the patio. 

The happy hour menu offers inexpensive, fancy-schmancy snacks like $5 deviled eggs and truffled popcorn. 

Foie de Volaille

 If I wasn't in public, I'd dip a spoon straight into this velvety, chicken liver mousse. With the toast soldiers, arranged Jenga-style, I can eat like a lady.  

Bouchon Bakery
www.bouchonbakery.com

I've contemplated moving to Beverly Hills...that's how good Bouchon Bakery is. Evoking a French boulangerie and patisserie, this jewel box of a shop showcases an exquisite array of baked goodness. Though open all day & night for your pastry pleasure, early birds will be sure to catch their choice of confections. 

On the left, don't miss the kouign-amann (aka Brittany butter cake) an orgasmic mix of caramelized sugar and buttery dough. Center, the classic croissant is equally flaky and fluffy. Move over Nabisco. The Better Nutter, a peanut butter sandwich cookie, elevates the childhood fave to epicurean heights. 

Community Kitchen

Canelé Atwater Village
www.canele-la.com

Each visit to Canelé ends with a namesake pâtisserie: a gift of caramelized, eggy goodness.  Little in size but plump with meaning, the canelé is a thank-you treat for coming, for you, the diner, are an integral part of the restaurant. This isn't a one-sided relationship, where chef gives and diner takes and never the twain shall meet.  Canelé is more than a mere restaurant--it is a community. 


Helmed by enigmatic chef/co-owner Corina Weibel, Canelé is a cozy, culinary club where a love of food is all you need to become a member.  Here, the communal table is the best seat in the house, where solo diners are never lonely and conversation flows as easily as wine is poured.  One visit, I met the owners of nearby Club Tee Yee and was regaled with tales of their legendary, dive bar.  The open kitchen lets diners--especially those at the 3-seat stove-side bar--watch their meal unfold.   It also allows for spontaneous sharing, like when Corina offered me a slice of peanut-butter cake--that had been gifted by a baker friend--for she knew I was a fellow sweets-connoisseuse. 


While everyone (wisely) raves about Canelé's brunch, the entire, French-influenced menu is magnifique.  Since the menu doesn't change often, each dish has been practiced to perfection.  The food is just how I like it: rustic, seasonal, uncomplicated, full-bodied, and equally friendly to carnivores and vegetarians.   

Burrata & Peas
Spring is in the air with this verdant salad of peas, pea tendrils, asparagus, and mint.  Alongside ever-sumptuous Burrata, you get your good and your plenty.

Bistro Steak
You can judge a restaurant by its steak.  Here, the delectable meat is slathered with a luscious, wine-based   Bordelaise sauce.  Accompanied by creamed spinach and pommes anna (a.k.a. amazing potato cake), even I, the perpetual sharer, would recommend ordering this just for yourself. 

Veal Chop
Size does matter with this magnificently meaty chop.  Unbelievably juicy and glistening with anchovy salsa verde, it will change the way you think about veal.  Served with buttery, roast cauliflower & potatoes and sautéed watercress   When Corina sees me gnawing at the bone, she admits the animalistic act is more complimentary than any verbal praise.   

Blood Orange Granita
This refreshing granita is topped with tangy sour cream and a buttery, homemade biscuit that's reminiscent of blue, Royal Dansk cookie tins.   An adult version of a cremesicle. 

Fried Chicken Sandwich
Simply delicious, this sammy just has 3 ingredients: a Crisp & tender fried chicken breast and a slice of pickled green tomato on a spongy, white bun.  Paired with a perfectly dressed Canelé salad, it's unfussy and unforgettable.

Ricotta Coffee Cake 

A genius spin on Italian affogato.   Espresso is poured over ricotta pound cake, instead of ice cream, so that each bite is drenched in caffeine.  With a healthy dollop of crème fraîche, it's a wonderful way to start, or end, your brunch. 




A unique place merits more than the standard restaurant review of titillating photos and prose.  For what makes Canelé hum is the food, and then some...as witnessed by these three tales of yum.   

Friends Cook @ Canelé

Me & Lesley flanking Corina,
our fearless leader 

On random Tuesdays, Corina opens her kitchen to friends, rookie or rock-star cooks, and dreamers who want to live out their chef fantasies.  This is how my twin sis, Lesley, and I were able to cook for a full house of friends and strangers.  Playing chefs-for-a-day, we created a 3-course menu, bought ingredients at the Hollywood Farmers' Market, then prepped, cooked, and plated our meal--with the incredible support of the kitchen and waitstaff. 

On the line

Friends enjoying our meal @
the communal table

We had ZERO experience -- exhibited by my amateur lemon-zesting accident that gave me my first kitchen scar -- yet were welcomed with open arms by Corina and her cooks, who were patient, eager to teach us, and a heck of a lot of fun.   By generously sharing her kitchen, Corina gave Lesley and I a rare glimpse into the inner-workings of cheffing and a night to never forget.  Conversely, we brought her 60 new customers.  

Dinner @ Coleman Farms

Coleman Farm

Canelé's menu brims with seasonal fare from local farms.  I witnessed this firsthand when Lesley & I shopped at the Hollywood Farmer's Market with Matt, Canelé's Sunday forager, who bought crates upon crates of fresh-picked produce. To honor this influential relationship between farmers and chefs, Corina hosted a supper in May at Coleman Farms, one of her most-valuable vendors.  

Corina & the Colemans (Romeo, Delia, and Bill)
next to the grill

Our communal table

Pigs

Situated on picturesque rolling hills in Carpinteria, Coleman Farms is a small, family-run business with a large variety of produce, ranging from everyday radishes to exotic shiso.  As Romeo jokingly explained during the tour, his father, Bill --an avid horticulturist--is the "R&D Department" while he heads up "Marketing".  Before dinner, Romeo showed us around the idyllic 6-acre farm serenaded by bleats, quacks and oinks

Grilled Leg of Pork & Escarole

Antipasti: celery root salad, olives,
 tomatoes, white beans and
artichoke hearts

Goat chops

We dined under a canopy of trees at a communal table. Family-style plates of slow-roasted pork and goat, golden polenta, ruby red tomatoes, deep green cavolo nero, and parsley-flecked celery root were passed around.  I felt like I was living in a food-magazine photo shoot, with each perfect platter as gorgeous as it was delicious. As Romeo aptly stated, Corina and fellow chefs are Coleman Farms P.R. Dept, for they showcase their produce beautifully. 

Paella Party 

How do chefs celebrate their birthdays?  In Corina's case, a co-hosted paella fiesta for 100+ family and friends.  It was a spectacular affair split between two houses; chez Corina, she reigned over the crackling fire, churning out five of her signature, enormous paellas.  At Kristin's casa, platters of grilled yellowtail, green beans, and summer's finest fruit, tomatoes, were passed among guests.  

Paella!

Grilled yellowtail & cherry tomatoes

With views of shimmering, Silver Lake reservoir, plenty of chilled rosé, and Euro-centric nibbles (Marconas, Castelvetranos, and Sopressatas), Corina magically whisked us away to the Mediterranean.  Unlike many clique-y L.A. fêtes, this was a convivial affair where amigos old and new mingled al fresco, sharing in the simple delight of good eating.  If Canelé had a back patio, it would feel like this.