Tag Archives: best restaurants hollywood

Small is the New Big

French Onion Soup
It’s a simple law of nature that small versions of everyday things are cute. Babies, puppies, Mini Coopers; all are friggin’ adorable. We should also add Petit Trois, a diminutive version of a French Bistro, to this list.

Petit Trois is the younger sister and strip mall nextdoor neighbor of Trois Mec. Both restaurants are tiny and are helmed by heavily tatted, reality tv-starring, bad-boy chef Ludo Lefebvre. But unlike Troi Mec, which serves creative and cutting-edge cuisine, the food at Petit Trois is more traditionally French, with offerings such as French Onion Soup, Confit-fried Chicken Leg with Brioche Butter and Frisée Salad, Croque Monsieur/Madame, and Escargots. All are excellent. The one non-traditional item on the menu is the “Big Mec,” an awesome gourmet cheeseburger with caramelized onions, garlic aioli and a red wine bordelaise sauce made with foie gras.

There are no tables at Petit Trois. All seating is either at a bar facing an open kitchen or at a counter facing the back wall. So it’s not the kind of place you want to go with a big group, but it’s perfect if you’re dining alone or with a single companion. I also recommended going at an off hour to avoid a wait; they don’t take reservations.

Petit Trois is located at 718 Highland Ave., Los Angeles (in Hollywood).

Baguette and Butter

Baguette and Butter

Confit-fried Chicken Leg with brioche butter and frisée salad

Confit-fried Chicken Leg with Brioche Butter and Frisée Salad

"Big Mec" Double Cheeseburger

“Big Mec” Double Cheeseburger

Frites

Frites

Napoleon with Tahitian Vanilla Cream

Napoleon with Tahitian Vanilla Cream

Chocolate Mousse

Chocolate Mousse

It's in a tiny space.

It’s in a tiny space.

Some of the most authentic and delicious French food in LA

Some of the most authentic and delicious French food in LA

2 Comments

Filed under Hollywood

A Torrid Affair

Stella Barra Pizzeria
A couple years ago I told you about a torrid affair I was having with a mushroom and truffle pizza. We started off pretty hot and heavy. Unfortunately, though, because I live in the Valley and she resides in Santa Monica, the interminable 405 construction and ensuing traffic have wreaked havoc on our relationship. But don’t be sad. Things are about to improve because the pizza and I can now hook up in Hollywood.

Stella Barra Pizzeria is the new sister restaurant of my favorite upscale pizza joint in the city, Stella Rossa Pizza Bar in Santa Monica (which has now been renamed Stella Barra as well). Located on Sunset in Hollywood, Stella Barra serves the same amazing pizzas as the Santa Monica restaurant, but in a much larger and even cooler space. It’s the perfect spot to dine when going to the Arclight, Pantages or Palladium, or to kick back at the bar with a glass of wine after a vinyl foraging session at Amoeba Records (life in LA can be so exhausting!).

Both restaurants are helmed by a young genius chef named Jeff Mahin. You may know Jeff as a finalist earlier this year on the reality tv show/cooking competition The Taste, but I’m far more impressed with the fact that he trained at my all-time favorite restaurant in the world, The Fat Duck in England. Jeff spent years perfecting the perfect pizza crust and tops his creations with the most mouth-wateringly delicious ingredients such as Calabrian chilies, smoked paprika oil, housemade sausage and sunny-side up farm eggs.

Besides Jeff’s signature pizzas, Stella Barra has many great Italian starters and salads. I love the Fresh Local Burrata with Roasted Tomato Jam, House-made Bread, Sea Salt and Arugula, the Organic Meatballs (pictured above) with Tomatoes, Lardo, Basil and Oregano, and the Spinach & Purple Kale Salad with Pecorino Romano, Medjool Dates, Shaved Radishes and Mustard Vinaigrette. If serving LA’s best pizza was not enough, Stella Barra also sells big, freshly baked M Street Bakery cookies, which are possibly the best cookies in the whole city. I’m especially partial to the sweet and salty Bacon & Chocolate Chip one.

Stella Barra Pizzeria is located at 6372 W Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles (in Hollywood).

Fresh Local Burrata with Roasted Tomato Jam, House-made Bread, Sea Salt and Arugula

Fresh Local Burrata with Roasted Tomato Jam, House-made Bread, Sea Salt and Arugula


Spinach & Purple Kale Salad with Pecorino Romano, Medjool Dates, Shaved Radishes and Mustard Vinaigrette

Spinach & Purple Kale Salad with Pecorino Romano, Medjool Dates, Shaved Radishes and Mustard Vinaigrette


Shaved Mushroom Pizza with Gruyere, Melted Onions, Black Truffle, Torn Parsley, Rosemary and Thyme

Shaved Mushroom Pizza with Gruyere, Melted Onions, Black Truffle, Torn Parsley, Rosemary and Thyme


Prosciutto & Farm Egg Pizza with Mozzarella, Gruyere, Pecorino, Chili Flakes, Black Pepper and Sunny-side Up Egg

Prosciutto & Farm Egg Pizza with Mozzarella, Gruyere, Pecorino, Chili Flakes, Black Pepper and Sunny-side Up Egg


Bacon and Chocolate Chip Cookie

Bacon and Chocolate Chip Cookie


Talented Chef Jeff Mahin

Talented Chef Jeff Mahin


Cool Digs

Cool Digs


Amazing Cookies

Cookies and Wine



Stella Barra on Urbanspoon

3 Comments

Filed under Hollywood

Three is a Magic Number

Urban Flower Tart with Watercress Vinaigrette
Brand-spanking new and already the hottest ticket in town, Trois Mec has arrived. Its name means “three guys” in French and it’s the collaboration of three of LA’s most beloved and talented chefs, Ludo Lefebvre of the Ludo Bites pop-ups and the tv show “The Taste,” and Jon Shook & Vinny Dotolo of Animal and Son of a Gun. These three amigos have fashioned a truly magical dining experience. The only problem is that it’s incredibly difficult to get in.

The modern and minimally designed restaurant is small and intimate.  There are only four tables plus eight seats at the bar overlooking the open kitchen.  It’s cloistered away in a Hollywood strip mall behind frosted glass and has no signage other than the illuminated yellow sign of the previous tenant, Rafaello’s Pizza. To dine at Trois Mec, you don’t need a reservation; you need to buy a ticket. These tickets, which are transferable and can even be resold on Craig’s List, go on sale once a week on the restaurant’s website and currently cost around $97 for the prix fixe menu including tax and tip but excluding beer and wine. With such limited seating, competition for the tickets is fierce and I pity the poor Hollywood assistant tasked with procuring them for a demanding boss.

The seasonal menu (which can be vegetarian upon request) consists of five official courses and several additional tastes. My recent dinner there started with a virgin apéritif of chilled Aged Oolong Tea with Lemon Shrub in a sugar-rimmed glass and ended with a White Chocolate and Caramel Tart with Habanero Salt. In between was a parade of gorgeous, inventive and delectable small plates of gastronomic glory. Many dishes, such as the Herb and Flower Tart with Watercress Vinaigrette (pictured above), were similar to the modern French fare of Ludo Bites, while others, like the Boneless Chicken Wings with Mustard and Sesame Seeds, more closely resembled the reconceived comfort food of Animal and Son of a Gun. My favorites were the super light cheesy potato dish of Potato Pulp, Brown Butter, Bonito, Onion Soubise and Salers Cheese and an insanely good Rib Cap with Shallot Broth, Black Walnut and Clover Spelt. I also loved the unique Buckwheat Popcorn with Rice Wine Vinegar. If they sold this at Trader Joe’s, I would eat a bag everyday.

Trois Mec is located at 716 N. Highland, Los Angeles (in Hollywood) and serves dinner Monday through Friday. Tickets can be obtained on their website. 

Buckwheat Popcorn with Rice Wine Vinegar

Buckwheat Popcorn with Rice Wine Vinegar


English Peas with Miso Marinade and Cured Salmon Roe

English Peas with Miso Marinade and Cured Salmon Roe


Boneless Chicken Wings with Mustard and Sesame Seeds

Boneless Chicken Wings with Mustard and Sesame Seeds


Asparagus, Brioche, Egg Yolk, Yuzu, Green Alder

Asparagus, Brioche, Egg Yolk, Yuzu, Green Alder


Carrot, BBQ, Orange, Yogurt, Avocado, Watercress

Carrot, BBQ, Orange, Yogurt, Avocado, Watercress


Potato Pulp, Brown Butter, Bonito, Onion Soubise, Salers

Potato Pulp, Brown Butter, Bonito, Onion Soubise, Salers


Rib Cap, Shallot Broth, Black Walnut and Clover Spelt

Rib Cap, Shallot Broth, Black Walnut, Clover Spelt


Strawberry, Almond Ice Cream, Rhubarb, Rose Ice, Olive Oil Cake

Strawberry, Almond Ice Cream, Rhubarb, Rose Ice, Olive Oil Cake


Chef Ludo Lefebvre

Chef Ludo Lefebvre


The restaurant only seats 26 people.

The restaurant only seats 26 people.


Don't be misled by the exterior.

Don’t be misled by the exterior.



TROIS MEC on Urbanspoon

3 Comments

Filed under Hollywood