The Best French Bistro in LA (at least we think so)
If you read our blog, it is probably clear that Harriet and I frequent many restaurants in the Los Angeles area. I certainly wouldn’t say we are “foodies” but we know what we like and have tasted a lot of amazing food. So when our good friends (who definitely are foodies)recommended Camphor in the Arts District in Downtown LA, we knew we had to try it. And I want to assure you, Camphor did not disappoint! Let us give you some insight into why we think it is the best French Bistro in LA.
The co-chefs at Camphor are Max Boonthanakit and Lijo George. Their culinary pedigree is lengthy; however, the most relevant aspect of their careers occurred at Bangkok’s Blue, an Alain Ducasse restaurant in Thailand where they met. After their departure, they decided on Los Angeles as the destination for their restaurant collaboration. Camphor was born.
Camphor is a rather simple and sleek space tucked away in an alley just off 3rd Street. The cuisine definitely has a French bistro flare, but has a Southeastern Asian influence. You will certainly recognize some of the dishes (French Onion Tartine or Roasted Chicken) but the presentation and the flavors are delightfully unexpected. Opened in February of last year, the restaurant has already received a Michelin Star.
French Onion Tartine ($27.00)
We began with the French Onion Tartine. If you are a fan of French Onion Soup, you will love this dish. The crusty bread topped with loads of cheese is then a version of onion soup is poured around the edges. Unbelievably tasty!
Radicchio Salad ($24.00)
For our next course, we ordered the Radicchio Salad. Crunchy and delicious, it had a tangy dressing that had a French base but was far more interesting. Harriet loved this salad.
Scallop Demi Lune ($42.00)
Frankly neither Harriet or I are scallop lovers. But when we go to a new restaurant, we often rely on the wait staff for recommendations. Our waiter (who was extraordinarily helpful) felt that the scallops were one of the highlights of the menu. Amazing. I am certainly not a chef so I have no idea how this dish is prepared. I can only tell you that it is fantastic!!
Roasted Chicken ($65.00)
Our second main course was the Roasted Chicken. It is cooked to perfection: juicy and tender. The sauce was rich and elegant. I am not sure if this is on the menu or was just available when we visited, but it is absolutely worth the price.
Bread Pudding ($28.00)
Who would think that bread pudding could be this good? Served sliced with a side of ice cream, it is a delectable way to finish the meal.
In retrospect, what will I do differently on my next visit to Camphor? We probably should have gotten an earlier reservation. We weren’t seated until 9:30 so we had had cocktails at another restaurant prior to coming to Camphor. The cocktails offered at Camphor looked interesting; I wish we had waited to try some of the specialties. We also ordered wine by the glass. Big Mistake. We had a lovely Sancerre but at $27.00 a glass, we would have been much better off to have ordered a bottle. The wine was 30% of our total bill. That isn’t unusual but we could have done better.
Camphor is a great restaurant. They take reservations three weeks out (on Resy) so be sure to mark your calendars to get the time and date you want. It is well worth the wait.
XO
Wendy
Camphor
923 East 3rd Street, Los Angeles
213 626-8888