BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY
With or without the live show, La Bohème delivers a dramatic dining experience
By Richard Foss
With or without the live show, La Bohème delivers a dramatic dining experience
The Parisian pranksters who inhabit Puccini's opera La Bohème are the most likable characters of the genre, but there's a certain irony in naming a fine and expensive restaurant after them. They are, after all, a group of starving artists. In the only scene in which they're actually at a café, they leave without paying.
I didn't see anyone who appeared to be a starving artist at La Bohème restaurant on Santa Monica Boulevard, except when I looked in a mirror. The extremely theatrical interior evokes the history and high style associated with France, from the elaborate draperies and chandeliers to the reflecting pool and statuary. It was therefore something of a surprise that the menu had so many modern touches. The staff described the place as a Franco-Asian bistro, which isn't entirely accurate but will do as an approximation. The menu doesn't overwhelm you with choices; rather, chef Christine Banta has chosen to do a few things very well.
We started a recent meal with the house-made zucchini ravioli ($10), grilled calamari with herb stuffing ($13), and a roasted beet salad with bacon, goat cheese, and lemon vinaigrette ($10). The ravioli were the only disappointment. While the idea was good, the portion was small, and they were over-sauced. The delicate squash blossoms were somewhere in there, but drowned out by the lemon oil and Romano cheese.
The calamari was considerably better. A whole small squid had been stuffed with breadcrumbs, herbs, and seafood in the Sicilian style and grilled, then topped with a drizzle of basil-scented oil. The seafood was accompanied by a small arugula salad with crispy fried fennel - an astonishingly good pairing of flavors. The only superfluous note was a small cup of orange-basil aioli, which added nothing to the calamari. It was a good dipping sauce for the crusty bread that arrived at our table, however, and in the future I'll ask for a dollop of it even if I order something else.
We enjoyed glasses of Honig Sauvignon Blanc and Rodney Strong Chardonnay while observing our fellow diners. Most were entertainment-industry types who took cell-phone calls during dinner, to our amusement. (There is a time to turn off the phone and enjoy life, folks!) While waiting for our food, we listened to the guy at the next table reciting an obviously well-rehearsed list of excuses about why his first feature had bombed at the box office.
For main courses, we selected a house specialty of lamb marinated in preserved oranges ($28) and an Aurora Angus ribeye steak ($34). I enjoy lamb a lot and order it often, and I rarely find myself amazed that a preparation works. This was one of those times. The preserved orange was accompanied by hints of lemon grass and garlic, and the result was thoroughly enjoyable. Side dishes included roasted Yukon Gold fingerling potatoes and delicious rapini, a vegetable with a crisp texture and spinach-like flavor.
The ribeye steak was the most expensive item on the menu, and was an excellent piece of meat served in a red wine shallot butter. The scene-stealer on the plate, however, was the horseradish turnip gratin, which had a well-gauged balance between cheese and peppery horseradish. It made the whole meal more interesting.
The portions were ample, but we had to try desserts of a Valrhona chocolate cake and a Bing cherry financier with rhubarb sauce ($7 each). (The latter is not a dessert that raises money to pay for itself, but a small cake with fruit baked in.) Both were excellent.
On weekends, La Bohème features live music and theater, but on this evening the place was quietly wonderful. We plan to return sometime and see if artists, starving or otherwise, add to the experience. There is quite enough artistry on the plates to bring me back.Published: 08/19/2004
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