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750ml - CLOSED
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Thu, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- No
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Smoking:
- No
- Coat Check:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
35 reviews for 750ml
Review Highlights
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"I ordered the Steak Frites and it was nothing short of..." In 4 reviews -
"The cheese plate, was a great start." In 3 reviews -
"I had lamb chops, which were served with mashed potatoes." In 4 reviews
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35 reviews in English
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Review from susy h.
Los Angeles, CA
8/6/2008
750 ml is a cute place with brick walls, which triggers random thoughts of pizza into my head. I think it's because the restaurant reminds me the inside of a brick oven, the kind you would see in an old school pizzeria.
*and so 750 ml is about to shut it's doors and become a pizzeria. http://la.eater.com/ar...
Not that I like to chill in ovens, because I'm pretty sure I would be hot around the collar if I were in one.
We each had different glasses of wine that sommelier recommended, taking into account our different preferences he custom chose each of our wines.
That was hot.
The cheese platter was pleasant and accompanied the wines wonderfully.
The desserts we tried were also pretty good. However, I only recall the sweet and salty one.
Park on the street. -
Review from Maureen W.
South Pasadena, CA
7/29/2007
I'd like to come back and edit my review with food opinions. But for now...I stick with wine and service. My Mr. and me were coming back from a movie in Pasadena and just wanted that "one last glass of wine."
750 ML was just the spot.
Not only do they have an excellent and varied wine list....but the bartender not only poured me a FULL glass but then topped it off later at no charge. Now that is great service.
We looked at the menu and it was limited but everything is prepared fresh, seafood heavy. Mr. Top off Your Glass told us that they purchase everything by the day so it's extremely fresh. The space is relatively small and cramped and kind of loud, and the bar is only 5 seats, which is a bit of a drawback...I wish they had a little bit bigger bar because I'd probably frequent it just for a glass of good vino and a nice and generous bartender. -
Review from Thao L.
Los Angeles, CA
8/5/2007
750 mL reminded me of the brasseries we ate at in France.I enjoyed my streak frites and sampled my bf's and friend's dish, the braised beef shoulder with Taleggio-laced potato fondue which was delicious. The atmosphere is intimate. You will definitely need a reservation especially if you want dinner on a Thursday night, the same night as the farmer's market.
The chef stopped by the table and talked to us for a bit. In retrospect, he probably should not have. He said that he wants to cook for cooks and not for "schmucks"--although we were not included in that category .
Well, I will return for the food and conversation--with my dining partners. -
Review from Mike D.
South Pasadena, CA
5/8/2008
Came here once as a last stop for a glass or two of wine before heading home. Its small and intimate inside. There is a very cozy feel to the place which is nice when when you are with someone else.
The man behind the bar and one of the servers we chatted with were very nice and frendly. They told us the food menu changes daily which was nice consierin the small selection. It seemed pricey for the small portions but we never tried the food. -
Review from claudia g.
Los Angeles, CA
12/15/2007
This place is like a little gem in a quaint, cute city. Brick walls, perfectly lit hanging lights, glass windows that allow you to people and metro watch, nice wine selection and a well rounded- though limited food/beer menu.
The food is not WOW and yes-it can be pricey because you don't always feel mm- yum on your entire meal. Meaning- maybe your fresh, seasonal salad is delicious but your Arctic char lacks just a bit of flavor or your lamb is really delicious but the vegetables that accompany it aren't.
I find it charming enough where I find myself returning (often). First off- I live in Mt Washington so it's convenient- 2ndly- the service is always top notch (never an empty wine glass) and 3rdly- it's intimate and comfortable for 2 or a group of 6 (only with a table reservation for large groups).
Last note: you can dress as elegantly as you fancy or jeans and a snuggly sweater or t-shirt. -
Review from Joon S.
Washington, DC
11/8/2007
750 mL is the kind of place I would have liked to take a date, the dark cherry tone of her eyes and hair complementing the cream of the butcher paper on the tables.
Instead, I found myself at a table with my older brother, his friend from the army, and his friend's younger brother. Three dudes when one lady would have sufficed.
The dish you have to try is the steak frites. The ribeye is apparently aged for 28 days or something along those lines, and it is OUTSTANDING. My brother had had Mastro's a few nights before, and he said that he would rather have 750 mL's steak ($42) than the steak he had at Mastros ($50 - $60, not including sides). The other two members of the party also got the ribeye, at varying temperatures.
I had lamb chops, which were served with mashed potatoes. Excellent. The Maipe Malbec (around $25) was a good match for the hearty meats we had ordered.
We came back another night--this time with a slightly different crew. I got duck breast which, unfortunately, was terrible. I guess I was expecting something... fully cooked. The duck breast was sliced and the inside was raw... not rare, but raw. I assumed that this was how it was supposed to be.
Luckily, everyone ordered the steak frites again and there was plenty of extra meat to go around. There was also an abundance of straight-from-the-oven rolls with fresh butter, and an abundance of wine (we had brought these ourselves for $10 corkage per bottle).
The final synopsis: four stars for great atmosphere, good service, usually good food, and a large selection of wines. The amount of conversation is usually very lively and not overbearing, and is punctuated nicely by the rumbling of the Gold line outside. -
Review from Karen T.
5/9/2008
Too expensive for the lacking quantity/quality. I went with a couple of girlfriends and we all ended up complaining about our respective dishes. I ordered the vegetable napoleon with a bechamel sauce, which in fact did taste good, but the portion was much too small and light, so not at all fulfilling. It was more of an appetizer than a meal. One friend had the steak frites, in which the meat was over cooked, and the fries tasted on the verge of stale. I can't remember what my other friend got, but she wasn't too excited about it either. At the end of the meal, the waitress tried to entice us with the dessert menu, but we jammed on it and went to get Golden Spoon yogurt instead.
Also, for a small space with a small number of patrons, it sure took a long ass time to get our food. We waited for about 40-45 minutes. That is absolutely nish-nish in my book. Unless they're still raising the cattle in the parking lot, wtf is taking so long?
Another gripe, options are extremely limited. So, you better be in the mood for whatever is on the menu for the evening.
In short, go down the street to Mike & Anne's for a more satisfying experience. -
Review from Nicholas E.
Los Angeles, CA
12/17/2007
This place was gorgeous and comfy at the same time, which is a nice combination to pull off. If someone wants to figure out how to use the most of a space, they should visit 750 ml.
It is a little pricey, but If I'm going to drop some money on a dinner, I can think of many worse places to go.
The wine list wasn't extravagantly long, and maybe a place called 750 ml should have a bigger selection, but I have to say we were more than pleased by one of the less expensive offerings on the list, a nice rioja that paired wonderfully with the andoille sausage risotto with a chimicurri-esq sauce. It also worked (believe it or not) with the blood-orange and arrugala salad w/a slice of brie. That is a good wine that can stand up to alot! Thats two good starters right there.
As an entre we had halibut over black lentils that was cooked to perfection, and after those two starters, was a bit subdued. However, the chef really let the fish shine through, and the blame really should rest with me for not planning the meal better. -
Review from Alex K.
Arcadia, CA
3/16/2008
Eccentric place. Very different kind of place. Not really a wine bar, not really a restaurant. Overall, I agree with many of the reviews here. It was different than what I expected.
But having said that, it was a great place if you kept an open mind. The food was spectacular. The cheese plate, was a great start. The pork chop was awesome. The wine was good. But the steak was above average, but not exceptional. The duck was awesome!
All in all, it was a good experience, but don't think it's for all crowds. -
Review from C and T.
Alhambra, CA
4/6/2008
Way over-priced for food and service that was not great. Went there during Dine LA week and had the prix fixe menu.
For appetizers, we chose the Duck Confit and Kumquat Salad with Crostini and the Potato Leek Soup. Soup was pretty tasty, salad was nothing to write home about.
Next came the Wild Mushroom Risotto and the Rock Shrimp Fettucine for our entrees. Fettucine was fine but the risotto was hard and undercooked. Should have told our waitress---but she never came back to check on us!
The lemon curd tart dessert was good, but not any better than what you could get at a local bakery. Can't even remember our other dessert.
Food was probably 2-3 stars overall, but minus one for the high prices and poor service. Ambience is nice, though. Cute place.
I'll take my money to Lawry's or Roy's any day. -
Review from melissa kagan g.
Los Angeles, CA
8/30/2008
I'm shocked that there are any negative reviews... I have been to 750mL twice now, and I've had a fantastic experience both times. The first time we went was for my birthday. We had several courses with wines paired by the sommelier with every course. We loved his recommendations, service, and humor. The second time we stopped in just for the steak frittes and a glass of burgundy- again, excellent service, food, and wine. Love the ambiance, location, wine, everything.
I wonder if those leaving negative reviews understand the charms of an intimate bistro? -
Review from Lisa P.
North Hollywood, CA
7/20/2008
There's nothing good to say about this place. We had reservations and the place was empty, but there was a big issue with getting our party of four seated. Our friend wanted to get mashed potatoes instead of beans and they said they didn't have enough to do that. Several of the items on the already brief menu weren't available. The portions, when they finally arrived, were too small even for a tasting menu, let alone an entree. They would have left an anorexic wanting more.
The waitress had her hands in her hair the entire time as she was giving us attitude. The sommelier didn't know merlot was on his own wine list. Also, there is no parking.
The wait for the food was long enough, they could have (and should have) ordered it from another restaurant and had it delivered.
Avoid this place like you'd avoid an overpriced diseased hooker.
If we could give negative stars, we would. -
Review from Raymond M.
Whittier, CA
2/15/2008
750ML should be called 750LTD as in limited. The food choices are sparse as are the wines. The place could be called cozy or crowded and uncomfortable depending on the day or maybe the person. I opt for crowded and uncomfortable. The food was good, but for the price it was just aight.
I really do like the look of the place and the feel could have been much better had it not been so damned crowded. I did still enjoy myself and my food, but I don't think I'd really go out of my way for this place, I think I was more impressed with FireFly down the street. -
Review from Dave S.
South Pasadena, CA
6/9/2008
Much better than advertised here to date. We just moved into the area and it is a really great neighborhood restaurant to have -- perfect for a glass of wine and a light dinner. Prices are on the high side but certainly not as offensive as others here claim, especially for the quality you are getting.
Nice, varied, wine list with labels from all over the world, which is rare in Southern California -- prices are not too bad -- plenty of great bottles around $40.
Menu is written every day based on what is fresh and you can taste that in the food. The salads are bright and flavorful and the meat dishes are seasoned incredibly well.
Will be going here frequently. -
Review from David M.
Los Angeles, CA
10/25/2008
CLOSED!!!
I have not been, but two friends have been on separate occassions and both had sent back food for being improperly prepared and served.
Was out in this area to check it out and it is now CLOSED down. I can probably guess why. -
Review from rosie l.
Hollywood Hills, CA
6/27/2007
I paid a visit to 750 ML last night after work. A friend of mine, who is co-owner has been laying the guilt on for a while as to why my friends and I had yet to dine. So we banded together and promised to each other that there would be no flaking tonight, we'd all go eat.
Little to our knowledge, the place has been so well met by locals and the not-so, that advanced reservations are necessary, if not mandatory. Lucky for us, we know big names. We were seated at what the house considered their best table - south west corner of the restaurant, sided by two windows at the Meridian and Mission crossing. The train shook us in our bench seats every time it crossed, and we all looked at our phones lying in our purses to see who might have called us.
From people who had visited 750 earlier, and from reviews I had read online, 750's entries had been labeled small in portion and high in price. Since then, we were told, prices have been dropped and portions have been made larger. That being said, I found my $14 duck confit to be appropriately priced for the decent, if not large portion that was delivered to my table. The wine list was generous, though I'm a wine illiterate, and haven't the drinking credentials to judge their list. From what i've read though, their list is certainly something to boast about.
One of my favorite elements to this restaurant, though, is the atmosphere. The guests were anything from the dining elite, the white-collared corporate crowd, to the young and ambitious. The restaurant soundtrack bumped from an ipod and speaker docking station near the bar, and lightly played the rapping tunes of the Pharcyde and artists of the like. No soft melodic chamber music or piano-esqe classical. 750 was just a little more "hip"; a little more urban. I liked that.
The next step for 750, as I was told, outside seating for aprox 25 - perfect for these 70+ degree nights.Listed in: food worth eating
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Review from Jessica S.
Burbank, CA
7/27/2007
We didn't have reservations, but happily we were seated at the bar which was lucky because we were then able to rely on the expertise of the bartender when it came time to choose our wine. He suggested a zinfandel which was delicious and embodied every quality we had described. The food was amazing too, and we left feeling luxuriously satiated.
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Review from Matthew O.
South Pasadena, CA
3/18/2008
This is a nice place to start the night or end it with a glasses of wine or some appetizers. Nice quiet place for a date. But as a restaurant, I don't care for it. The food comes in such small portions, you'll want to stop at McDonald's on the way home. Its too small. I knew what everyone around me was talking about. I ordered an over priced sandwich for dinner, but I had the cojones to ask for a different type cheese. I was told there could be no substitutions on the orders. Pretentious. This place tries to be more than it should. If it stuck to wine and cheese plates it'd be better.
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Review from Jessica Y.
Arcadia, CA
4/5/2008
Cool building and located in my fave area in So. Pas. Not that great, but not bad. Very limited menu and not very large so make reservations.
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Review from Nanci M.
Walnut, CA
8/22/2008
Love their lamb... So soft and yummy... But they don't have it all the time! I've only been there maybe three times, but only doing the weekday so I'm not sure how crowded this place can get. Every time I'm there, we're either the only ones there or with one party. The staff is very friendly with a good wine selection. The price is on the higher side especially if you're going to order wine by the bottle. If you like wine bars and want to be somewhere homey and quiet, this is the place.
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Review from Todd S.
Los Angeles, CA
11/21/2007
It was with much anticipation that our first meal at 750 ml. began.
We had been by several times and seen some amazing dishes.
Now, we had read two poor reviews but felt that they were planted by competitors and decided to disregard them.
Upon arrival at sevenish on a Tuesday we were seated promptly with a choice of indoors or out. We chose inside.
The decor is simple and nice with a small wine bar and I'll guess 18 tables.
The menu changes daily but, even so, we wished they had two or three more selections of everything: appetizers, entrees, dessert. As it was, there was a Steak, Fish, Chicken and Lamb dish.
The wine list was quite good with a nice selection available by the glass.
We were immediately served cucumber water and delicious olives.
We ordered an appetizer of figs and duck prosuttio. It looked amazing when it arrived and was quite tasty. The prosuttio was sliced a little thick and did not just melt away when it hit your tongue which was a bummer as that is my favorite thing about prosuittio. The figs were plump and wonderful with slight garlic shavings that just lit up their flavor.
With our appetizer we ordered a bottle of bordeaux from Cotes de Casillion that had an amazing aroma and a wonderful spicy flavor but lacked the full body that it seemed should be present. Still really good and highly drinkable. It did become more full-bodied after airing out for a bit. By the time our food arrived, it had become a really nice bordeaux.
Our waiter was quite nice. He didn't make suggestions but we didn't ask.
For our entree Sian ordered the Striped Bass with Manilla Clams. The sear on the Bass was perfection and gave it a little crunch. The clams were small but full of flavor. The sauce was a light cream which was unobtrusive to the flavors of the fish and clams. It was garnished with mushrooms and potatoes. The mushrooms were small with an amazing flavor. The only shortcoming was the potatoes which were an odd combination to the rest of the dish. The sauce was perfect to dip my frites in, which leads me to my dish...
I ordered the Steak Frites and it was nothing short of spectacular perfection. The Frites were in between shoestring and steak fries with just the right amount of seasoning. They came with a tomato based dipping sauce that was quite good (I'm not a big ketchup fan) but paled in comparison to my Fiancee's sauce for dipping.
The steak itself was thick and also seared to perfection. While I always think that butter on a steak is strange, I can not deny that it is delicious. This was no exception. The sweetness of the butter mingled with the char on the outside of a perfectly prepared med-rare steak that was so tender that each bite melted in my mouth. It was so good that I continued eating well after I was full just to enjoy the exquisite flavor of the steak as it paired to the wine, followed by a pomme frite dipped in the creamy sauce of my companions fish. savour... repeat.
Even though the restaurant was half empty and we were fairly early, they were out of one of only two desserts on the menu. There were some cheese plates but that would have been a slow death given the level of full for each of us. So, we skipped dessert and decided to have coffee served in a french press (usually a good omen). Unfortunately the coffee tasted burnt and we wished we had gone across the street to Buster's for our java.
When the bill arrived, the sticker shock of $150. for two with an inexpensive ($40.) bottle of wine seemed a bit excessive but not ridiculous (I'd expect to spend $100.-$120. for the meal that we had). My steak was wonderful but upon review, it was $45. and it had better be wonderful for $45.
So, 750 ml. is good not great, with some truly excellent food that you truly pay for. -
Review from kyle d.
San Marino, CA
12/2/2007
Gotta give this place 5 stars. We have been trying to get here for some time. Finally, we found babysitter and went for it. I am glad we did. When we arrived, our table wasn't ready so we took a seat at the bar. While there, I struck up a conversation with a fellow sitting there eating dinner. Turns out he was a good friend of the chef/owner. After assuring us that everything was good, he gave us the scoop on a couple of specials. After we sat down, we placed our order and settled in for a fine dining experience. After a surprise amuse-bouche, our waiter asked if we would be interested in a tasting menu, so we went with it. After, I noticed our waiter getting an earful from the head grill guy. Seems he may have switched the order up too late. Anyway, we had a great meal with great wine. We ultimately ended up with a mix between the tasting menu and our order. Needless to say, we were absolutely stuffed after word. Almost unpleasantly so.
However, I still have a great memory from that meal and look forward to going back soon. -
Review from C M.
San Francisco, CA
10/14/2007
food was good but over priced.
menu is very limited
selection of wines were ok.
i would come back and try the food again if it wasn't as pricey. will update opnions if i go back again -
Review from Janet C.
Los Angeles, CA
9/30/2008
I was really hoping to buy the loft around the corner, but ended up having dinner at 750ml instead. It was a great meal. The service was fabulous and they never made us feel rushed. My friend and I sat outside, ate and drank wine all night long. This was my first taste of brussel sprouts, it was actually quite good! From what I hear, those little suckers are not tasty. Its been a while since I ate there, so I don't recall what I had, but what I remember is that we cleaned our plates .... to me, always a sign of good food.
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Review from Wendy S.
Los Angeles, CA
11/19/2008
this place is OPEN AGAIN. here is the scoop. sales started out good, but declined too much. one owner bought out the other owner and then closed the place down to revamp the menu and concept all together. they had a soft opening on Monday of this week. the place is now serving pizza (i hear that it is gourmet and a bit pricey, but it's south Pasadena so you should not be all the surprised by the price) we drove by last night and it was open for business. I will review again once I've tried the pie.
note: take the gold line to mission, exit and enjoy! -
Review from Steve B.
Pasadena, CA
1/23/2008
I was really disappointed with this place. No bread, no small appetizers, no meat & cheese plate. There are some cheeses that were offered to us after the meal, and perhaps that's how they do it in Europe, but I didn't even know they were available. When we asked about ordering something that was not on the menu given to us, we got the impression that what was on the menu was the only thing we could order.
The menu did not have very many selections, and the selections offered did not seem all that appetizing. Basically, you had your choice of duck, beef, gnocchi, scallops, chicken and maybe one more entree. Other than that, there were only a few salads and a pate.
After trying the pate, scallops, salad, and gnochhi, I was not impressed. The prices were very high and this made it worse. On average, the entrees ranged from $22-$37. I hate to give a restaurant a bad review but I really did not feel that it was worth the money. -
Review from unhei k.
Oakland, CA
9/3/2008
750 ml reminds me of Cesar in Berkeley and Oakland. I enjoy ordering small plates and wine and sharing them with friends. We had a platter of their charcutterie, home made sausage, steak, and few other dishes. We sampled/shared various wines by the glass. It's a nice place to sit and converse with friends.
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Review from Carol R.
Simi Valley, CA
7/22/2008
I like this place very much. Food, wine, friendly service... a great South Pasadena neighborhood restaurant.
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Review from raquel m.
Marina del Rey, CA
11/12/2007
I love this place for the following reasons:
1. Cute, friendly bartenders that pour you tastings when you're looking at the wine list with a look of confusion on your face
2. A list of cheeses that I've never heard of, but were yummy
3. A tiny little place, but a very cool atmosphere and laid back, friendly staff.
4. Did I mention the bartenders? -
Review from Michelle S.
CA
8/15/2007
I absolutely love wine bars, and have been to several restaurants by the same owner as 750 ML. I say that only because I truly wanted to love this place. But, sad to say, it fell very short for me. Great location, atmosphere, but, please, a wine bar without a cheese plate. Seriously, not a cheese plate to be seen, or even an atmosphere that resembles what you can generally expect at a wine bar. A few appetizers - closer to small salad type dishes - and then a few dinner entrees - all pretty high priced. When it was clear that my friend and I were there for wine and a few appetizers, we were either ignored by our waiter or he would come over and hover several times trying to encourage us to leave. Now, I would understand that type of poor service if it was a busy night or people were waiting for a table. Neither was the case. Sunday night, with empty tables.... I won't go back and will enjoy spending my $$$ and time at great wine bars like 818 in Toluca Lake.
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Review from tina p.
Brooklyn, NY
5/5/2007
Was very excited to try this new place close by as I love cobras and matadors. Arrived pretty early on a Friday night knowing that it might be a little busy and I was looking for a table for 3. It was fairly empty with plenty of tables to go around. When I walked in someone greeted me to ask how many people I was with, and then told me that someone else would be with me. I waited 5 minutes although I didn't mind as my friends were on their way. Then the host came to seat me, and after I did, he asked me if the rest of my party was here. I told him they were on their way, and he actually berated me telling me that he wouldn't have seated me had he not known that my entire party wasn't there. Now, had he ASKED me before he seated me, I wouldn't have minded waiting for a table. Not to mention that if there was a long line, or even people waiting for that matter, I would have understood, however-- neither of these situations existed. Nevertheless my friends showed up minutes later, and we perused the menu. The options were meager and over priced (I also agree that the portions are ridiculously small, almost pretentious). To top this off the service was horrible- we had to ASK for bread sticks, they never even brought out olives which I saw on all the other tables. As the kicker-- when our bill came out it was incorrect, they had charged us for a wine we never ordered, (not to mention the wrong pricing on my pinot noir) and when it was corrected they STILL had not changed the price on my pinot. Needless to say, it's not worth the time, I've heard that firefly down the street is much better. This place is really a disappointment.
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Review from Pauline L.
Rosemead, CA
3/21/2008 2 photos
we came here for Dine L.A. awhile back and i'd have to say i was a bit disappointed. this place is advertised as a wine bar, and it really doesn't have much of a bar. we ordered the Duck Confit and Kumquat Salad with Crostini and the Potato Leek Soup for our appetizers and they were delicious, but then came our entrees. we ordered the Wild Mushroom Risotto and Rock Shrimp Fettucine and we were both really disappointed with them. the risotto was a little dry - i've definitely had better, and the fettucine was just okay. we were sad and had expected better since the appetizers were so good. the dessert was also just okay. we ordered the Lemon Curd Tart and Bread Pudding with Caramel - nothing really all that special. despite all that, i think the place is really cute and charming. =)
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Review from Joanne H.
Irvine, CA
4/23/2008
Overpriced and the food is not very good. We started with a green salad and the smoked salmon. Both were very salty. Next we had the risotto and the steak...nothing special. The wine that was recommended was pretty good. Not a repeat for us.
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Review from David S.
South Pasadena, CA
9/12/2007
The food is good quality. The price is ridiculous. The service was slow. We ordered the "faux" beef Wellington (not sure why it's faux -- it's made with red meat), which apparently took a long time, but we waited a good 45 minutes. The server was also not very attentive, although friendly. You do not get a bread basket, just the food. Although the portions were fine -- I was stuffed at the end -- it is very much overpriced. I would have been more impressed if it had decent prices, or if the food were spectacular (it was good food, not fantastic), or if the atmosphere was relaxing (I know it's going for urban and edgy, but they should make up their minds: (1) decent price, with a fun, edgy atmosphere; or (2) expensive and relaxing and luxurious. It sort of has the worst of both worlds. Not going back.
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Review from Susan z.
Pasadena, CA
5/4/2007
Made a reservation for 8 p.m. Friday. Waited until 8:45 to be seated. Menu ended up being small, boring, and even more limited than that, since by 9 p.m. they had run out of the heirloom tomato starter and the cassoulet. (Gee, no one's going to want the heirloom tomato starter in May when the only other choices are baby beets and duck confit... go figure!) The menu was less than we had expected -- sort of boring. Three out of four of us ended up ordering steak frites, and the temperature was wrong on all three. I get the whole rarer-than-thou thing, but when someone's pregnant and/or has a similar reason for ordering something medium well, the kitchen should respect that. Otherwise, why even ask? Roasted poussin was okay but really rather uninspiring. Service was perfunctory. They apologized profusely for not honoring our reservation, but didn't follow through with a comp on anything. No one asked how things were going, refilled our water often enough, or supplied us with appropriate utensils. By the time we got to dessert, there was one dessert choice left, a clafoutis that no one was really interested in. Three of us ordered decaf coffee, but the waitress looked worried that they might not have enough... I don't care if you're a new restaurant, just bloody send someone out to buy some ice cream so you can offer your guests more than one dessert! Bottom line: you might want to wait six months until this place finds its legs. Pluses: the wine list is interesting and the staff is actually knowledgeable about it, a rare plus in L.A.; minuses: the kitchen and management haven't figured out how to seat people, come up with interesting dishes, and stock enough food.
