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Bastide Restaurant

4.5 star rating
based on 22 reviews

Category: French  [Edit]

Neighborhood: West Hollywood
8475 Melrose Pl
West Hollywood, CA 90069
(323) 651-5950
  • Price Range: $$$$
  • Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
  • Parking: Valet
  • Attire: Dressy
  • Good for Groups: Yes
  • Good for Kids: No
  • Takes Reservations: Yes
  • Delivers: No
  • Take-out: No
  • Waiter Service: Yes
  • Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
  • Outdoor Seating: Yes
  • Good for: Dinner
  • Alcohol: Full Bar
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22 Reviews for Bastide Restaurant

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17

24

Alice Y.

Westwood, CA

4 star rating
07/05/2008

This place was WAY expensive.  But if you expect that, this place is great!

Easily one of the most expensive lunches, I have had - I am trying to justify this by thinking of it more as an "experience" than a meal.  Tucked away on Melrose Place, next to the new Monique Lhuillier, Bastide closed down for a while and re-opened in September....(cont'd on modernmet.com)

Restaurant: Bastide in West Hollywood, Expensive but Delightful
http://www.modernmet.c...

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3

18

Brian H.

Venice, CA

3 star rating
04/22/2008

Weird & Wacky Bastide... ohh, the months I waited to step foot inside this magical gem tucked away, just footsteps, from bustling La Cienega Blvd. The tiny space is broken up into 3 very different experiences... the charming candle lit courtyard, the arty David Lynch-inspired dining room, and the woodsy birch tree dining room. All amazing and unique. The service was top-notch... friendly, attentive and gracious without being pushy or phony. Now for the food...

We chose the 7-course menu with wine pairing and, sadly, I was moderately impressed. The wine pairings were exceptional and the food creations were predictably artistic and pretty to look at... but taste-wise, nothing exceptional or mind-blowing. Cubed Tuna Sashimi with Edamame Foam? hmmmm... tasted like peanut butter mousse. Rabbit Medallion with Rissoto? Tasted like rice and sausage. Lobster & Sea Urchin Noodle Udon Soup? ehhhh... not impressed. All of the food seem veiled in a cloud of perfection and preciousness, but once it hit the palette.... well, kinda disappointing. There were some highlights.... the Tempura Salad, The Oyster Shooter, The Chocolate Beignet and The Liquid Chocolate Souffle. But nothing in this meal earned the $530 bill (for two).

If you really want an exceptional tasting menu, then go to PROVIDENCE... now THAT PLACE is perfection (and cheaper).

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Elite '08

141

215

Maneli B.

El Segundo, CA

4 star rating
Updated - 07/05/2008

Finally....dinner at Bastide...boy was I excited!!! Feeling nice and frisky, I recommend this for the location of a nice little date....cute little dress, feeling good, great foods, what more could I want?

But here's the thing...maybe I expect too much from this place now, I mean, I haven't given it anything less than 5 stars....ever!! For dinner I expected the same amazingness of the lunches, but 5 times better!!! ...not so much... =[

We sat on the patio...my favorite place...and we go for the 4 course menu (which was more than 4) They also have a 7 course meal, but the waiter said that one takes about 1.5 hours longer than the 4 course.

The waiter actually gave me the menu to take with me when we were leaving (I'm not sure why) but I left the menu in the date's car...so I can't be too descriptive with the foods since my memory is worst than a goldfishies'.....but here it goes:

1. sashimi pieces - we got a nice plate of sashimi pieces, I forget what kinds of fish they were, but one was cut into tiny tiny cubes, and the other was wrapped all cute...both were very good
2. sea urchin - I've had sea urchin one time before and absolutely hated it...it was more bearable here, but I still didn't like it much
3. Fish - this was my favorite...it was a nice piece of Pike...crispy skin...moist...mmm
4. Beef - as I've mentioned before, you can't go wrong with the beef. I just wish it had some of that amazing bone marrow they have on top of the meat. And by this point I was getting a little too full....regardless, I polished off my plate nicely...my date was impressed
5. Dessert - pistachio creamy thing with a pistachio crust and HORSERADISH ice cream, I definitely didn't like it...we both barely touched this plate...tried the pistacho alone, nope...the horseradish sorbet alone, nope...put them together...still no go...
6. Assorted chocolates - this was cute...3 assorted chocolate pieces, all delicious
7. Parting Gift - this was sweet...they gave us little baggies of home made salted caramels to take with us...I enjoyed devouring them a couple nights later
8. Wine - whatever they're wine guy recommends is A+ in my book, just tell him what you like; he'll tell you the whole history of the wine =]

Service wasn't as top notch as usual...at one point the waiter came and filled up my water glass, my date's was empty, and didn't fill his and walked away. I had to give him my water. It was a little strange...

Regardless, my date was completely impressed  with this place; but since I've experienced their lunch foods on occasion before, I really think they do lunches much better. The food this time wasn't as WOW-ish as usual...

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2 Previous Reviews: Show all »

  • 5 star rating 06/24/2008

    Oh my dear Bastide.......oh how I love thee......

    Why yes, yes I am obsessed and head over heels in… Read more »

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8

5

Benson M.

Los Angeles, CA

4 star rating
07/19/2008

Tremendous service.  I was greeted by the host by name at the door, they gave us a choice of places to sit.  We opted for a cozy private room just by the front door.  With two smallish love seat chairs opposite each other in a quiet room guarded by beads it gave off a vibe as if a friend had just finished culinary school and was converting their parent's house into a bistro for one night to try new recipes for friends.  I mean that in the best possible sense in that the setting was informal and relaxing with exceptionally friendly service.

The menu consists of a four and seven course tasting menu with wine pairings.  Over the well meaning advice of the waiter we opted for the four course with the wine pairing and my date the seven course with no wine.  The downside is the length of the wait but we shared courses and again the relaxed setting made time pass quickly and easily.  The waiter did tell us one fib in that we asked if the desserts course would be different, he said yes but in actuality they were the same a merengue encased sorbet that tasted a bit like strawberry shortcake (it was excellent.)

The highlights were the seared scallop, the unagi/foie gras, and  a kind of "garden" variety of tastes including a lovely crab ball.  

The wine pairings were excellent from different regions and fit the food well.  Example the sake that came with a mackerel dish was far too sweet for my tastes but combined with the fish better than I anticipated.

Overall, excellent service and atmosphere combined with very good food.

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7

66

T. C.

Sacramento, CA

5 star rating
05/06/2008

Oh wow, Bastide was amazing.  All the details were just so perfect.  We went for my sister's birthday dinner and both had the seven-course tasting menu with the wine pairings.  All of the wine pairings were done perfectly.  We got there almost half an hour early and the restaurant was accommodating enough to allow us to start then.  

We were seated in the birch dining area and as my sister, put it, it was awesome because Bastide is such a great restaurant, but you can immediately tell by the decor that it doesn't take itself too seriously.  (ie. I was eating facing a tiny bust of John Lennon stuck onto a birch branch and my sister was facing a wall of Mao Zedong framed paintings of him from different angles but in the same pose)  The service was a little overly attentive (read: suffocating and intimidating) at the beginning because they were slow, but once the night got going, they calmed down to a more reasonable level.

- To start, they bring you out a dish of tiny rolls at the beginning and there are six on the platter...and all six are different types (ie. french, rosemary, olive, pesto basil, and two different types of brioche), plus you get the choice of truffle butter or regular unsalted butter...  
- There were about 3 amuse bouche (tempura but they used salad greens! and a creamy dipping sauce of some sort; tuna tartare over a sea urchin flan and some sort of gelee, and a mango wrapped crab with a passionfruit foam over it that was seriously like a party in your mouth)
- An Asian-inspired lobster course that was almost like udon but with more delicate noodles and that had a poached egg yolk in it and they poured the broth into the bowl in front of you (that was paired with sake AND wine!) and came with a fresh eel sushi on the side (I've totally had unagi before, but omg, i don't know why but it was SO GOOD)
- A fish course (loup de mer in brown butter with morel mushrooms)
- A poultry course (i have no idea what it was because all the servers had french or Spanish accents, but it was a roulande of some sort)
- A beef course (a cut of steak, then braised beef with foie gras on top--totally heavenly--with a carrot with a tiny sliver of bone marrow on top and potatoes)
- The cheese course with four different cheeses with a wine paired with each!!!
- A fruit dessert (sorbet) and then the chocolate dessert (a chocolate beignet that was more like a mini molten chocolate cake, a peanut/caramel creme over a chocolate wafer and then a shot of hot chocolate that was like, the best thing you've ever had).  
- and then we got an extra dessert on top of that because i told them it was my sister's birthday while she was in the restroom so we finished it off with chocolate cake.  

it was insanity.  SO WORTH IT.  The entire experience lasted about 5 hours (and cost just as many Benjamins) but it was amazing and never to be forgotten.  we asked during the meal if we could get a copy of the menu and our waiter (didn't catch his name but a French hottie who is studying international business at CSUN) offered to take us for a kitchen tour as well!  we happily took him up on his offer.

i am saddened to hear that Walter Manzke (who we met that night) will be leaving Bastide soon and replaced by the chef from Providence.  the loss of Chef Manzke will be a serious loss for this restaurant.

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0

11

MS C.

Los Angeles, CA

5 star rating
01/26/2008

One Word:

FABULOUS!!!!!!!

Ok.  I can't stop there.  Doris W hit it on the head, but I just HAVE to share my evening.  I went last weekend with my dear sister Yvette, and I quote myself:

"The decor:
I love how understated it is as you walk in (just a simple "B").  Once inside, Yvette and I felt as if we were transported back to a little restaurant on Boulevard Hausmann in Paris because of Bastide's architectural structure of the patio area.  We were seated beneath an olive tree with a canopy of clear night sky, a gibbous moon and beautiful stars.  As we sat down, we were met by Pieter, the Sommelier who welcomed us very warmly.  In fact, all of the staff was very welcoming.  

Yvette commented on how lovely the restaurant was, and immediately Pieter took us on a tour of the restaurant.  There were three interior rooms in addition to the patio,  Each room served a different purpose and was decorated by beautiful and unique art,  I loved how the patrons inside were engaged in conversation over their meal.  Very French indeed.  Just when we thought the tour was over, Pieter took us into the kitchen to meet the chef!  The kitchen was quite impressive and the sous chefs appeared to be quite disciplined.

We picked the four course pris fixe meal.

The experience:
Our server Mohammed gave us our menus, and we chose the four course pris fixe menu.  after he left, a guy came over with a basket of yummy "tidbits" including a breaded whitefish ball, tempura smelt, and two other tasty morsels.  Next came a lady with a cylindrical container of crunchy breadsticks...Yvette took four.  As we munched on the breadsticks, our first experience arrived - Yellow tail tuna sashimi infused with Vietnamese - inspired sauces and spices.  The flavors were delectable, the fish was so fresh and tender.  Next, we had ceviche with a dollop of lime sorbet, clear salsa and fresh avocado.  It was really delicious.  The flavors burst in ones mouth, especially when you took a bite of it with the lime sorbet.  At one point, I had to close my eyes to savor the experience!  

Next, Le Poisson. Sea bass in butter sauce with a scallion gracefully placed atop.  The fish flaked easily, it was moist and just excellent.  Interspersed with our meal were these incredible little "breadlets."  Yvette and I both love bread.  We tried all of them and they were all delicious, but Yvette had a special liking to the potato fennel and the BACON BREAD!!!!  This is bread that could very well be eaten for breakfast with some eggs and coffee!

Next, Le Poulet.  Game hen served with black truffle sauce reduction and spinach sauce.  Then Mohommed offered us an additional entree.

Le Boeuf!  Mohammed brought us a beautiful square plate with wonderfully prepared selections of beef plated in each corner.  In the upper left was a braised carrot with beef marrow on top.  Eeek was that good!  In the lower left was a sort of shredded beef mixed with a wasabi based flavor - yummy!  In the lower right was a seared beef tenderloin au jus - very good.  In the upper right corner was this inexplicably delicious piece of beef short rib to which I had to restrain myself from eating the fork with the meat.  Wow.

Dessert.
Peanut butter mousse, mousse on the bottom with a piece of the thinnest most delicious chocolate on top, and a dollop of toffee ice cream on top.  Extra yummy!  We enjoyed our dessert with cafe presse and some petite lemon flavored madelines with a dusting of powdered sugar that Mohammed stated was "fait a la maison."

Then, we were surprised when Mohammed brought out out a raspberry flavored chocolate torte with a pink birthday candle for dear Yvette!

We finished our evening off with two chocolate truffles, full tummies and memories to last a lifetime!

The whole dining experience lasted approximately three hours, and it was refreshing to not be rushed through our meal."

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22

22

Rosita S.

Park La Brea, CA

4 star rating
02/21/2008

I was taken to Bastide last week for valentine's.Unfortunately we didn't check the 'set' valentine's menu, hence I had to ask for two replacements as I do not eat most shellfish, due to an allergy, or Veal (due to animal cruelty issues).I was also given a glass of pink champagne, which was nice, but I prefer to pick my own Champagne (aperitif) .However, the replacements offered were good, but I did feel a little stressed right from the beginning of the night due to this...My partner was completely shocked that a high -end French restaurant offered a set menu, as opposed to A La Carte, hence, he hadn't even thought to ask about the menu when he booked.

The decor, I felt was not 100%.Fantastic garden at the front, fantastic kitch lamps, made out of filled campari bottles, above each table (inside), but what is going on with the chequered carpet and the marble, too large,stranglely spaced tables? It was contemporary mixed with kitch (which can work) mixed with traditional.Which exactly is it aiming to be?Mix two style's but not three..

The food portions are very small, but this is to be expected at a French restaurant.However, I did not feel this place compared, in terms of quality of the food to the Michelin *'d places I have eaten at in France.Maybe it is harsh for me to compare the two.
BUT, the price of Bastide is the same, as you would pay in Paris (bearing in mind the exchange rate!) .We had dinner, with the paired wine's on the menu and our meal cost $600 for two!At that price, I expect perfection.Who wouldn't?!

I have read some of the other reviews and people seem very impressed by the food, so it may be that our experience was tainted by the valentine's set menu thing, I don't know.Not being able to pick what you eat can cause such problems.

The best bit of the entire experience was the wine.Fatastique! (as the french would say).Hence, I am giving it four star's purely on the fact that so far, this has been the most authentic high -end French restaurant, I have been to in LA and the service was exemplary.
Come on though Bastide, what would Alain Ducasse or Joel Rebouchon have to say?

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4

34

Mei M.

Pasadena, CA

5 star rating
01/15/2008

I had a wonderful night there.  To make it short...

Ambiance 5 stars
Food taste 5 stars
Food presentation 4 stars
Paired wine 5 stars
Service 5 stars

The price is at the high side but it definitely worth it.

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2

42

Lawrence L.

Burlingame, CA

5 star rating
09/24/2007

A very very romantic and boutiquey French restaurant nestled in a side street in West Hollywod.  When you walk in, you walk into a little oasis in the sprawling urban hell of LA.

Service is impeccable; very attentive without being intrusive or pretentious.  Cocktail is absolutely fabulous.  My wife ordered a mojito since it was summer and it came out having the perfect balance of sugar and mint.  So so delicious!

Food is very delicious.  Very refined with excellent presentation, texture, and taste.  As night falls, they light up the candles and turn on the small lights.  Dining at Bastide is truly a romantic experience.

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23

128

Lisa M.

Los Angeles, CA

4 star rating
03/24/2008

Went here Saturday night without a clue about the restaurant.  Saw it on the LA magazine top 75 list, got a 9:00 reservation, and thought why not!
It took a half hour for them to seat us- they served us champagne and an amazing gazpacho/spinach tempura while we waited.  They said someone would be leaving the patio soon but no one budged.  We were going to leave but they created a table for us off the entry and it ended up working well.  
We didn't realize you didn't have much of a choice, my mom, gf and I got the 4 course and my brother got the 7 course.  I loved the teaser- it was a delish, crunchy tuna tartare.  They didn't remember mom doesn't eat raw fish but she ate it any way and enjoyed it.  The ceviche was ok... the lamb was amazing.  I had a bite of August's beef bone marrow.  OMG, not for me!  I also had some of his cheese, they neef to give you more bread with it.   The dessert was amazing, I want to recreate the hot chocolate.  They invited us into the kitchen to say Hi after the meal and that part was fun... I was in such a food coma, so used to the low lights and so on that it was a bit bright and frenzied.  
Service was good- attentive and helpful.  Friendly staff!
Highlights were the teaser, lamb, and dessert.  They need lots of help with their bread.  SO hard!

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0

4

joe l.

Beverly Hills, CA

5 star rating
03/10/2008

Truly one of the great meals of Los Angeles. Not a quick dinner or casual experience, but the food was spectacular.

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2

6

Lauren T.

Santa Monica, CA

4 star rating
01/05/2008

One of the best dining experiences I've had in a while.  

The environment is beautiful.  If the weather is right, for sure sit in the patio which truly transports you out of LA to what feels like Provence. It's elegant while comfortable and relaxed at the same time.

The service and staff were lovely and attentive, but not overly attentive or annoying and there was not an ounce of pretense.  

The only reason I didn't give Bastide five stars is though the food was very good, I felt a few of the courses, the fish and duck, didn't compare with some of the others. The Thai soup was sooo good I had quite high expectations for the rest of the meal.  Alas, I buzz killed with mediocre fish and duck.  BUT, thankfully the restaurant redeemed itself with a transcendental dessert.  

Typically I'm a chocolate girl, the richer and darker the better - thank you very much.  I often still order any iteration of the ubiquitous flourless chocolate cake because most of the time, that's what I need to end a meal - chocolate.  So, a bit of panic ensued when they placed a strawberry creme brulee in front of me.  After pulling myself together, I cracked the top and dug my spoon into what looked sorta looked like a strawberry sundae from McDonalds, and finally tasted it.  All I can say is this stuff tasted like nectar of the gods.  It was sweet, but not cloyingly and the texture was somewhere and between custard and kefir (does anyone know what that is?).  Finally, the strawberry puree was a little bit icy. A much more effective dessert than I expected, but sadly it was so good it only left me wanting more.  I could have eaten five of those, and I only got one. Obviously dessert has quite an effect on me. Guess I'll have to go back even though it might not be on the menu again.

Great experience overall.  Good place for special occasions.

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4

eileen k.

Pasadena, CA

5 star rating
03/09/2008

Our party of five had a delightful experience in the small private room with a discreet curtained view of the kitchen.  I liked the prix fixe menu that gave you a small portion of the various ways the chef prepares each course - appetizer, fish, beef, cheese, dessert, etc.  No descriptions of each dish that often do not match your expectation or require lengthy questions and answers of the wait staff.  Your only choice is 4 course or 7 course prix fixe and whether to have the wine pairings or not.  After years of dining out, I liked the simplicity of it.  The waiter was excellent at helping you forecast what to expect of your choice.  

The sommelier Pieter was friendly, helpful and laughed with us when we didn't understand his Belgian French accented "barrel".  

The decor was simple, elegant and had an understated humor.  I smiled from the moment I walked in and my elevated mood affected the entire evening.

Bastide is expensive, but I thought worth it.  Congratulations to the entire staff at Bastide.  They executed almost perfectly.

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16

130

doris w.

Los Angeles, CA

5 star rating
10/24/2007

I was looking forward to this meal for weeks, and this is how the evening unfolded -- We began with some rose champagne and spiced nuts - fruity and full-bodied, not too sweet, a lovely way to begin any meal.  We were then escorted to our table in an intimate dining room.  The menu choices were either (i) the 4-course prix fixe or (ii) the 7-course prix fixe.  As we are horribly greedy eaters, we all opted for the latter choice.  To tide us over, we were provided with breadsticks (ok), sweet potato chips (crisp, spiced with paprika - yum) and little cheese puffs (delicious and still warm).  Then the bread guy appeared with a lovely basket of bread:  brioche with bacon, brioche with cheese, olive, rosemary potato and french baguette - each fresh and piping hot from the oven.... I think I had four in total.  (you can't be on the atkins diet here - the bread is just too good!)  Then came the 3 amuses bouche - the first, a interpretation of the lobster taco with a shot of pure clear salsa, a bite of lobster with guacamole puree and a shot of tequila with lime sorbet, second, a hamachi sashimi with a spicy kick, and, the third, tuna tartar on uni gelee.

- The next course was the thai curry seafood soup - a bed of plump prawns and scallops, covered with a thai carrot and coconut soup, infused with garlic.  Super delicious and comforting - i could have bathed in this stuff.  I think this was my favorite!

- Then, grilled sea bass on a pea (?) puree, surrounded by grilled octopus and squid.  The fish was so tender and delicately sweet; the grilled octopus and squid, perfectly smoky and plump.

- Then, pumpkin ravioli with pork belly and parmesan cheese, drizzled with aged balsamic vinegar - the ravioli was lovely and sweet, the pork belly flavorful and the vinegar was so thick and syrupy ... yum... maybe this was my favorite...

- Then, short rib with small veggies - fork-tender meat that melted in your mouth.  I also had a bite of my friend's duck - really lovely (not too gamey).

- The cheese course followed - wonderful little bites from goat cheese, triple cream, blue cheese, etc. served with sweet accompaniments of jam, fruit, and warm toasty raisin bread.

- A melon cocktail cleansed our palates - lime sorbet immersed in a watermelon juice bath.

- then dessert - a chocolate souffle with green tea ice cream and coconut cream, and a shot of warm chocolate milk.

- as if that wasn't enough, we each got 2 pieces of homemade chocolates - I had earl gray and hazelnut.

At this point, i just wanted to curl up and go to sleep.  :)

When we were ready to leave, we were treated with a visit to the kitchen to meet the chef.  he was very nice, but it was a little strange to be intruding in their space.  Then I headed home for bed.  After a 3 1/2 hour meal, there's little else one can do.

the complimentary valet parking was a nice touch.

Bastide is a wonderful special occasion restaurant but it is expensive.  The two menus are $80 (4-course) and $100 (7-course).  Wine pairings are $80 / $100 respectively.  But it's worth every penny.

Check out my photos on my travbuddy blog.

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Elite '08

17

218

Jerrold S.

Los Angeles, CA

5 star rating
02/01/2007

The one meal I had here was the one of the most lavish, decadent, excellently prepared and lovely meals I've had.  I'm not a huge fan of the 7 course 3 hour French silk linen new fork for every dish type of guy but this meal helped change my views a little bit.  We went with the 7 course tasting menu and ordered a nice bottle of Burgandy.  Every morsel of food was elegant, beautifull composed and delicious.  The meal was exceptionally expensive but its an amazing restaurant that I hope reopens so everybody can experience once in their life.

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165

Betty N.

Saratoga, CA

5 star rating
01/09/2008

The best foie gras I have ever had. I mourn for thee, Bastide. Return to me!

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12

Muffy M.

Culver City, CA

5 star rating
10/28/2007

There is a nicely detailed and accurately descriptive review of the courses etc. by Doris W., above, which  I won't repeat (because that wouldn't be helpful, would it?) but I will add my impressions.

We went last night (10/27).  The food (with one exception) was exquisite; every bite - and there are a lot of different ones, even with the 4 course option - was incredibly imaginative and delicious.  The service was exquisite; all but invisible when it should have been, friendly and helpful when it should have been; not a hint of snootiness.  The rooms/decor were exquisite; simple yet elegant, and romantic.  

The only flaw was our meat course.  Our waiter seemed to be "pushing" the veal versus the duck as our meat course, so my husband and I ordered that as it is only available for 2.  We both found it to be ridiculously fatty.  It was the equivalent of eating a slab of half-cooked bacon.  I cut off as much fat as I could see in the dim light, but I'm sure I still ended up eating a lot of fat.  Although the waiter maintained that this was the best veal in the country, I think it is a glaring mistake to offer something so fatty as to be all but inedible.  We had also ordered the wine pairings and I chalk up our eating any of the veal to the fact that we were already a bit tipsy by the time it arrived.  The rest of the meal, and the whole experience, was so sublime that I am  rating Bastide 5 stars nonetheless, and we truly did have a wonderful evening there and a lot of delicious food and wine.

We had reserved after reading a review in the LA Times by S. Irene Virbils, and there were a few points of her review that I would amend.  The reviewer says, and I quote, "Verheyde [the sommelier] greets guests with a glass of Champagne...."  While I agree that it would be out of the ordinary to receive a glass of Champagne on the house, it is also out of the ordinary to pay $4-600 or so for a dinner for 2; consequently, I assumed, when we were asked if we wanted a glass, that the Champagne was gratis.  It is not.  Still, that was fine, but the review coupled with the way in which we were asked combined to be a bit misleading.  

The reviewer steered us away from the 7 course tasting by saying that the chairs were too uncomfortable for a 4 hour meal.  Our chairs were perfectly comfortable, and a  couple at a nearby table who ordered the 7 course meal seemed to be receiving their courses at a perfect pace and not at a rate to equal 4 hours.  We left wishing we had tried the 7 course meal (but the 4 was perfectly adequate - we just don't know if or when we'll ever be back.)

An 18% gratuity is automatically added on, also fine, but our waiter was busy and didn't inform my husband, who almost added another tip on the tip line of the charge slip before noticing this.  To his credit, the waiter did stop by as hubby was signing and mentioned that the 18% was already on there.  There is comped valet parking, which is a nice and appreciated touch.

All said, we had a wonderful evening and I would not hesitate to go back for a special occasion.  We don't typically spend that kind of money on a dinner, but it is definitely worth doing at least once.  It was really sublime.  Our best meal by far in LA, and we've been here 6 years.

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Deidre H.

Los Angeles, CA

5 star rating
07/21/2006

Yes, it's closed but, Bastide remains my favorite restaraunt in Los Angeles. Maybe it's the way Ludo pronounces Licorice? Maybe it's because I ate at Joe Pytkas table? And drank wine that cost more money than most of you make? Maybe it was the snow-cone made of crab (you stole that one from Wolfe)? Maybe it's because it's the most romatic patio in LA? You'll never know because it's closed. But, perhaps more will have access to the genuis of Ludovic when it re-opens.

** oh, and did i mention the 1945 bottle of Lafite? that didn't hurt either?

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Solis S.

Canoga Park, CA

5 star rating
01/24/2008

loved it.  the service impeccable, the food divine.
chef walter mixes in asian to his dishes that make the experience unique and refreshing...
chef marge's breads and desserts are to die for...

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James K.

Pasadena, CA

5 star rating
09/15/2007

Well, Bastide is BACK in business! It opened on September 5th.

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j c.

New York, NY

5 star rating
07/17/2006

While Los Angeles isn't necessarily as francophiliac in its cuisine as New York is, Bastide proves that la france still, er, vive-s here. The ambience is rather muted and almost formal, but that's all the better to let the sublime flavors of each course shine. Bastide generally offers two seatings per day, I believe. This is definitely not one of those loud, trendy Hollywood spots, but great for those who are looking for intriguing food more than scene.

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Jo T.

Pomona, CA

5 star rating
03/24/2006

Bastide is an awesome French restaurant with really high standards.  The service is amazing.  The new chef Ludovic Lefebvre is very innovative and creative with flavors.  I loved how knowledgeable the entire staff was about the food that was being served.  The ambiance was very French and very romantic but at the same time very comfortable.  I also liked the attention to detail from the embroidered linen to the stools for each woman to put their purse on.  The cheese course was to die for.  Bastide is a place where you'll most likely run into a celebrity.  The night I dined there I sat next to Baby Face and his wife.  The average check per person- $200

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