If you haven’t made plans for tonight’s big Valentine’s Day dinner, don’t panic—there’s a new restaurant serving romantic vibes, and it opens this evening, and yes, there’s still availability. (We’re always lookin’ out.) Outfitted with a few rustic touches and plenty of vintage, mismatched, velvet and tufted furniture, Montrésor aims to transport you to the French countryside with an assist from executive chef Paul Shoemaker.
The former chef of Beverly Hills’ the Flats is putting together a traditional bistro menu that includes all the familiars—coq au vin with root vegetables, and French onion soup with gruyere and baguette croutons, to name a few—but doesn’t neglect modernization. The truffled gnocchi gets topped with reggiano foam, the crème brûlée arrives with savory biscotti, and the bibb salad comes sprinkled with quinoa and pomegranate seeds. The subtle tweaks are nods to Shoemaker’s impressive resumé, which features the likes of classic-meets-modern French institutions such as the French Laundry and West Hollywood’s now-shuttered Bastide.
“I like to take a classic dish and have a little fun, give it some flair and get playful,” Shoemaker says in a new release. “I want to create something different, that stands out amongst the classics.” For now, the menu is a brief list of 15 or so items, total, but there’ll most likely be more to come.
The new Studio City spot is brought to us by co-owners Lisa Long (who’s also a partner in La Loggia Ristorante and the Flats), and designer Ann Booth Luly, who conceptualized the space.
Get a glimpse of Montrésor’s 1920s-France-inspired splendor, then stop by and see it for yourself:
Photograph: Courtesy Montrésor/Acuna-Hansen
Photograph: Courtesy Montrésor/Acuna-Hansen
Photograph: Courtesy Montrésor/Acuna-Hansen
Photograph: Courtesy Montrésor/Acuna-Hansen
Montrésor opens tonight at 11266 Ventura Boulevard, serving dinner Tuesday through Sunday from 5:30 to 10:10pm.