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Bouchon Bistro
(310) 271-9910
Beverly Hills
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Restaurant added by Patrick Harris
Menu for Bouchon Bistro
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Critic reviews for Bouchon Bistro
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LA Magazine
March 01, 2010 - ...a relaxed alternative to the Beverly Hills hubbub upstairs. full review | all LA Magazine reviews |
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LA Magazine
February 01, 2010 - Overhyped, overanticipated, and remarkably good, Thomas Keller’s Bouchon leaves little room for skeptics full review | all LA Magazine reviews |
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Los Angeles Times
rated it 3/4 stars
January 20, 2010 - Thomas Keller makes a triumphant return to the L.A. area with a contemporary, sophisticated bistro. full review | all Los Angeles Times reviews |
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Los Angeles Times
December 07, 2009 - Thomas Keller's latest Bouchon outpost has the look and feel of a bistro. And the food? Familiar and comforting. full review | all Los Angeles Times reviews |
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LA Weekly
November 24, 2009 - ...if it weren’t for the high prices, Bouchon would be a place you were happy to take a nine-year-old. full review | all LA Weekly reviews |
Blog posts on Bouchon Bistro
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The Moonlighting Foodie
February 04, 2010 - Upon entering the restaurant, you may feel as though you have the wrong address, but you don't. The concierge... full post | all The Moonlighting Foodie reviews |
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Yutjangsah
Likes it February 02, 2010 - When I think celebration, my thoughts turn, like the tide itself, to ocean creatures, cream colored oysters on... full post | all Yutjangsah reviews |
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The Michelin Project
Doesn't like it January 03, 2010 - Everyone knows that food isn't just "food" when Thomas Keller is involved. When it comes to that guy, surpassing... full post | all The Michelin Project reviews |
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F for Food
November 26, 2009 - I actually enjoyed my evening with Dixon at Bouchon. But I guess I’m not able to wrap my head around the hype. I... full post | all F for Food reviews |
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Pleasure Palate
November 22, 2009 - It was hard to tear myself away from all that caviar and just as hard not to sneak one of those caviar tins into... full post | all Pleasure Palate reviews |
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SinoSoul
Doesn't like it November 19, 2009 - Please remember the portions, even for hors-d’oeuvres are large. The soupe a l’oignon is portioned for TGIFriday... full post | all SinoSoul reviews |
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Dig Lounge
Likes it November 17, 2009 - Keller has landed in Los Angeles. Not a celeb chef, but a celebrity in the world of chefs. Cook book author... full post | all Dig Lounge reviews |
User reviews of Bouchon Bistro
Share your opinion with the world. Add your review below.
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"HIow did they get their stars?"
by stuart
(4 reviews)
February 28, 2010 - Doesn't like it - First of all the entry to this establishment is so devoid of character. You walk up to an emplty reception desk with a sign telling you to climb the stiars (or take the lift) and check in with the receptionist.The food I would say is a 6+ on a 10 scale. The only good dish we had was the fraise salad with egg. The most disappointing was the shrimp. They were served on a regular beige salad plate . they were very watery and had no taste at all.Very disappointing to say the least. |
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"Bouchon Beverly Hills: There's Laundry to Do."
by Elliott
(20 reviews)
February 08, 2010 - As expected, consistent with the hood, Bouchon is ginormous. It shares a courtyard with the Montage Hotel and encompasses two levels, all designed by Adam Tihany. The smaller, Bar Bouchon (Keller's first and only), is on the ground floor and is scheduled to open the second week of December; Bouchon, the restaurant, is on the second floor. Bar Bouchon will serve small plates and offer an extensive wine list.Each floor has its own bar and dining room plus patio/terrace for outdoor seating. Guests enter from ground level to check in with the reservationist and loiter in the waiting room, if necessary. From here you mount the stairs to reach the main dining space which lands you in the "Champagne lounge" (with very plush seating) and to the left is a long hall. This leads to the dining area which boasts Keller's signature nickel-plated bar. A smaller private dining room is also available and can seat up to 12. Dixon: I've wisely learned to temper my excitement over new culinary experiences in LA and one rule I make it a point to apply is "the greater the expectation, the greater the let down". But I have trouble maintaining that stoicism when confronted with the promise of true culinary genius. Thomas Keller, arguably the most famous American chef, recently returned to LA filling a void palpably experienced by moneyed (if not entirely hungry) Angelinos, and I got to dine there this week with Ms. F You For Food. The [attempted] application of my cardinal rule proved neither a bulwark against mediocrity nor a doorway to epicurian bliss but instead guided me on long and interesting (if somewhat uneven) journey of what I might conclude is Keller's passion - thoughtful French "bistro" food.Upon being seated Dixon immediately remarked, "It looks like a Hyatt". Indeed, it was huge, airy, and had weird, 80's style ceilings. I would say that only about 1/8 of the tables were filled. Considering the absolute to-do of merely securing a reservation that was at least 29 days out, this seemed peculiar. Also considering the place seats 200 it's entirely possible they were keeping it lite for the first week to minimize new restaurant glitches. Let's say that's the case and move on.As soon as we were seated pain de epi, or a baguette, some soft butter and warm pistachios were placed on our table. The server peeled back the little paper on top of the butter for us which was very helpful. Upon noshing on the absolutely brilliant bread we noticed the tables were covered with butcher paper and sadly, no crayons. Cruel, but probably wise, as Dixon has an anti-social compulsion to draw a particular inappropriate thing in public places. Again, the bread was sublime and the delicately salted butter was perfect.Dixon and I started with a dozen mixed huitres (oysters) ($34), a glass of muscadet ($9) for me, and a sparkling rosé ($9) for Dixon. We followed with the Soup å l'Onion ($9.75) and the Terrine de Foie Gras de Canard, served with toasted baguette (5oz.) ($48.50). Dixon: We began with the oysters (see the rest of this F You entry for the particular ethnicities of the oysters). Keller, of course, has the cash and clout to get good ones and they were - tasty, meaty and perfectly shucked. The underlying, strictly aesthetic bed of seaweed might have otherwise been unappetizing but it made me think of a young Darryl Hannah. The oysters were a mixed bag of Beau Soleil from New Brunswick (my favorite), which were crisp with a strong brine; Island Creek from Massachusetts, which were strong and meaty and had a flavor that held its head high; Umami from Rhode Island, which were smaller and slightly sweet. I found them interesting in that they were mild at first but became a little bitter at the end. All of the oysters were super fresh and exceptional. I will say that the seaweed upon which they rested was an odd touch. While I obviously get it, it mostly looked like a sludgy sea monster.The foie gras, served simply in a mason jar with toasted baguette, was prodigious. Transcendent. For me, this foie gras goes unsurpassed. It was rich, supple, urbane yet approachable. I actually took it, with its mason jar (for another $10), home with me. I now own the most expensive mason jar in the world. Dixon: Ms. F You has already written about the foie gras so I'll be brief - what she says is true - it was such welcomed toothsome heaviness on the tongue that was, hyperbole aside, pornographic. The accompanying French onion soup was rich and comforting and the challenge of getting a spoonful of the gratin I actually found amusing. It was worth violent stabbing and attendant embarrassment. We were both tremendously impressed with the soup. The onions had been caramelized for 5 hours, the bread was house-made, and that Comté cheese, oh the CHEESE. It also sang to my love of salt to the point at which I may have even taken a sip of water (rare when a glass of wine is before me). Here's where things take a turn.I'm not a needy diner as regards service. I like to be left alone for the most part. I appreciate a overall understanding of the menu and the chef's intention. I appreciate a confident knowledge of the inner workings of the establishment, the pace at which to order, etc. I also appreciate an eye being kept on the diminishing glasses of wine and prompt attention to remedy the horror of seeing the bottom of my glass. However, I do not need 5 people frantically scurrying about my table to peel paper off my butter and catch a breadcrumb before it sullies the table with its presence. I want to savor the meal and I usually find the omnipresent server to be quite distracting. Dixon made light of the ratio of staff pointing out that at full capacity they would need 500 servers.The entrees. Dixon knew he wanted the Plat de Cotes de Boeuf ($34.50). This is red wine braised beef short ribs with caramelized Savoy cabbage, glazed sweet carrots, parsnips and jus de boeuf. I was craving something more along Dixon's route, but in the spirit of trying as many different types of the food I ordered the Truite aux Amandes ($27.50). This is a pan-roasted trout with haricots verts, almonds and beurre noisette (also known as trout amandine).Wine-wise Dixon started things off here with the Beaujolias Nouveau '09 ($9) from the Selection du Sommelier. He wasn't wild about it but it was a weak choice to pair with beef and odd for Dixon as he's a big red drinker. He quickly jumped to my side of the fence with the Turley Old Vines Zinfandel '07 ($17). We both thought this was a great glass of Zin that would work with any number of levels with our food and on its own.The beef was fine. But I thought the vegetables were the stars of the dish. I'll let Dixon run with this one.Dixon: Here's the rub: the entrees were just okay. The braised short rib had a country-side heartiness and provincial appeal but was missing a certain something - that unifying ingredient that ties the dish together while elevating it (a total more than the sum thing). This is my go to dish at similar restaurants and while it certainly was solid, I've had better from chefs of far less renown. F You's trout was indeed a disappointment - under-seasoned and underwhelming - it made even the vin taste flat and had us tearing more bread and double-dipping the foie gras.While a stunning presentation, the trout was a fairly big disappointment for both of us. This was a beautiful fish--a whole fish--and its life should be celebrated and revered. Its death should not be in vain. This fish was cooked perfectly but under seasoned and wholly underwhelming. The haricots verts were nicely done with a smart snap that retained the integrity of the vegetable. I have read several reviews where Keller merely attributed it's lack of excellence to the kitchen still learning the dishes. Yikes.Dixon: The stumbling blocks I'm not sure can be attributed entirely to opening week kinks. A "bistro" is typically small and modest. With a 300 plus dollar price tag on our eats, modesty isn't the first adjective to come to mind. And Keller's celebrity is as pornographic as the goose liver, which makes me think that 50 dollars for a small jar of the delicacy might be more about the owner's name than the import tax. French onion soup isn't rocket science and throw in an abbreviated and slightly disappointing by-the-glass (I like to sample) wine selection as well as a way too obvious attempt at managing that we're-too-hot-to-get-a-reservation image and, overall, I was somewhat let down. At Keller's level, art and artist are inextricably married, and so the journey ends with confession. I couldn't avoid applying a higher standard when sampling the fare - a standard that ultimately wasn't met. Perhaps visit number two will be just Jameson's and those fries Bourdain loves so much. That ought to keep the bar low.I actually enjoyed my evening with Dixon at Bouchon. But I guess I'm not able to wrap my head around the hype. I mean this is bistro food. It's simple, quaint French fare. Give me something to make it stand out. Something special. Something to make me understand the difficulty in securing a reservation, the enormous accolades, and a $300 tab for two people.I say, for those of you champing at the bit for a reservation, be relieved that by the time you get there Bouchon will have had ample time to comb out their tangles. Hopefully. 1 person likes this review Recommend |
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"Nice place, comforting food."
by iknowfood
(19 reviews)
February 03, 2010 - Likes it - Glad to have stopped in by chance.......good portions, too. |
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"Not as good as the Bouchon in NY"
by Kaleo Spencer
(2 reviews)
January 25, 2010 - But still pretty damn good. You can tell they make their own bread. Bravo! |
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"needs fine tuning..."
by brazenbruce
(70 reviews)
December 29, 2009 - Likes it - the food was great as expected, the service was bad as expected. ladies get served first, the person who orders the wine taste the wine, ketchup should come with fries, water and wine glasses should be tapped off, waiters should know the specials by heart and not need notes or position yourself so you can read the specials board 1 person likes this review Recommend |
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"Not Up to the Hype"
by Lynne H
(1 review)
December 15, 2009 - Doesn't like it - Went through the whole ordeal of snagging a reservation exactly 28 days in advance and calling in as soon as the lines opened. Tried about 20 minutes to get through, and was able to get a table at 6:15! Went last Saturday night. Pouring down rain. The valet guys were great! Actually, best part of the evening. The space is glorious and the people watching is great fun. From the hostesses to the wait staff to the dining room manager, everyone was very helpful and friendly. Having said all that, the food was simply, ok. Not what I was expecting from a Thomas Keller restaurant. Started with the Cod Beignets, which are fried balls of mashed salt cod. I have had much better. The flatiron steak was ok. The short ribs were, ok. The trout was cooked in too much butter. My Dad enjoyed his duck. Our waiter forgot about our sides. The dining room manager came over, apologized and took them off the bill (we did receive them, late). The desserts were great. I hope they open the bakery. Was told they may or may not. So, overall opinion: worth going once, but there are so many better restaurants in this city. |
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"Very nice lunch"
by Michael Szeto
(51 reviews)
December 13, 2009 - Likes it - Went to Bouchon Bistro for lunch on a Sunday with two other people. We had a very good experience and would recommend it to anyone. Definitely coming back.Food: I ordered the roasted lamb, and my two guests had steak frites and the salmon. I loved my lamb--the meat was tender and flavorful. It didn't taste to gamey or over salted. The meat was served over some potatoes and vegetables. Served also with some lamb jus that made everything just so much more wonderful. I sampled a bit of my guest's steak frites. The meat was OK, it was mildly tender ( a bit rougher than I would expect) and the flavor was ok. The butter on the steak didn't add anything to it. Though, they gave plenty of fries. The salmon my other guest had was also very good. The meat was tender and didn't have a fishy taste. For dessert, I ordered the creme brule which was one of the day's desserts and my other guest had the chocolate bouchons, another one of the day's desserts. Loved my creme brule and the bouchons were also great. Service: Service was very good and attentive. Drinks refilled promptly and bread was given soon after we sat down. The bread was very freshly baked baguettes that tasted so good with the butter as well as our entrees. They pay attention to detail here--in the food and the service. Overall: A great experience for a restaurant that has only been open for less than one month when I went there. It's a bit pricey. Our three person meal with entree and dessert cost $135 not including tip. But the food and restaurant were nice enough that it made the experience worthwhile. 3 people like this review Recommend |
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