The signature “Croque Madame” appetizer, updated with yellowtail sashimi, prosciutto, and a quail egg on grilled brioche, might be all you need to send you off happy into the night at this sublimely sophisticated but utterly unpretentious restaurant. But the entrees, simple at their core, reach ambrosial heights with savvy tweaks like lamb, crusted with date and mint, or dry-aged New York steak, pan-roasted with salsify root and puree. Seasonal prix fixe menus, a jaw-dropping deal compared with most upscale restaurants’ tasting menus, reach beyond the entrees: sauteed Monterey Bay squid or pan-roasted duck breast, for example, or ricotta agnolotti with butternut squash and Parmesan on the vegetarian menu. The pillowy sugar and spice beignets and the crème fraîche cheesecake with hazelnut shortbread are two standouts on a tantalizing dessert menu. Note: Chef couple Quinn and Karen Hatfield were planning to open a more casual dinner restaurant, Odys & Penelope, in fall 2014, calling it a dinner version of the popular breakfast and lunch place, Sycamore Kitchen, (143 S. La Brea Ave., www.thesycamorekitchen.com; tel. 323/939-0151) that they opened in 2012.

-Christine Delsol