La Cachette Bistro

Widely considered one of the most influential French chefs in America, Jean François Meteigner literally wrote the book on this cuisine -- Cuisine Naturelle -- a revolutionary approach to French cooking that eschews heavy creams, butter, and complex recipes in favor of dishes that are simple, light, full of flavor, and 90% free of cream and butter. His flagship fine-dining restaurant in Century City, La Cachette, set the standard for 10 years, but in 2009, he closed down the upscale, elegant eatery and opened this more casual bistro in Santa Monica. Meteigner is still very much the driving force in the kitchen -- and popular dishes like the in-shell "eggs and caviar" from his early days at L.A.'s once beloved L'Orangerie can still be ordered (in advance only), but now he's also serving more affordable "French tapas" (small plates) like the excellent smoked trout with perfectly cooked potatoes and homemade sour cream; fork-tender braised pork cheeks; and seared squid in a mint pesto sauce (even if you don't normally like calamari, order this dish and you'll see a whole new side of squid.) Main courses include coq au vin and New Zealand lamb chops.

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.

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