La Cachette Bistro
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The Details:
1733 Ocean Avenue
Santa Monica, CA 90401
Phone: (310) 434-9509
Lunch: Mon-Fri 12:00pm-2:30pm
Brunch: Sun 11:00am-3:00pm
Happy Hour: Mon-Fri 5:00pm-7:00pm
Dinner: Sun-Thu 6:00pm-10:00pm, Fri-Sat 6:00pm-11:00pm
The Los Angeles Foodie Rating:
The Summary:
La Cachette Bistro is obviously not consistent with typical destinations of Los Angeles Foodie – it’s a bit on the fancy side. But I was invited for a meeting and a lunch tasting with Chef Jean Francois Meteigner, and I was not going to pass up the opportunity. Chef Jean Francois serves classic French bistro cuisine with a California spin, and most of his ingredients are sourced from local farms. It would be a wonderful meeting place to catch up with friends or family in the casual dining room, patio, or bar area. The preparation of each dish is impeccable, and Chef Jean Francois and his staff strive to make their guests as comfortable as possible.
The Place:
La Cachette Bistro was originally located near Century City, but a series of construction projects eventually obscured the entrance to the restaurant, and even loyal patrons stopped coming as often as they once had. Therefore the restaurant was relocated to its current address across the street from the Pacific Ocean in Santa Monica. Chef Jean Francois told me that their customers followed them to their new location, and they have added to their list of regulars with a new Santa Monica clientele.
The restaurant is divided into three sections. The first, the outdoor patio, feels secluded, which is a feat considering that Ocean Avenue can get pretty hairy, especially in the summertime. The second part is La Cachette’s airy bar room.
The third part of the restaurant is the ample dining room where I was seated for lunch. Each table is set with a crisp linen napkin, a container of sea salt, and a pepper mill – which doesn’t seem like a huge deal until you realize how few fine dining restaurants provide premium seasonings on the table. Usually the chef likes the make the decisions about how to dial-in the seasoning for his dish, and for the most part I’m sure that Chef Jean Francois is the same, but he also wants you to feel comfortable and enjoy your meal on your own terms.
The Food:
I have nothing against wine. I like wine. But I don’t know a thing about it, and I have found that any attempt that I have made to learn more is usually met with too much pomp and circumstance. Plus, most of the people I have met who know lots about wine are pretentious food people. I drink beer, and I strongly believe that beer deserves every bit of respect that wine gets. Luckily, more and more people are starting to agree with me. La Cachette Bistro serves several beers, and with my lunch I enjoyed a Green Flash Brewing Company West Coast IPA (very hoppy and very good) and a Belzebuth golden ale. Belzebuth is 13% ABV but it doens’t taste like it. So be careful.
All of the following dishes with the exception of the Fois Gras (dinner menu) and the Ile Flottante (prix fixe, I’m assuming) appear on the lunch menu.
Course one was Homemade Fois Gras Terrine with Rhubarb and Toast. The chef explained that the fois gras was more or less a confit. The liver is cleaned and deveined then wrapped tightly in cheese cloth. It is placed in a terrine and covered with very warm olive oil. The heat of the oil and nothing else is what cooks the fois gras. The rhubarb on the side is a jelly topped with cooked rhubarb. I can safely say that this is the best fois gras I have ever had. Here’s to hoping that the city of Los Angeles doesn’t ban the stuff.
My second course was the Hawaiian Ahi Tuna Tartar with Korean Chili Paste and Toast. For tuna, this dish was excellent. But I’m not crazy about tuna. I have never been able to fully understand people obsession with this fish. Perhaps because it is so mild? Personally, I like fish to have a deep flavor, and in my experience, tuna does not. But the tartar was expertly prepared and seasoned, and I definitely enjoyed it.
The third course was the star of the day: Fennel Sauerkraut with Lightly Smoked Alaskan True Cod, Homemade Organic Salmon Sausage and Fennel Candied Lemon Sauce. I just assumed that with the length of the description this dish would be overly-complicated, but it was not. The cod was perfectly cooked, as were the tiny potatoes. But what really punched me in the face was the sausage. Absolutely unique. I savored each bite for as long as I could, and mixed with the sauerkraut and the lemon sauce, it was even better. This sausage alone is worth the trip to La Cachette Bistro.
My fourth course was Venison Chili with Black Beans, Vegetables, and Swiss Cheese. The venison was tender, and the rest of the vegetables were cooked with just a small amount of bite, which I appreciated. The spices and seasoning were well-balanced, but overall, I wasn’t blown over by this dish. I assume that the idea was to elevate something as simple as chili to a new level, but it’s still just chili. I would not recommend this dish.
Finally, the chef brought me the bistro classic, Ile Flottante. This dish is a soft meringue served in a pool of sweet cream sauce. La Cachette Bistro’s version is served with crushed pistachios and crystallized sugar/caramel bits. Wonderful.
The Service:
It is impossible for me to judge the service since I was an invited guest of the chef. But I can say that the vibe of La Cachette Bistro is relaxed, even in the kitchen. The front of the house is efficient and polite.
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