Bastide
Los Angeles, CA 90069-5311
Phone: (323) 651-5950
- Price:
- $$$$
- Cross Street:
- La Cienega Boulevard
- Specialties:
- Fine Dining
- Hours:
- Tue-Fri 12pm-2pm, 6pm-9pm, Sat 6pm-9pm
Editorial Review for Bastide – by Whitney Friedlander
In Short
Big wooden doors open onto a romantically lit stone courtyard with a smattering of tables. A wall of lush shrubbery adorns one interior room; the other is minimally decorated with a fireplace and plush black-and-white carpet. Celeb sightings happen, but the mostly gourmand and deal-closer crowd are more concerned with choosing between the two triple-digit prix-fixe menus. Courses are described as simply "fish" or "meat," then servers arrive with Californian/New American interpretations of the best meats and produce from nearby growers and farmers' markets.
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Insider Tips
Know Before You GoReservations are essential--there are fewer than 20 tables, including the courtyard's community table for 10, plus an eight-seat chef's table.
ParkingMetered spots can be sought out, but why bother when valet is complimentary?
When to GoLunchtime offers a great way to experience the cuisine--and save money. There's a daily prix-fixe menu featuring three courses for $38. They can pace it as leisurely (or quickly) as you prefer.
What to DrinkThe extensive wine list includes pairings specifically designed to complement each menu, with a few by-the-glass options also available. Bottles start around $30, and there's no corkage.
User Reviews for Bastide
05/02/2008 Posted by bartman17
Our dinner at Bastide was a complete failure - uninspired food, service that was beyond poor, and no care for the customer. When ordering, my son, who accompanied my wife and I , told the server that he was allergic to beans, nuts and legumes, and was assured that Bastide could adjust its tasting menu to accommodate his food allergies. But then, for dessert, he was served pistachio ice cream and a peanut butter/chocolate confection. He was also served a lobster dish in a green pea sauce topped with a pea filled ravioli. Worse yet, after my son pointed out to the waiter that peas are legumes, the waiter came back to the table and snidely announced that the chef was [incorrectly] certain that peas aren't legumes. The busser who brought bread to our table (six nice mini loaves) explained what each was. Unfortunately, even after twice asking him to repeat himself, no one in our party could understand his explanation. The same problem with explanations continued throughout the meal. Bastide doesn't describe its food preparations on the menu. This is done orally when food is brought to the table. But the descriptions were done so quickly, with so little expression, and with so many haute adjectives as to be impossible to understand. On two occassions, wine glasses were brought to the table, presumably to be filled for the next course, only to be mysteriously whisked away and replaced with different shaped and sized glasses before the wine was poured. But perhaps the most perplexing event of the evening was when the cheese course was "served." My son and I chose the 7 course dinner, my wife the 4 course dinner. The cheese course, which was supposed to be served to my son and me after the entrees and before the desserts, was served to us before any of the main courses. And then, again, whisked away. It turns out that it was served to the wrong table. Not the sort of mistake expected at one of the most expensive restaurants in Los Angeles.
Pros: Friendly hostess. Nice room.
Cons: Uninspired food. Confused service. Back talk to guests.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful
02/24/2008 Posted by tammywhynot
Where to begin? My husband and I both ordered the 7 course meal (you have two choices for dinner: 4 or 7 courses) with wine pairings. With the amuse bouche, it actually ended up being around 11 courses. This wasn't just dinner - it was an experience. The chef's treatment of the food was sublime. I actually requested a vegetarian 7 course menu, and it was fabulous. The chef was inventive and each course was a treat. As with the old Bastide, the service was exceptional. The staff treats your meal as the experience it is and paces it so you can enjoy each course. Tables are not crowded at all which is refreshing. The atmosphere was very romantic. This was my first time on the patio, and although I prefer the amusing flair of their decor indoors, outside was lovely also.
Pros: Food, service
Cons: none
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful
