Cuisine:

• Eclectic
• Contemporary
• Others

Raphael Description:
On a less fashionable stretch of Ventura Boulevard is this sophisticated restaurant. The design of the intimate space captures both trendiness and comfort, with reclaimed teak walls accented with backlit onyx, mirrored ceilings and contemporary crystal pendant chandeliers. Alon Raphael, former owner of Bel-Air Bar & Grill, warmly greets guests at the door, and chef Steven Barkulis runs the back of the house. Raphael specializes in "World Cuisine," and the menu calls out the country of inspiration for each dish, such as whitefish ceviche from Mexico. We were delighted with the tuna tartare, benefiting here from ponzu sauce and yuzu-infused oil. A salad of poached apple, greens, hazelnut ricotta cheese and cider gastrique is another beautifully balanced starter before moving on to a filet with béarnaise sauce or one of the best lamb dishes in town. The generously portioned rack has a crust of Dijon mustard and breadcrumbs, and is plated with ratatouille and a light reduction. One would expect Barkulis, an alum of Water Grill, to have a deft hand with seafood, and his pan-roasted, crispy-skinned salmon is lovely, accompanied by a golden beet purée. A banana bread pudding paired with tempura fried bananas and peanut ice cream is a worthy finish, and the mostly California wine list (not quite as worldly as the menu) offers good value, plus about 40 labels poured by the glass.


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