Church & State
1850 Industrial St
Mateo St.
Los Angeles, California 90021
USA
Phone: 213-405-1434
Mateo St.
Los Angeles, California 90021
USA
Phone: 213-405-1434
| Food | |
| Service | |
| Ambiance | |
| Overall: |
Location & Nearby Info
Biscuit Company Lofts0.01 mi
Royal Claytons Restaurant0.04 mi
French Garden0.09 mi
La Reyna Restaurant0.09 mi
Chavez Cafe0.11 mi
Avenue X Restaurant0.12 mi
Soul Folks Cafe0.15 mi
Fruit Pop0.18 mi
Vegetarian Connection0.23 mi
Mc Donald's0.31 mi
Cuisine:
Church & State Description:
Restaurateur Yassmin Sarmadi, who has been involved at Joe's in Venice for several years, decided to keep the space---it was the former loading dock of the Nabisco factory---the way she found it, with its 1920s look. The original brick floor remains, complemented by a large mirror in the back, a bar as you enter, an open kitchen on the opposite side, and strings of lights hanging across the ceiling. The goal was to create a true French bistro with typical French dishes, which is the case besides the Kumamoto oysters. (Chef Walter Manzke has left the restaurant and replacing him is Joshua Smith.) Come hungry since it is difficult to choose between the perfectly cooked moules marinières; the salade de harengs (probably the best we've ever had); and the pied de cochon, pigs' feet on lentils for appetizers. The charcuterie is all house-made and includes a foie gras terrine topped with port wine gelée. Tartines (bread with roasted eggplant or goat cheese), salads or onion tarts are other starter options. If that sounds good to you, you must have some crispy pigs' ear. They come from the best pork producer in the country and prepared by this kitchen, they are pure pleasure on the palate. You are now ready to move on to the confit de canard, the bouillabaisse, the steak frites or the cassoulet aux légumes. The cheeses are presented on a nice wood board and are from France to maintain the French flair. Of course, you are going to find a crème brûlée for dessert, along with a tarte au chocolat, a cherry tart and a warm apple crisp. The short wine list is composed only with selections from France. You may also ask for a house cocktail, made with fresh-squeezed fruits. If the restaurant's name seems a bit strange (as this phrase often follows "the separation of"), it's only because the owners picked a name that would stand out and cause a stir---which it certainly does. The restaurant is far away downtown, but for a real French bistro experience it is much closer than Paris and really worth the drive.
Reviews of Church & State
Just Go by gourmand
2010-02-06 08:08:00.0
2010-02-06 08:08:00.0
Overall
Food
Service
Ambiance
Review :
Considering its location it is a challenge for most but take our advise and go. You have an amazing chef with Walter.Food is exactly the way it shoud be and they have cool seasonal cocktails. Friendly staff, overall a warm and fuzzy experince. Can't wait to go back.
Considering its location it is a challenge for most but take our advise and go. You have an amazing chef with Walter.Food is exactly the way it shoud be and they have cool seasonal cocktails. Friendly staff, overall a warm and fuzzy experince. Can't wait to go back.
An excellent meal with terrific service by Deb
2009-06-25 01:22:08.0
2009-06-25 01:22:08.0
Overall
Food
Service
Ambiance
Review :
Picking up a friend who was staying at a Bunker Hill area hotel, I was happy to realize we were near Church & State and could easily try this interesting sounding establishment that caught my attention in this Gayot review. We arrived around 8 p.m. to find a full dining room and a couple of people ahead of us. It's not often I see that at such an hour on a week night in Los Angeles. And even if you live downtown, this is not exactly on anyone's way home. It was exciting to see.
I always get excited about a meal when it's clear that the person helping me with my order genuinely loves the food he/she is recommended, and clearly has genuine recommendations. It was immediately evident that the man we were speaking with had great respect for the food he was serving.
As our first appetizer, our eyes went to the Pots de Macon, where we had a hard time choosing from the five options. We selected Terrine de Foie Gras-Foie Gras topped with a port-wine gelee, served with brioche. Finishing the brioche didn't mean I'd let our server take away that cute little jar. Not while there was still a smooth-tasting Foie Gras to be savored.
Our second appetizer choice was the Tarte Flamee-Caramelized onions and Gruyere cheese melted over perfect thin, crisp dough and topped with small chunks of bacon. It had caught the attention of both of us when we first glanced at the menu so as our waiter was suggesting that the thin-crust pizza was well-loved there, I'd been thinking, no, we want this tarte. Soon I realized he was referring to the tartes, so once more we were going with our waiter's suggestion. We were both very happy that we�d tried it. To me it was perfection.
It was difficult to pass up the Bouillabaisse as my main dish, but the Beef Short Rib Bordelaise was calling my name as well. This main dish was a fine boneless strip of melt-in-your mouth meat (about 1" wide, 2-3" tall and about 6" long), served in a light red wine sauce with swiss chard and wild mushrooms. My cut was perfect. I can not imagine a way for the melding of these fine ingredients and the way it was cooked to be any better.
Although dessert was an insane idea after such a large and perfectly tasty meal, we did not resist. Each item looked tasty, but I opted for Pod de Creme us Chocolat with caramel, hazelnut and fleur de sel. I'm a chocolate mousse/chocolate pudding/chocolate cream pie kind of gal. This was my first time having a caramelized chocolate before. Needless to say, I loved it. This was a very nice blend and a perfect end to a meal that was perfect every step of the way.
I am very happy I tried Church & State. I was very well-guided by this Gayot review.
To comment about the surroundings, I was actually there to meet and speak with my dinner companion for the first time. Upon entering the dining room I wondered if it would be too loud. We chose a small table along the wall at the end, and had no problem talking.
Picking up a friend who was staying at a Bunker Hill area hotel, I was happy to realize we were near Church & State and could easily try this interesting sounding establishment that caught my attention in this Gayot review. We arrived around 8 p.m. to find a full dining room and a couple of people ahead of us. It's not often I see that at such an hour on a week night in Los Angeles. And even if you live downtown, this is not exactly on anyone's way home. It was exciting to see.
I always get excited about a meal when it's clear that the person helping me with my order genuinely loves the food he/she is recommended, and clearly has genuine recommendations. It was immediately evident that the man we were speaking with had great respect for the food he was serving.
As our first appetizer, our eyes went to the Pots de Macon, where we had a hard time choosing from the five options. We selected Terrine de Foie Gras-Foie Gras topped with a port-wine gelee, served with brioche. Finishing the brioche didn't mean I'd let our server take away that cute little jar. Not while there was still a smooth-tasting Foie Gras to be savored.
Our second appetizer choice was the Tarte Flamee-Caramelized onions and Gruyere cheese melted over perfect thin, crisp dough and topped with small chunks of bacon. It had caught the attention of both of us when we first glanced at the menu so as our waiter was suggesting that the thin-crust pizza was well-loved there, I'd been thinking, no, we want this tarte. Soon I realized he was referring to the tartes, so once more we were going with our waiter's suggestion. We were both very happy that we�d tried it. To me it was perfection.
It was difficult to pass up the Bouillabaisse as my main dish, but the Beef Short Rib Bordelaise was calling my name as well. This main dish was a fine boneless strip of melt-in-your mouth meat (about 1" wide, 2-3" tall and about 6" long), served in a light red wine sauce with swiss chard and wild mushrooms. My cut was perfect. I can not imagine a way for the melding of these fine ingredients and the way it was cooked to be any better.
Although dessert was an insane idea after such a large and perfectly tasty meal, we did not resist. Each item looked tasty, but I opted for Pod de Creme us Chocolat with caramel, hazelnut and fleur de sel. I'm a chocolate mousse/chocolate pudding/chocolate cream pie kind of gal. This was my first time having a caramelized chocolate before. Needless to say, I loved it. This was a very nice blend and a perfect end to a meal that was perfect every step of the way.
I am very happy I tried Church & State. I was very well-guided by this Gayot review.
To comment about the surroundings, I was actually there to meet and speak with my dinner companion for the first time. Upon entering the dining room I wondered if it would be too loud. We chose a small table along the wall at the end, and had no problem talking.