REPUBLIQUE (LOS ANGELES, CA)

Republique
624 S. La Brea Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90036
www.republiquela.com
Tel: 310.362.6115
Cuisine: French
$$$ ($30-$45)
Sat, 08/19/2017, 9:15pm reservation
    (4 Piglets)

Republique is a restaurant that was once the space of Nancy Silverton and Mark Peel's Campanile. It is now the visions of Walter and Margarita Manzke, delivering French-inspired dishes.

The building itself is beautiful, a building that was the creation of Charlie Chaplin. There are large windows that peer into communal seatings and a compartment filled with pastries, oysters and cheese. In the back, beyond the tables where the skylight shines through is the main dining room. There is an open kitchen as well for diners to see the chefs cooking up a storm.

The menu is straight-forward. We ordered a variety of dishes.

MY FAVORITE DISH. MARGARITAS BAGUETTE ($7.00): with Normandy Butter. This is absolutely amaze-balls. The bread was perfectly crisp on the outside and chewy and moist on the inside. The butter...oh the butter...it is so luscious. It's creamy, decadent and full of flavor. It comes served with a bit of salt, so be sure to sprinkle a bit over the butter and bread. I would just come here for some butter and bread with a glass of wine and I'm a happy camper. 

FOIE GRAS TORCHON TOAST ($26.00): Nectarine Chutney, French Breakfast Radish. This is very similar to foie gras torchon served in France. It was a bit sweet with the nectarine, rich with the foie gras and fresh with the radish. It was a delicious bite. For those who don't like rich food, this dish isn't for you. 

BEEF TARTARE ($21.00): Tarragon Aioli, Pickled Red Onion, Potato Chips. This was probably my second favorite dish. I loved the crispiness of the potato chips that went with the tartare. You could taste the freshness of the meat and the aioli tied the onion and meat altogether. 

BRUSSEL SPROUTS ($18.00): Frisee, Applewood Smoked Bacon, Croutons, Soft Egg. This dish was pretty darn good. The Brussel sprouts were roasted perfectly, bringing out the sweetness and flavor of the vegetable. The bacon added the necessary fat and smokiness to the dish. The egg was the icing on top, making the dish luscious when mixed altogether. A must order! 

SWEET CORN AGNOLOTTI ($28.00): Chanterelle Mushrooms. This was probably my least favorite dish. A friend of mine loved it, but I didn't. I thought the filling, although creamy, was a little too sweet. The pasta itself was delicious and cooked al dente. It was light, but I just wasn't a fan. 

CARMELIZED WHITE CHOCOLATE SABAYON ($12.00): Pudwell Farms Berries, Strawberry Sorbet. I absolutely loved this dessert! I originally wanted the almond cake and had to settle for this dessert. I'm so glad I did. The sorbet was so creamy and refreshing and not too tart. I loved the meringue and fresh berries with the creamy sabayon. It had all the textures without being overly sweet and overly heavy. It was a good way to end the meal. 

Overall, I thought Republique was pretty good. I've been to this restaurant for brunch, which I thought was delicious. It definitely tries to highlight dishes that are French-inspired while giving it a modern and unique twist. The space itself is beautiful and can be a bit crowded and loud. Service was on point. They ran out of a few dishes, which was annoying. Other than that, it's a good place to have a gathering. 

Notable Dishes: Margarita's Baguette, Carmelized White Chocolate Sabayon, Beef Tartare

MAGPIE (PHILADELPHIA, PA)

Magpie
1622 South St.
Philadelphia, PA 19146
www.iluvmagpie.com
Tel: 267.519.2904
Cuisine: Dessert, Pies
$ (under $15)
Sat, 07/15/2017, 8:30pm walk-in
    (4 piglets)

Following our indulgence of Philly cheesesteaks, my family and I were in the mood for something sweet. We wanted dessert that was a bit different than the usual ice cream pick. As we searched, we discovered a coffee and pie spot that wasn't too far from our current location.

Magpie is a pie spot that offers seasonal pies made by hand. It is located in a cute little area that seems to have a cool foodie feel to it. The store is quite small with a long bar countertop area as well as a few tables surrounding it. The interior is simple, but cute, reminding you that you just stepped into something that resembles Anthropology. The menu is basic with pies, coffee, and ice cream.

The menu

Cute Little sitting area

The bar seating

The bar

CAPPUCCINO ($3.75): The cappuccino was delicious. It was thick and frothy and had a cute heart design. The espresso had the perfect amount of strength that I didn't even need to add sugar.

GHIRADELLI WHITE HOT CHOCOLATE ($4.00): with house made marshmallow. This was delicious. The marshmallow wasn't the typical jetpuff marshmallow. It was light and airy and the white chocolate was sweet but not overly sweet. It was a good drink if you like hot chocolate and want something a bit different.

BLUEBERRY CRUMB A LA MODE ($6.00 +$2.50 FOR ICE CREAM): I thought this pie was just ok. I loved the crumb topping cause it is one of my favorites, but the whole pie altogether didn't amaze me. The crust had a nice buttery texture. I wasn't a fan of the ice cream. It was just way too crystalized and icy and lacked the creamy consistency I always look for in ice cream.  

BUTTERSCOTCH BOURBON ($5.25): I really enjoyed this pie. I'm a fan of butterscotch so a butterscotch pie made my dreams come true. It was creamy and buttery and the bourbon was really subtle. It was not too heavy and the crust was flaky. A good overall pie.

MY FAVORITE. BLACK AND WHITE ($5.50): This was a really good pie. It was rich with chocolate undertones without being overly decadent. I loved all the textures, from the buttery pie crust, to the creamy filling all the way to the crispy chocolate balls. It was a pie party in my mouth.

Overall, Magpie is a great dessert spot if you're looking for something different than the common ice cream. It is fairly small and cozy and offers great coffee options for the coffee lovers. They also have pie milkshakes where you can pick your favorite pie flavor and turn it into a drink! Additionally, if you're into savory pies, they have that too! Basically, it's a win-win situation for all.

Notable Dishes: Black and White Pie and Ghiradelli White Hot Chocolate