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