I had a nice evening at Le Comptoir the other night. It is quite a different experience from the usual US fine dining scene. The closest thing I’ve been to is Cocon in Tokyo, but this just has a few more people working at it.
Le Comptoir is Gary Menes’ attempt at showcasing fresh, local vegetables in an intimate setting. It is an 11 seat bar at a kitchen, where you watch him and his crew cook everything in front of you simply and carefully. Without the “supplements,” which are substitutions, everything is vegetarian. I opted for that menu and other than maybe the steak, I think I made the right decision. The only drinks on offer are a small, simple wine pairing. The pours are quite small, but people seemed to enjoy them.
The star of the show is the “fruit and veggie” plate. It is 33 individual fruits and veggies, each prepared separately, then served together on a plate. They are pickled, sautéed, charred, blanched, etc. I thought this was perfectly executed. Some of the pieces were the best expression of the produce I have ever had; the bell peppers really stood out as flavorful without being sharp, both sweet and tangy. The pickled cherry was also great.
Other highlights were the asparagus soup, which had a deep asparagus flavor without any bitterness or sharpness, the sourdough bread with the egg dish, and the chanterelle and pea dish, which had an excellent sauce to accompany it, showing the chef’s ability to do something more than cook veggies.
Overall the meal was nice and simple. It is California-French food with an ingredient emphasis, and in all the dishes the ingredients stand out. The sourcing is clearly the focus and the star of the evening. I do think everything was slightly too salty, although this might be because I saw him salting everything and so my brain picked up on it, which is something that wouldn’t happen if you weren’t literally sitting in the kitchen.
At around $150 all in without supplements or drinks, I think it was a good value; this meal won’t blow anyone away, but it is a great showcase of restraint, sourcing, and thoughtfulness. If anyone would like to try something a little different in LA, I would recommend you give this a try.
by Steph_Better_