A West Hollywood institution for nearly twenty years, La Bohème is one of those iconic restaurants that help define a city. With its shimmering crystal chandeliers, glowing fireplaces, and private booths, the restaurant has been, for years, a favorite for first dates and celebrations – and yet, we all need a little freshening up and in 2007, La Bohème was completely renovated.
With a nod toward today’s more casual clientele, the resultant restaurant is both informal and professional, with a menu that features French-influenced Asian cuisine. A sesame tofu steak with garlic broccolini under a lemon soy sauce was as beautifully plated as it was delicious.
A black plum crumble with oatmeal walnut streusel topping and ginger ice cream was an ode to farm cooking at the tail end of summer. The cocktail menu is extensive (and filled with frivolous variations on classics), but this is the kind of restaurant where you’re best ordering a Martini straight up or a glass of Champagne.
Both the dining room and the patio are lovely spaces – and it’s sometimes difficult to determine where you might be happiest. Red velvet curtains and low lighting in the main room create a seductive atmosphere. Outside, a fountain gurgles as the lights of West Hollywood light up the sky.
Our advice? Come back a second time. There’s always something to celebrate at La Bohème.
LINK: La Bohème
