Since 1993, Le Petit Bistro has been serving up traditional French bistro fare as the last of the European restaurants on La Cienega’s “the row” in West Hollywood.
The restaurant is owned by the Lachkar family, who has been part of the Los Angeles restaurant scene for the past 40 years.
The family entered the restaurant business with La Potiniere on Beverly Boulevard in 1973, opened the Entourage on Third Street in 1978, Cassis on Third Street and Mon Café in Sherman Oaks in 1985, Le Petit Bistro on La Cienega in 1993 and in Sherman Oaks in 1994, La Mer on La Cienega in 1995, and Le Petit Zinc in Brentwood in 2005.
Le Petit Bistro recently underwent a “facelift” prior to Valentine’s Day, giving the restaurant a fresh look inside and out.
To celebrate its “refreshed” ambiance, Le Petit Bistro will now open on Sundays for dinner from 5 pm to 10 pm starting this Sunday, April 7. It is open Monday through Saturday from 5 pm to 11 pm.
An added bonus for the months of April and May, there will be no charge for corkage on Sunday nights.
As a family-run business, one of the owners is at the restaurant every night.
The owners also sample the restaurant’s nightly specials the night before the dishes are offered to guests to make sure everything is up to scratch.
Co-owner George Lachkar said he and his brothers are excited to celebrate the restaurant’s 20th anniversary on May 5.
Lachkar said they pay attention to culinary trends, the pulse of the market, what customers want, and change and evolve accordingly, such as adding lighter options and making sure the menu is reasonably-priced.
He said diners experience a unique evening at the restaurant.
“Le Petit Bistro is typical of a bistro in the Left Bank of Paris… both the food and the music,” he said.
He said the restaurant’s signature dishes are family inspired.
The lamb shank on a bed of cous cous is their mother’s recipe.
The Shrimp Picante appetizer was created by his brother, Jean Claude. It contains 23 different spices and is a secret recipe. He said only he and his three brothers — not even one of the partners, nor the chef — know it.
A classic French appetizer is the Escargot De Bourgogne. The cooked land snails are smothered in a serving of garlic, butter, and shallot sauce. The generous serving of Black Mussels “Poulette” is another popular appetizer served in a light white wine sauce with a touch of cream. The onion soup gratinee is a little heavier, prepared with delicious Gruyere cheese and served with a side of toast.
Typical French entree selections include roasted chicken or grilled rib eye steak with pommes frites; imported Sole “A La Provencale” with tomato, kalamata olives, and white wine; baked lamb shank with cous cous and carrots; various pastas such as Tagliatelle (served with shrimps, capers, snow peas, and cognac sauce), Linguini a la Vongole (with clams, garlic, white wine and tomato sauce), and Fettuccini Primavera (with olive oil, roasted garlic, and season vegetables).
Le Petit Bistro is located at 631 North La Cienega Boulevard, West Hollywood.
Dinner is served from 5 pm to 11 pm Monday through Saturday, and 5 pm to 10 pm on Sunday. Reservations are recommended, call 310.289.9797.
For more information, visit www.lepetitbistro.us.
