Paul and I have been looking forward to going to C& S for months after many feeble attempts to break away from our suburban routine. We were greeted by a large brick and glass fronted building teeming with diners when we pulled up to the restaurant. After finding street parking, we walked through the large double glass doors only to wait behind two well-dressed, middle-aged couples who obviously had reservations. We were told the previous night that they had no reservations available but we were welcomed to eat at the bar. I immediate scanned the bar and found two spots and the very end of the L shaped formation and hopped onto the stool, happy to park myself in a prime viewing spot. The clientele were a mix of business people and artsy, loft-dwelling types. We were handed three white legal size sheets of paper and proceeded to peruse their cocktail list, wine list, and menu respectively. The menu has conventional brasserie offerings like steak frites, charcuterie, and the classic salade aux lardons which is really bacon salad. The choices were overwhelming because we were so hungry but we narrowed it down to an item from each category. The selections were moules marinieres, pork & duck rillettes, a salade du marche, the duck confit and the special AOC French butter from Normandy. Paul ordered a glass of Bordeaux while I had a bottle of sparkling water, saving myself for the cocktails at The Varnish after dinner. We settled in to people watch and enjoy a sophisticated meal sans enfants.
The moules mariniere came first with toasted slabs of garlic bread and a bowlful of fries. The mussels were plump and sweet, swimming in a Pernod flavored broth and cubes of fennel. The fries were not the skinny shoe strings I love but regular cuts of potatoes. They were well seasoned and crispy, accompanied by a rather anemic aioli. We were barely finished with the mussels when the waiter brought out the AOC butter and crusty, chewy French baguettes to accompany it. One impression: yumm! It’s toe-curling, primal yumminess that sent us both into a swoon. For only three dollars we contemplated getting a tiny crock to bring home to our butter loving girls. After recovering our senses, we were greeted with a petite mason jar of Berkshire pork & duck rillettes topped with a prune confiture. The rilletes’ unctuous richness complimented the spiced, sweet plum confiture. We slathered the rilletes on toasted crouton bread that were little too hard for my taste. After three artery clogging courses, our coronary system rejoiced at the sight of the salade du marche. A pretty still life of baby arugula, frisee, fuyu persimmons, pomegranates, almonds and warm sautéed chanterelles. Delicious simplicity, something I can make at home. Our last course was the duck confit with tiny potatoes and sweet cherries. Delicious, the skin was crisp and the meat perfectly seasoned and very tender. We couldn't even consider dessert but the chocolate pot de crème seemed to make the couple in front of us rhapsodic with joy. The tab came in at an amazing seventy seven dollars. Wow! At this price we can eat here every weekend.
Paul and I wandered out into the cold evening and walked to our car, craning our necks to peek into the beautiful lofts above us. This part of town reminded us of walks through European back streets in search of authentic meals. As we approached our car, a chic woman in skinny jeans and heels was out walking her large black poodle. It was a perfect Parisian street scene. Thank you Church & State for bringing a little bit of Paris to LA.
http://www.churchandstatebistro.com/#
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