The Little Door Awards

The Little Door Restaurant Review:

About the restaurant: The French owners used to run clubs before opening The Little Door, which explains why the restaurant is hidden behind wood doors and not particularly visible from the street. Crowds have been flocking for years through these doors, much more for the atmosphere than for the food. A so-called replica of a hideaway on the Riviera, the courtyard, under a retractable roof, featuring a burbling fountain and candles flickering in the breeze, makes you feel you have escaped busy Los Angeles. The interior spaces, while cozy, are not nearly as desirable.

About the food: Unfortunately, the food does not at all live up to the ambience. Even though the kitchen uses quality and fresh ingredients, most dishes lack the bold flavors of Provence, the Mediterranean and the Middle East. Among the specialties are spicy Mediterranean black mussels, seven-vegetable couscous, lamb tagine, and pistachio-crusted diver scallops with blood orange and rosemary sauce. Desserts are simple like crème brûlée and chocolate cake.