The Little Door

10/23/09

still one of LA's finest

by Bediggy at Citysearch

I've been to the Little Door a handful of times over the past few years and every time is just as amazing as the first time. The food, service and wine are always perfect! I even order desert here, which I don't usually order elsewhere, because its so good. Everything here tastes different and better than I expect it to. For example I ordered a tuna plate which I expected to be spicy, but it was sweet - unexpected but soooo delicious. It's a great date spot or great place to take out of town guests, the mood ambience and patio are sensational.

• Pros: food, ambience,wine list
• Cons: crowded

03/01/09

Pompous waiter

by Blatcho at Citysearch

I have eaten at the Little Door several times over the last 10 years. I love the ambiance. But I am progressively become more and more disenchanted. This is mainly due to the pomposity of their waiters. The food, which once was wonderful, is now just above ordinary for this kind of restaurant. I don't mind paying exuberant prices for an amazing experience, but the quality of food, over priced wine and inflated ego's of the waiters no longer justify their prices. It feels as though the Little Door has lost a little bit of it's soul.

• Pros: environment
• Cons: Waiters

11/19/08

Totally Romantic Date Spot

by kitkatreynolds at Citysearch

This place is an absolute must for all couples! The ambience and decor are perfect. The outdoor patio is covered with gorgeous little lights, trees, plants etc. You definately feel like you are somewhere other than Los Angeles. For dinner I had the grilled Ahi Tuna (medium rare) comes with baby veggies and a delicious hummus. Washed down with some fancy bottle of wine a la J.R's good palate.

09/15/08

Romantic hidden gem presents French and Mediterranean dishes among candlelit gardens, fountains and fire.

by Martha Burr at Citysearch

The Scene
A quartet of spaces grace this romantic little restaurant famous for its outside patio with a backlit bar, gothic chandeliers, candles, ferns and fountains. The bamboo-lined inner patio and French country-style piano room are tranquil and intimate while the blue room--decked in rustic wooden tables and sheepskin-covered chairs--is perfect for fireside dining. The French-Med cooking focuses on organic, local and seasonal elements with appetizers for two, like the pistachio-crusted chevre, Merguez sasuage, green olive tuna tartare, a medley of salads, and authentic spanikopita, falafel, and hummus. Entrees include an artfully arranged rack of lamb crusted with tapenade, spiked with garlic rosemary sauce over green lentils. Roasted duo of duck pairs a rich confit with tender breast medallions dressed in fresh pomegranate sauce, wild rice and orange caramelized turnips.

09/07/08

Something just not right

by postpro at Citysearch

Well - the ambience was good, the food was adequate and there wasn't anything to complain about, but I have to say that there was somehting not quite right. The service seemed very mechanical. Wasn't personal at all. Doubt I'll go back, even though the food was decent, I just didn't really enjoy myself there and it doesn't stick out as one of the best dining experiences to be had in this town. I guess it's just overated as celebrities tend to dine there, so I'm told anyway.

08/31/08

What??? Romantic yes, delicious, a far cry....

by knowsherfood1 at Citysearch

I took a friend to The Little Door for dinner after having it recommended by a friend. Yes, it's charming and very european, but the food was an insult. I could have sworn that the peaches that came with the foie gras were canned...oh, no you don't, not with foie gras and not for a 30.00 appetizer, not to mention the ridiculous puff pastry that should never have been on the plate...the duo of beets appetizer had a curious yellow "sauce" on it that nearly frightened me. The waiter won the prize for hovering...my friend and I clearly were enjoying a relaxing, slow moving evening and he couldn't even finish his story because the waiter kept "checking in"...uh, I'm in the restaurant business...read your guests!!! Not to mention he had them fire our entrees too soon and that's when the hovering really kicked in, he screwed up and had to get the appetizer plates out of the way because dinner was ready...and by the temperature it was when we received our entrees it still had sat before being delivered. Not the guests' fault, for a 350.00 dinner for two it should have been a much better prepared meal and much more professional service. Oui!

• Pros: outdoor atmosphere
• Cons: food and service

07/25/08

** Good but not worth the money, must be hype! **

by RestaurantLover21 at Citysearch

Now I'm sure the place was romantic at some point but they have since piled so many tables that each patron is right on top of the next. So not only do you hear every lame Hollywood and wannabe starlet conversation but you get gawkers drooling on your plates. The patio is noisier than a bar or cocktail party so if your on a date you will be yelling at them. The music is just old Buddah Bar and Cafe Del Mar mixes on repeat reminding me of the countless commercials using the same songs. The service was nominal, waitresses were cheerful and menu knowledgeable, but for $40 entrees you would expect an attentive wait staff. There was no new napkins, glasses, new utensils per course, chilled desert plates or forks; it basically was just like any old restaurant there. Nothing like the nice Westside restaurants like Bandera, Peppone, Capo, or Lawrys where you get good service for your dollar.

So what are you paying for? Well the appetizers were the best part. We then tried a few entrees that looked to be their specialties. The menu starts off with a fillet mignon and rib eye; both average. The couscous/lamb royale dish was tasty but not worth the $40s, much like from a cheap Moroccan place. The duck duo was weak and not served warm, a very salty leg confit accompanied by rare slices of duck breast in a bland lavender sauce, a carrot flan was the best part of that dish.

The Little Door is just like an over budget Hollywood movie with no real story. You are paying for the image with The Little Door. From the street the place looks good and there are expensive cars. Inside looks charming when not packed. To us it seemed more like a lunch spot than a romantic dinner destination. I would recommend checking it out for a glass of wine and appetizer but not for a multiple course meal. Basically it?s good but not worth what they charge. I really still can't see how they justify their prices but it is LA and many things get by on image and good-press alone.

• Pros: Looks cool outside and in
• Cons: Crowded, Noisy, Average Food, Poor Service, Lame Crowd

07/20/08

a non-smokers nightmare!

by ShoshannahB at Citysearch

Horrible, we were not warned that the "romantic outdoor setting" was for smokers. The close seating was a huge problem if you were a non smoker; they should say something ahead of time because I had a woman?s cigarette smoke in my face the whole time. It didn't matter how good the food was at all if we couldn't smell it. We also specifically asked the waiter to split our main meal which was never done, they just made a fuss about the chef and ended up bring us a plate, making my husband look awkward and cheap, which was not the case after a $140 bill. It was so bad we boxed up our food and left. Very unprofessional! I see no reason to ever want to go back there again. How on earth was this place voted into the top ten most romantic restaurants? I understand the French can have attitude and do smoke but this is California! If you are a non-smoker and like to be treated with dignity then stay far, far away!

07/09/08

Romantic date place

by tlo1223 at Citysearch

I really liked this restaurant. The ambience is amazing, the service is quick, and the food is delicious. It's a perfect place to take a date or impress someone.

• Pros: Atmosphere, great date place
• Cons: wobbly table but that's about it

02/21/08

romantic - great date spot

by GustavoJasmine at Citysearch

Food, wine and ambiance were great. For a French place its not irritating. My wife and I had a great time.