PRICE:
Frommer's Exceptional

Widely considered one of the most influential French chefs in America, Jean François Meteigner literally wrote the book on this cuisine -- Cuisine Naturelle -- a revolutionary approach to fine French cuisine that eschews heavy creams, butter, and complex recipes in favor of dishes that are simple, light, full of flavor, and 90% free of cream and butter. Meteigner began his career as a chef in France, moved to Los Angeles in 1980 to serve as executive chef at L'Orangerie, and then opened La Cachette (\"The Hideaway\") in 1994. Situated on the edge of a residential neighborhood in Century City, the elegant, romantic, white-on-white dining room is a bit hard to find -- you have to access it from an alley off Little Santa Monica Boulevard -- but it only adds to the restaurant's charm. As a fan of rich lobster bisque, I found Meteigner's dairy-free crab and lobster bisque to be intensely flavorful but lacking the richness that only heavy cream can provide (cream is an option, however), and the escargot was bland, but all was forgiven as I devoured my entree: braised Kurobuta black pork shank with braised baby back ribs and Banyul vinegar sauce, served with a side of roasted apples and Yukon mashed potatoes (it took effort not to lick the plate). Matching the right wine isn't a problem, as the wine list has earned the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence. The warm fruit tart is a fitting finale -- light and flavorful.

Copyright: Excerpted from Frommer's Los Angeles 2008, (c) 2008, Wiley Publishing, Inc.

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