PRICE:
Frommer's Very Highly Recommended

Of the country French bistros in town, Pastis usually takes a back seat to the ultrahip, celebrity-frequented Mimosa, which happens to be just a block away. But locals and regulars often prefer this rustic yet civilized spot, named for the licorice-flavored liqueur. Intimate and friendly, with sidewalk tables and a warmly ocher-toned dining room, Pastis manages to be both elegant and the kind of place where you can scrape your chair, raise your voice, or drink a little too much wine. Distinctive menu selections include wild striped bass papillote, the sautéed skate, Moroccan chicken tajine, and the Pastis bouillabaisse. Dessert lovers will swoon over the lavender crème brûlée.

Copyright: Excerpted from Frommer's Los Angeles 2009, (c) 2008, Wiley Publishing, Inc.

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