The restaurant issue
Le Coq, best power breakfasts, tasting menus, San Gabriel Valley Chinese, omakase, Long Beach restaurants, MORE
GETAWAYS • La Jolla
Coq of the walk
The Skinny: An ambitious new steakhouse in La Jolla from the team behind San Diego’s lauded Animae, Le Coq takes inspiration from Paris, Southern California produce, and chef Tara Monsod’s Filipina-American heritage.
The Vibe: An industrial-chic space of exposed brick and vaulted ceilings, punctuated by opulent touches: glistening stuffed roosters, show-stopping modernist chandeliers, and spacious semi-circle booths. Dimly lit, sexy, even slightly belle époque, the space feels proudly out of place in the sleepy little beach town of La Jolla.
The Food: You could walk away happy with the house baguette with chicken skin butter (a slick and salty crumble, almost a savory toffee), Parisian gnocchi with velvety beurre monté, and a filthy house martini with caviar-stuffed olives. Should you require a menu, starter highlights include chicken liver mousse with dried cherry doux, a simple ensemble of carrots, hazelnuts, and creme fraiche, and a smashing, rich onion tart with gruyere and short rib. Follow it up with pitch-perfect steak frites, roast pork with creamed wakame (an algae, not a heritage spinach), and a show-stealing lamb loin with pickled grape and sea beans. Best add a pomme Darphin on the side — airy, salty, earthy.
The Verdict: A glamorous night out in a place where you wouldn’t expect it. –Caitlin White
→ Le Coq (La Jolla) • 7837 Herschel Ave • Tues-Thurs, 5-9p, Fri-Sat, 5-10p • Reserve.
RESTAURANTS • The Nines
Power breakfast
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Chateau Marmont (West Hollywood), see and be scene over eggs any style