Leaving the comfort of the Westside to travel anywhere else is often a hard proposition—the traffic alone is almost not worth the hassle—but recently I had a chance to visit the famous Little Door restaurant in Los Angeles; a truly a magical place, well worth the drive.
From the street, behind two ornate wooden doors, and shielded behind a wall, it’s difficult to imagine the restaurant hidden behind. Entering onto the patio and the largest of the four rooms, you feel as though you’ve crossed the threshold to another world. Bougainvillea and eucalyptus trees greet you, hues of royal blue against white walls evoke a Mediterranean feel and warmly lit, rustic wrought-iron chandeliers, and a dark wood bar and Koi pond all enhance this eatery’s charm and ambiance.
“This is the patio,†explains Manager Staci Mi
ller, who takes me on a quick tour. Beyond the patio, through arch-topped French terrace doors, lies the Winter Room, dotted with turquoise and azure chairs covered in crisp white linens. As Miller puts it, it is “a lush and more intimate setting.†Here a bamboo-lined louvered ceiling (which opens or closes completely depending on the weather) gives one the feeling of being outside yet sheltered from the elements.
Past this room we enter the slightly more sophisticated Piano Room. “This plush room, as you can see, has warmer tones, and tends to be a bit more intimate,†says Miller. And beyond this is the Blue Room, “the favorite room for private parties.†Stepping into this cozy spot with its stained glass windows, drapery covered ceiling and a fireplace makes you feel instantly ensconced in its warmth.
Each room has a different vibe, a different feel, but each one brings the sensation of relaxation and comfort.
As for the food…Swiss Chef Nicholas T. Peter spent a great deal of time in Morocco and creates an incredible array of low-dairy French Mediterranean cuisine. We sampled the “Mezze†and the “Little Door Mezze Royale†which includes assorted Mediterranean appetizers such as homemade Pita, Flatbread, Kibbeh, Falafel, Spanakopita, Tuna Tartar, Goat Cheese, Merguez Sausage and Grilled Scallop. All items were delicious. What’s nice about Little Door is that it doesn’t try to be frou-frou nouvelle, it just tries to be fresh and healthy and at that it succeeds on a grand scale.
For more information check out: www.thelittledoor.com
