A fresh culinary adventure is blossoming in Los Angeles's Arts District with the opening of Camélia, a French Japanese bistro that marries the essences of two rich food cultures under the guidance of restaurateurs Charles Namba and Courtney Kaplan. The duo, known for their work with the izakaya Tsubaki and the drink haven Ototo, have curated a menu that seamlessly integrates Japanese ingredients into the heart of French cuisine. According to EATER Los Angeles, the concept for Camélia was a pandemic-era idea that, despite the uncertain times, has come to fruition this month.
"It felt like a total fantasy," Kaplan reflected on their pandemic planning, as reported by EATER Los Angeles. Kaplan shies away from labeling their culinary mesh as "fusion," instead, she expresses the intent is to "finding ways to harmonize" the cooking styles and tastes of the two cultures. Namba's French cooking background and Kaplan's expertise in sake and wine have been the driving forces behind this harmonization.
Their vision culminates in a menu where one can find braised beef cheeks finished with wasabi red wine sauce, a riff on croque-madame featuring ham katsu with Gruyere, and creamy dishes where koji replaces traditional cream. Sake and wine are equally celebrated at Camélia, with a beverage list carefully curated by Kaplan. "I think some of these dishes, it’s easier on paper to see how wine will make sense because they read so French," Kaplan told EATER Los Angeles, emphasizing the complementary nature of sake as "the last ingredient in the dish."
The space of Camélia whispers history, having previously accommodated both a French bistro and a Brazilian restaurant. Its redesign was expected to infuse a Japanese kissaten ambiance into the Parisian vibe. Designers Cheri Messerli and David Rager of Weekends have thus wrapped the dining area in dark red oak and intimate booths, with tall curved windows echoing an era of Parisian charm influenced by Japan’s Shōwa period. Camélia, located at 1850 Industrial Street, Los Angeles, CA 90021, welcomes guests from Thursday to Monday evenings, with reservations accessible via OpenTable.
