I was not totally enthusiastic when a friend suggested going to “The Little Door”. I have heard of this restaurant but really did not know too much about it. And I was wondering if it would be worth it (effort and time wise) to drive all the way to Beverly Grove area (abutting Beverly Hills and West Hollywood) for dinner.

Upon checking its menu online, some of the dishes do seem alright, even though the prices are a bit high. I finally decided I would give it a “go” since nothing much was going on that weekend.

The drive was not bad on a Saturday and I was able to find a parking space very close by. If I had not brought with me the actual address, I would have had a hard time finding the restaurant. I did not see any sign nor the name of the restaurant outside, there was just a door (not that little of a door though). I found the street number outside, and saw some valet parking crew.

The restaurant is divided into different areas with a patio area in the center. The inside was rather dimmed, and was supposed to be rather romantic.

Our waiter was French but did not have a strong accent, a rather pleasant fellow.

The soup du jour was a puree of Celeriac and Quince (Celery Root and a pear/apple fruit). I found it to be totally new and delightful for my taste buds. The flavor was complex with a slight tanginess from the fruit – great.

I opted for the Diver’s Scallop as my main course.  I urged my companion to get the Couscous with Lam Stew, Lamb Chop, Chicken and Sausage, because I really wanted to have some couscous myself without all the meat.

The were four huge scallops and were cooked perfectly, I had told the waiter I wanted them well cooked, and they were, without being dry nor chewy. I was only able to finish 2 of them, and gave the rest to my friend.

Meanwhile, I managed to scoop quite a bit of couscous from my companion’s large platter which consisted of soft, flavorful, succulent lamb’s meat, the best chicken (according to my friend), sausages.. The couscous was reminiscent of what I had enjoyed so much while I was in France. In fact, the whole ambiance evoked memories of the wonderful food and people of France and the Moroccan cuisine.

The evening was finished off with a slice of deliciously dense Pistachio Pear Tart that was just barely sweet, but rich in taste and texture, and one of which I did not feel like I was eating a dessert at all,  but yet, at the same time, it satisfied that craving for a sweet ending.

The Little Door – 8164 W. 3rd St. Los Angeles, CA 90048  323-951-1210