Church & State Bistro
Average user Rating: 93
User Restaurant Ratings
Sort Results By
96
3/8/2010
Housed in the former loading dock of the 1925 National Biscuit Co. building, Church & State specializes in French bistro fare. Walter Manzke, renowned for his stellar French-California cuisine at Bastide, Patina, and L’Auberge Carmel, heads Church & State’s kitchen with gusto.
Read more from their blog
Recommended Dishes
moelle de boeuf,flammenküche,Escargots de Bourgogne,foie gras,pork rillettes
93
2/17/2010
Still the finest late night grub in downtown Los Angeles. Rillettes at 11:30pm? Check.
Read more from their blog
89
2/8/2010
I’m a firm believer in the separation of church and state.
But sometimes, when your church is arguably LA’s best French bistro, the state intervenes.
Such as today.
Because today, the day I had planned on a long and leisurely lunch at Church & State, was the day the Department of Public Health chose to inspect the restaurant. On top of that, Chef Walter Manzke was not in the kitchen and, from what I gathered from a subsequent tweet, neither was his sous chef. Evidently the kitchen was a little flustered.
To be fair, I’d eaten at Church & State a couple of months earlier on a night that Chef Manzke was again not in the kitchen and the meal was spot on. One of my top 7 or 8 meals of 2009.
But today things were just a bit off. A couple of dishes came out under seasoned. Not a fatal flaw but a lack of quality control in the kitchen. I put it down to a bad day, knowing the high standards this kitchen can deliver.
We started with the steak tartare with mesclun salad and pommes frites...
Read more from their blog
Recommended Dishes
Terrine de foie gras,moelle de boeuf (roasted bone marrow) ,oreilles de cochon (crispy pig's ears)
93
1/25/2010
The "Le Cachat" was pleasantly surprising. An herb goat cheese with a layer of lavender honey gelee on top. Served in a clamp lid jar, I think we were all expecting actual honey, but were taken aback by the texture of the gelee.
Read more from their blog
96
9/9/2009
Dinner at the lively and now delicious Church & State is a must do for all Angelinos, and in-the-know tourists.
Read more from their blog
Recommended Dishes
charcuterie, oysters, steak frites, cocktails made by Michel
93
8/27/2009
As we look back, I would like to thank FoodDigger for inviting us and treat us to one of the best feast we ever had. It seemed like everyone enjoyed the food and the company of the evening.
Read more from their blog
Recommended Dishes
Baked Escargot, Santa Barbara Prawns, Chartcuteries
96
6/12/2009
We celebrated our five year anniversary Tuesday (!!), and Wesley surprised Evelina by taking her to Church and State, a quaint French bistro located in downtown LA on Industrial Street.
Read more from their blog
Recommended Dishes
Assiette de Charchuterie, Confit de Canard, Steak Frites
93
6/4/2009
We were started off with a plate of gougeres, or puffs made of Gruyère cheese. Creamy, and slightly salty, but delicious. Quite a good pairing with the Floc de Gascogne.
Following up the gougeres, we were presented the second wine pairing of the above 2008 Hughes Beaulieu to go along with the Beignets and the Kumamoto Oysters. The Beignets were made of cod, potatoes, and we had a saffron aioli to use for dipping. The beignets were delicious and paired wonderfully with the Hughes Beaulieu.
Read more from their blog
Recommended Dishes
Moelle de Boeuf, Escargot de Bourgogne, Terrien de Foie Gras
89
Church & State (Los Angeles, CA)
4/28/2009
After his tenure at Bastide, Manzke was supposed to head up Celestino Drago's Drago Centro (now helmed by Ian Gresik), but ended up landing at Church & State. In late 2008, Manzke replaced opening Executive Chef Greg Bernhardt, who left the restaurant with some rather harsh words for owners Steven Arroyo and Yassmin Sarmadi. Though Church & State is strictly a bistro affair, Manzke has brought along his knack, his panache, his creativity, and even his old general manager at Bastide, Josh Goldman, who serves as Maitre d'-cum-Sommelier.
1: Beignets de Brandade de Morue | Salt Cod, Saffron Aioli
These were fried fritters of salt cod, potato, and garlic--bacalao basically. Now, I was famously not a fan of this dish at The Bazaar, but I'm happy to report that the version here was much more to my liking. The fishiness of the cod was well-tempered, and the spheres had an almost sweet flavor to them, with the whole amalgam reminiscent of Chinese-style fish balls. Light, delicate, and delicious on their own, they were nicely accented by the saffron aioli.
2: Iced Kumamoto Oysters
As regular readers know, Kumamotos are my favorite type of oyster. These examples, from Taylor Bay, Washington, were crisp and briny, with a touch of sweetness, as they should be. A dash of the included red wine mignonette elevated these mollusks even further.
3: "Bistro Sushi" | Smoked Herring, Fingerling Potato Salad
A fanciful take on the restaurant's Salade de Harengs, this was basically smoked herring atop a slice of potato dressed with mustard and fines herbes. The result was quite nice; the attack was sweet and sour, dominated by the fingerling, while the smoky herring became apparent on the midpalate, and the whole thing finished with nice salty tang. A great interplay of tastes and textures.
4: Gambas à la Niçoise | Santa Barbara Spot Prawns, Lemon, Olive Oil
We were told that the prawns were cooked for about a minute, then dressed with olives, cucumber, tarragon, and extra virgin olive oil. The shrimp's accoutrements really accentuated its natural sweetness, but this was balanced out by a nice bit of brine as well.
5: Assiette de Charcuterie | Selection of Artisan and Housemade Pâtés, Saucisson Sec, Terrine de Foie Gras with Port-Wine Gelée, and Rillettes de Porc with Prune Confiture and Armagnac
Quite a nice spread here as we can see. From left to right, we have saucisson sec (all three types of salami were delectable, with each one having a distinct taste and composition), an unknown pâté, jambon persillé (molded cooked ham and parsley held together with gelatin--fruity yet savory), lamb with espelette pepper (lovely pepper finish), and rabbit galantine with pistachio (this had a great nuttiness complementing the meat). Moving on, we opened two canning jars. The first was filled with foie gras, which had a pure essence of liver countered by the sweetness of the port gelée. The second was a preparation of pork rillettes, or pork cooked in its own fat until tender; it was made from Berkshire pork and had a consistency not unlike that of canned tuna, with a great pork flavor balanced by the sweetness of prune. Unlike everyone else, I actually preferred it to the foie. The whole assortment was served with pickles and toasted brioche.
6: Asperge à la Tashiro | Maine Lobster, Hog Farm's Asparagus
This was a special named in honor of Marshal, who donated the lobsters used in the dish. The lobster itself was luxurious, buttery (but not overwhelmingly so), with a lovely sweetness and a great crunch. The asparagus comes from Ray and Dan Franscioni's Hog Farms near Salinas, CA and was something to behold. The spears were uncharacteristically thick, but also remarkably juicy, tender, and imbued with the rich essence of lobster. Gorgeous.
7: Escargots de Bourgogne | Snails baked in Garlic and Parsley Butter
This was a traditional preparation of escargot, but the kitchen mixes things up a bit by including a puff pastry shell (like an en croute preparation). Upon puncturing the top of the pastry, I was overcome with the intoxicating aroma of butter and garlic; this decadence continued onto the snail itself, which was one of the best I've had in recent memory. The pastry was key, soaking up the richness of the butter and becoming quite delicious even on its own.
8: Flamenkuche | Caramelized Onions, Bacon, Gruyère Cheese
Also known was tarte flambée, this is an Alsatian dish in the same vein as a thin pizza. I quite enjoyed the gruyère and lardons, but the caramelized onions were a tad too sweet for me. However, it did do a good job of countering the power of the La Guillanume.
9: Moelle de Boeuf | Roasted Marrow Bone
These were huge pieces of bone marrow, roasted and seasoned with salt and pepper. They came with crouton bread and a salad of radish and parsley. Our server told us to spread the marrow on the croutons, then apply the salad. The marrow itself was incredibly unctuous on its own, so the radish and parsley were absolutely critical in tempering the marrow's gravity with their sharp acidity; furthermore, they also added a nice crisp textural contrast to the dish. Two bites were enough for me!
10: Steak Frites | Frites au Lard, Sauce Béarnaise
The steak itself was seasoned simply with salt and pepper, and had a lovely taste on its own. The béarnaise sauce (butter, egg yolk, tarragon, shallot) was simply too much for the beef, overpowering the meat's delicate flavor; there was also an au jus sauce provided, which I preferred, but which was still unnecessary. Unfortunately, the steak was a bit tough, and could've been cooked rarer. More impressive were the pommes frites, which, upon first taste, reminded me of McDonald's fries heightened with herbs! They really were about as good as it gets.
11: Dessert | Crème Brûlée, Cherry Tart, Apricot Tart, Croustade aux Baies, Pot de Crème au Chocolat
Our dessert spread consisted of every dessert on the menu. I started with the duo of tarts, which I ate with the dollop of sabayon (or zabaglione, a type of custard); I preferred the cherry version, soaked in brandy, for its tarter flavor. Next, I had the croustade aux baies, basically a berry crisp made with Pudwell Farm berries. The vanilla ice cream topping was a great contrast to the tangy fruit. The crème brûlée was a fairly standard preparation, though it did have vanilla beans on the bottom of the ramekin. Finally, we have the chocolate pot de crème, nicely flavored with caramel, hazelnut, and fleur de sel; the salt was especially interesting, as it gave the dish a slightly salty smack that countered the sweetness of the rest of the dessert.
Though Church & State got off to a rough start, Manzke has made his indelible mark here, and the restaurant is buzzing along just fine. Having dove in head first, he seems to have found a niche here; he's committed, totally hands-on, and after seeing him in action, Manzke just seems happy in this environment. If you're looking for French bistro-style cuisine, it's hard to go wrong at Church & State--the place truly is a welcomed addition to the Downtown dining scene.
However, as good as things are going here, I miss the old Walter, the one that turned out courses such as a bracing Kumamoto Oyster with Green Apple Gelée, Wasabi, Yuzu, and Daikon Radish Granité. The format of Church & State necessarily limits what Walter is allowed to do. This may be perfect bistro fare, but in the end, it is still just bistro fare. I still yearn for a stage where he can cook with the inexorable flair, unbridled enthusiasm, and relentless ingenuity that I know he has in him--time will tell whether or not my hunger is satisfied.
Full review with photos:
http://www.kevinea ts.com/2009/04/church-state -los-angeles-ca.htm
96
a francophile heaven
4/26/2009
really hip location (parking is not as challenging as other LA joints), beautiful decor, and clean open kitchen.
impeccable service, friendly staff.
ausome food, although their steak frites were a bit over cooked.
<3
Recommended Dishes
gambas a la nicoise
bitsro sushi
flamanekushe
moelle de boeuf
__w72_h80.jpg)
96
A great French brasserie in an unlikely location
3/13/2009
The drive through the warehouse district of downtown L.A. would not seem to be a logical path to find a French brasserie but the culmination lands you in a very nice pocket of the 1800 block of Industrial where Church and State is located.
The ambiance here is relaxed, casual, and open accentuated by the high ceilings and open kitchen where superchef Walter Manzke works his magic.
There is a nice balance of food and wine being offered here. I opted to go appetizer-centric and explore the red wine selections by the glass. The wine list is very interesting and priced well. Many nice bottles can be had in the $40-100 price range.
So here's what I sampled:
The oysters were very fresh and served on a raised bed of ice. They had that nice briny ocean nuance that I love.
Moules Mariniere –Mussels with white wine and aioli.
Moelle de Boeuf (roasted bone marrow) was presented with radish bits as a textural condiment.
Hand cut steak tartare was served with a fresh organic mesclun salad.
Salade Frisee aux Lardons came with a soft poached egg, warm bacon and a vinegarette dressing.
Tarte de Saumon Fume-smoked salmon with carmelized onions and crème fraiche served on a thin flatbread.
Charcuterie plate was one of my favorites. It consisted of in-house made pates and sausages.
I’ve read about the food and service being inconsistent here, but the night I went, both were impeccable. I will definitely have to return to sample the other components of the menu.
Recommended Dishes
Charcuter plate, Roasted bone marrow, Oysters on the half shell
93
Manzke's Back: Arroyo's Church and State Brasserie
12/24/2008
In an earlier post, I had once declared Bastide (under Manzke) the best restaurant in LA. I mourned Pytka's insanity at his departure and could only hope he would show up again soon. I was hoping for something a bit more upscale than a downtown brasserie, but good food is good food and I was confident that I would be pleased.
The appetizers were so amazing (and heavy) that we never made it to the entrées. No matter, it was all great. The restaurant is in the middle of the newly gentrifying loft district downtown. Sketchy neighborhood, but that does not keep the crowds away. By the time we left around 10, the crowds were growing, not shrinking. The atmosphere is at once industrial, Parisian, and Burgundian. It feels French in the same way of the top Westside sushi bars feel Japanese. A rather distinctive pro-Obama/anti-bush post-modern Warhol-style portrait has a significant presence on a key wall. Open kitchen, open bar. Very cool and comfortable vibe.
Service was friendly, although sometimes spotty and inconsistent. It's a bit unorganized but you can tell it will get better. At one point, I was trying to decide on one of their higher end burgundies, and since they have no Sommelier the restaurant manager and wine buyer helped me sort through the list. The wine list, by the way, is great. 100% French, just like the food. The entire list is pretty much under $100/bottle, most under $50, with plenty of options from Burgundy, Bordeaux, Rhone, Loire, and more. Lots of options by the glass. This kind of menu really encourages you to experiment. We had actually brought a bottle ($15 corkage) and opted not to open it because the list was so interesting.
The menu was small, but perfect Brasserie. This was the restaurant I wish they had when I was in Burgundy. (Burgundy ONLY has upscale dining, unlike Paris.) We just couldn't get past the starters. We shared 5:
Moules Mariniere: Mussels, white wine, pommes frites, aioli. $14
These were some of the best mussels I have had in many years. They had no fishiness at all, and the buttery, flavorful sauce just begged to be sopped by the accompanied crouton. The fries were fried in pork fat (the new duck fat?) and were perfect, even down to the whipped aioli dipping sauce.
Escargot de Bourgogne: Snails baked in garlic and parsley butter. (The menu does not say but each snail was in an individual ramekin and served en croute with puff pastry. $12
Again, extremely fresh and mildly flavored snails in a butter sauce. This dish was so rich we just could not do it justice. It needed to be split over more people.
Steak Tartare: Hand cut fillet, cornichons, mesclun salad $14
When it comes to steak tartare, we hold all of it up to the "Max" standard. Max is our friend from Montreal who used to prepare it in his family's restaurant. He has prepared it for us on a few occasions. I have never had it as good before or since, including a number of Michelin starred restaurants in France. So when I say that this was a reasonably close 2nd, that is actually a very nice compliment. For our palate, it could have been chopped a bit courser as it was a tad mushy in texture, and it had a bit too many capers which hid the meat a bit. A shame, as the quality of the fillet was obviously top-notch. It is also worth mentioning that the vinaigrette on the mesclun salad was beautiful - the perfect ratio of acid and oil, and the olive oil used was spectacularly smooth.
Raviolis des Champignons: Wild Mushrooms, fines herbs $12
This dish was the only one that disappointed me. The mushrooms tasted like they were all white mushrooms. If there were wild mushrooms in it they were lost on me. Also, I think at this point all the buttery sauces may have been causing a bit of palette fatigue.
Bouillabaisse: Provencal fish soup, prawns, mussels, clams. $14
This perhaps was our favorite dish. All I can say is SAFFRON. And this saffron is not your everyday saffron. The smell was so pervasive I felt like I was in a field of crocus. The sensation was both intense and delicate at the same time; quite phenomenal. And of course the fish again was of the highest quality. You can tell each fish was prepared separately before adding to the broth as it was all perfectly cooked. It was not listed on the menu but ours also contained large sea scallops. It is worth noting that there were two of everything making it very easy to split.
It was at this point that we sadly passed on the entrées and went right to dessert, as there was one we really wanted to try:
Chocolate Pot Au Creme: Berries, Chambord: $7
So rich, so mouthwatering. The chocolate has a high % of cacao, and was European in origin, not sure from where. I had one spoonful and that was more than plenty for me. Scot finished every last drop.
All in all, a great casual eatery with the quality of ingredients you would only expect at a very upscale restaurant. The menu also has a great selection of salads and tartes ($10-$15) and entrées ($11-$25) as well as items a la carte, cheeses, more. This is a great place to take a date or a group. Sample some wine, try a variety of authentic French cuisine, and it won't break the bank. This will be a great place for Los Angeles.
Church and State
1850 Industrial Street, Los Angeles
213-405-1434
This review is also on my blog:
http://foodandwineblo g.thefoodietraveler.com/200 8/12/21/manzkes--back-churc h-and-state-brasserie.aspx
Recommended Dishes
Moules, Pot au Creme, Steak Tartare
96
6/17/2009
More Bistro Restaurants
- Bokado
Bistro, Spanish
Studio City, CA
- PF Chang's China Bistro
Asian Fusion, Bistro, Chinese
El Segundo, CA
- Second City Bistro
American, American (New), Bistro
El Segundo, CA
- Cheval Blanc Bistro
Bistro, French
Pasadena, CA
- Savannah Supper Club
Bistro, French
Costa Mesa, CA
- Renaissance Bistro
Bistro, Italian, Sandwiches
Brea, CA
- Le Petit Bistro
Bistro, French
Los Angeles, CA
More Restaurants in Los Angeles
- Asian-Ya Soy Boy
Japanese, Korean, Soon Tofu
Los Angeles, CA
- Messob Ethiopian Restaurant
African, Ethiopian
Los Angeles, CA
- Annas Sandwich Shop
Sandwiches
Los Angeles, CA
- Divino
Italian
Los Angeles, CA
- The Vegan Spot
Vegan
Los Angeles, CA
- Myung Dong Kyoja
Korean
Los Angeles, CA
- Mollys Charbroiler
Fast Food
Los Angeles, CA
More Restaurants You Might Like
- Monsieur Marcel Pain Vin Et Fromage
Fondue, French, Wine Bar
Los Angeles, CA
- The Chalet
Portuguese
Los Angeles, CA
- Katsuya
Japanese, Sushi
Los Angeles, CA
- Mimosa
Bistro, French
Los Angeles, CA
- The Terrace at The Langham
American, Bistro, Californian
Pasadena, CA
- Panda Inn
Bistro, Chinese
Pasadena, CA
- Ivan Kane's Cafe Was
American, Bistro, French
Hollywood, CA
|
|
