Raphael - Studio City
As many on this board know, Max used to be my favorite restaurant for quality dining in the valley. Well, since it became Marche, the food is different yet still as good, but not what I want to eat for dinner.
Well, guess what, next door to Midori AYCE in Studio City is Raphael, operated by the former owners of the Bel-Air Bar & Grill in, guess where, Bel Air, aka Sepulveda just off the 405 freeway around Church Lane. Yes, Arnon and Anon Raphael, former operators of Bel-Air, now have their own name-plate restaurant in Studio City on Ventura Blvd. between Colfax and Tujunga.
And guess what - lamb can be ordered rare, peking duck(Moroccan-style) can be ordered rare/medium rare, filet mignon similarly, etc. And the portions are appropriate to the mid-twenties price points, save the lamb and filet dishes which are in the low/mid-thirties, with portions to match.
The place was never a restaurant before, yet is stylishly decorated, and I mean stylishly. Jeans would feel out of place, yet tuxedos need not apply. Just a superb take on modern design that really works.
Anon and Arnon(son and father) really understand what wines and foods the public wants to eat in a standardized restaurant setting.
And they do it very well.
You like mushroom soup - probably as rich and tasty a version as you will have tasted in a long while. Lamb and duck were superb in a medium rare/rare kind of way with great accompaniments.
Wine list not severly marked up, yet with quality names from somewhat unknown, mostly California producers. Probably 10 Pinot Noirs alone.
Definitely not the cheapest place in town, yet may be the best at many other attributes you deem appropriate to an evening out for dinner.
Gives the former Max and Mistral more than a run for the money.
11616 Ventura Blvd., 818.505.3337
www.raphaelonventura.com for further info.
By carter
on Dec 1, 2009 08:57 PM
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Oh, forgot to mention the peanut butter ice cream for dessert - maybe not as rich in flavor as I might like, but definitely not your standard ice cream selection either. Good bread pudding as well.
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Carter, I am glad to hear that this restaurant is good. We went to Marche for dinner everything was good service great butttttttttt I was starving when I left and we ordered many dishes for four woman. I could never take my husband there.
I am going to try Raphael this week.
Went to Bleeker Street in Tarzana last night and it was great.
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Hi, Loradio. What's Bleecker Street like? I'm always looking for something decent in that area as we have friends there.
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Food is good, the wine terrific. They are looking to please and the place is homey...I am hoping it will be a new neighborhood place.
Let me know what you think, sorry this took so long to answer just have not been on the blog.
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