Rate-A-Restaurant #290: Ba

Restaurant: Ba

Location: 5100 York Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90042 (Highland Park)

Type of restaurant: French

We stipulated: A nice place that offered fine wine and good food to catch up with a friend.

They stipulated: Open for dinner Tuesday to Sunday, plus Sunday brunch.

 

What we ordered: Potato Leek Soup and Ahi Tartar for the appetizers, Coq Au Vin and Steak Frites for the entrees, and a slice of wedding cake for dessert. And a bottle of Bordeaux wine.

 

High point: The Coq Au Vin. To be honest, we weren't expecting much because this dish never lives up to expectations at other restaurants. But at Ba, this tender, off-the-bone chicken was flavorful and delicious. The mashed parsnips were really soft and creamy too. For dessert, the slice of wedding cake was exactly what you'd want if you were at an actual wedding. It had a hint of lemon and the buttercream was divine.

Also, the service was nice. Our server hovered just enough so that my friend Andrea and I could catch up from the last time we had seen each other.

Low point: The Ahi Tartar was just okay.

Overall impression: This ten-table restaurant is a nice find. I'm not sure how busy it gets on the weekend but it was perfect for a quiet week-night get together with friends. Being open late at night is a plus too and there were a few people that were welcomed as they came in well after 10 pm.

Chance we'll go back: Yes.