Downtown’s restaurant scene just keeps heating up, and there’s a newcomer that’s already become one of the toughest tables to book: Camélia restaurant in Los Angeles, a French–Japanese bistro from hitmakers Courtney Kaplan and Charles Namba.
The duo’s beloved Echo Park Japanese izakayas Tsubaki and OTOTO already have plenty of acclaim, including a 2023 James Beard Award for outstanding wine and other beverages. They’re channeling those vibes into Camélia, where they’re taking a more Frenchified approach and leaning into Namba’s experience cooking at legendary spots like Chanterelle in New York and Bouchon in Beverly Hills. Pair that with Kaplan’s sake and wine wizardry, and the couple’s extensive travels in France, and you’ve got one of 2024’s most exciting debuts.
“In Paris we’d eat in all these French restaurants run by Japanese chefs, where they’d use yuzu instead of lemon, for instance,” Kaplan says. “Camélia is a restaurant serving French food with Japanese flavors and techniques, while Tsubaki is the opposite.”
Read on for how that comes to life on the menu at Camélia, and make a booking on OpenTable.
What to eat
Start with the most Japanese-inspired section of the menu, the raw bar. Namba uses sashimi-like techniques in dishes like crab with caviar, buckwheat honey butter, and a purple yam blini. Then get ready for an explosion of French flavor with combinations like Koji-roasted chicken in a creamy, seaweed-infused sauce.
Don’t skip the ham katsu and cheesy Mornay-sauce-filled croque madame or a wild abalone and shrimp pot pie—they’re probably the best examples of the French and Japanese interplay throughout the menu. “The pot pie is a nod to a famous Walter Manzke escargot dish when Church & State [the acclaimed Arts District French restaurant] was here, and both really showcase how Charles is interweaving his French cooking experience with Japanese notes,” Kaplan says.
What to drink
Kickstart your meal with a refreshing French aperitif like Lillet Rosé or a cocktail from bar lead Kevin Nguyen’s list that highlights Japanese spirits like whisky (the highball) and shochu (the Decibel Martini).
As you get into your meal, let Kaplan or one of the other staffers guide you to wine and sake pairings, including sparkling options and ones that pair well with seafood. “I’ve been championing the idea of pairing sake with non-Japanese food for a really long time,” Kaplan says. “I’d love for big parties to have one bottle of sake and one of wine on the table.”
Where to sit
The industrial space originally housed a Nabisco factory, so the design team of Cheri Messerli and David Rager worked to add plenty of warm elements throughout. The red oak paneling, curved window frames, and scalloped light fixtures all make it feel like 1930s Paris meets a kissaten in Japan.
Big parties will want to book the restaurant’s impressive round table (which seats eight), and if you’re feeling like a more intimate dinner, request one of the four seats in front of the pastry counter.
When to go
Although the restaurant is already booking up during prime hours, Kaplan recommends large groups come early—and not to skip patio seating. “Our patio is underrated; it’s a really beautiful, leafy green space on a quiet street,” she says. Camélia is open for dinner Monday, Thursday, and Sunday from 5 pm to 10 pm and Saturday and Sunday from 5 pm to 10:30 pm.
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Karen Palmer is a pizza- and pasta-obsessed food writer based in Los Angeles. She is the former editorial director of Tasting Table, and her work has appeared in Eater, Food & Wine, Travel + Leisure, and many other publications. Follow her on Instagram at @karenlpalmer.
