Sunday, April 06, 2003

mimosa

Last night, I had dinner at Mimosa, on Beverly. It's long been one of my favorite restaurants in LA. Let's review the reasons.

- They make a terrific cassoulet, which is easily in my five favorite dishes list. Maybe cassoulet would even be my death row last meal. White beans, chicken, sausage, ham, cheese. Mmm.

- The room is so homey and cozy -- yellow walls, with framed photos, mirrors, dishes -- resembling less the shabby chic of the Ivy and more authentically someone's dining room.

- Great appetizers, including a delicious tomato tartin with pesto. If you like tomatoes, get this.

- Supposedly they have some deal one night a week where you can get mussels and fries on the cheap.

- Not that hard at all to get a reservation. What makes it even easier is that the hostess is terrific -- she was great when I called about giving us a good, comfortable table. We didn't sit in my favorite seat, though, a four seater which on week nights you can often get for two, off to the side right at the entrance, where both of you sit on the banquette.

- The people in our table that we requested were taking their sweet time, even though the hostess had told them they had to finish in under an hour. Not fun. So our seating as a half hour delayed. But the hostess gave us glasses of white wine and a refill, and then sent a complimentary appetizer, best described as a French pizza of pancetta and cheese. That's a sign of good service.

- I've had two birthdays there, and the day I found out I had been tapped for a much-pursued job, my father and I had dinner there to celebrate.

- Did I mention the cassoulet?