Bastide restaurant in West Hollywood has a new chef

Joe Pytka has been tinkering with his West Hollywood restaurant -- again. Bastide not only has a new chef -- Paul Shoemaker, its fourth -- but also a different format. Giving up its tasting-menu-only dictate, the 6-year-old restaurant now offers an a la carte menu in addition to the chef's tasting menu. That means you can stop in at Bastide for dinner and a bottle of wine and choose exactly what and how much you want to eat. You no longer need sign up for a three- or four-hour tasting menu.

By S. IRENE VIRBILA

October 29, 2008