L’Ermitage Aging Gracefully

One of Los Angeles’ most elegant and expensive restaurants celebrated its 15th anniversary this week.

On Sunday, the owners of L’Ermitage, 730 N. La Cienega Blvd., Los Angeles, (213) 652-5840, invited former chefs to come back and cook for a party. On Monday, the restaurant rolled its prices back to what they were when the doors first opened.

But what about Tuesday and Wednesday and . . .? After all this time, I wondered, how’s the restaurant really holding up?

Very well, thank you. In fact, the meal I ate on Tuesday night was the best I’ve ever been served at L’Ermitage. There were wonderfully earthy snail pancakes in parsley sauce to begin with, and a delicate cassolette of sea urchin. We went on to a remarkably elegant “stew” of sweetbreads, spinach and artichoke hearts in a Parmesan sauce, and quail stuffed with foie gras . The atmosphere was serene, the service was proudly solicitous--and the wine list offered a refreshing number of inexpensive options.

Fifteen may be a ripe old age for a restaurant in Los Angeles. But L’Ermitage doesn’t have a single gray hair.