A French Bistro That Says ‘Los Angeles’

It’s hard to make a French bistro work in Los Angeles. The food is often too complex, the mood too formal, the prices too high. But this hasn’t stopped Bernard Jacoupy (he co-founded Bernard’s downtown in the Biltmore) from opening his version of a French bistro, Lunaria, 10351 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles (213) 282-8870, in an office building just west of Century City.

Jazz is what Jacoupy uses to keep the mood casual. Live bands play in the bar, and at about 10 p.m. the dining room walls slide away--you get a show without moving from your seat.

Jacoupy has also dressed his waiters and waitress in a sort of urchin-Les Miz interpretation of traditional bistro-waiter garb. It seems you’re supposed to think South of France, but it’s closer to Oliver Twist.

The food is fussier than what you’d get in French bistros--Lunaria serves vanilla-infused chicken with an apricot-leek fondue, and a crab and potato pancake with mango vinaigrette--but this is what we’ve come to expect in Los Angeles.