Finding Old, Familiar Dishes at La Madrague

The former Tryst--and Florian--space on La Cienega is open again, this time as a French restaurant and cabaret called La Madrague. Co-owner and general manager Yon Idiart is fresh from La Cachette in Century City. The chef is Alsatian-born Martin Herold, who was sous chef under Jean-Francois Meteigner at the same restaurant. And to nobody’s surprise, the cuisine is Provencal.

You’ll find all the old, familiar dishes: mussels in white wine and shallots, pissaladiere (a rather doughy version of the Nicoise flatbread topped with caramelized onions, anchovies and dark little olives), a decent soupe de poissons or fish soup, a pungent aioli to accompany the fish of the day and steamed vegetables, braised lamb shank with flageolet beans and daube de boeuf or beef stew.

If the menu is classic Provencal, the decor is all cliche. Tryst’s sleek armchairs now rub elbows with straw-bottomed country chairs. The walls are decorated with jaunty dried flower wreaths, long hanks of garlic and framed Cezanne reproductions. French lace curtains hang at the windows.

Idiart and his partners have aspirations of turning La Madrague into a jazz cabaret. To that end, the restaurant is open long past the normal dinner hour, till 1:30 a.m. weekdays, 2 a.m. on the weekends.

* La Madrague, 401 N. La Cienega Blvd., (310) 659-4999. Open daily for dinner; lunch, Monday through Saturday, begins Jan. 15. Major credit cards accepted. Appetizers $5-$9; entrees $13-$23.75. Valet parking.