Citrus Closes After a Delicious Run

Adieu: Citrus, the highly regarded restaurant that Michel Richard opened in 1986, closed its doors March 20. As a focal point for French cuisine, it hosted numerous visiting French chefs at its 6703 Melrose Ave. location, as well turning out memorable Cal-French food. In 1991, Richard was nominated for the James Beard Foundation’s award for best chef in California, alongside Joachim Splichal and Wolfgang Puck. Richard eventually partnered with MeriStar Hotels & Resorts, which opened Citronelle in the Santa Barbara Inn in 1991 and Citronelle in the Latham Hotel in Washington five years later (both are still open). Richard left Los Angeles in 1996 to run the Washington restaurant, leaving Citrus without the benefit of his daily attention.

According to a press release issued by Richard’s office (he didn’t return phone calls for this story), Citrus’ lease was up for renewal this year and Richard could not come to terms with the landlord. The release says that Richard “is looking at new locations in Los Angeles as well as on both coasts.” The answering machine at Citrus’ phone number says, “We look forward to serving you in a new location in the future.” Many expect Richard to put a second Citrus or a fourth Citronelle in a MeriStar property. Its L.A. properties include the Marriott in downtown on Figueroa and Courtyards by Marriott in Century City, Beverly Hills, Los Angeles and Marina del Rey.

Daniel Rossi, chef at Citrus from 1996 to 2000, says, “It was an institution and it was so good working for them. . . . It’s definitely going to be missed in town.” Alain Giraud, a friend of Richard’s who came from France on vacation in 1988 to see what Richard was doing and stayed to be Citrus’ chef from 1988 to 1997, says, “It was very unique. It was a magic place. . . . Citrus was not just a restaurant, it was a style.”

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Visiting Chef: Anthony Bourdain, the chef at Les Halles restaurant in New York City, comes to Campanile on Wednesday to cook with chef and owner Mark Peel. The two will put together a five-course meal, including a grilled calamari and shaved fennel salad, two main course choices (whole roasted fish or prime rib for two) and profiteroles. The meal will be served during dinner hours, any time between 6 and 10 p.m. The price is $65. Bourdain will bring copies of his book “Kitchen Confidential” ($24.95) for signing.

* Campanile, 624 S. La Brea Ave., L.A., (323) 938-1447.

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Happy Returns: Here are a couple of less taxing deals for this stressful time of year.

Cafe Tu Tu Tango will take $10.40 off any lunch check over $20 on April 16. Lunch, served in full portions as opposed to the tapas-sized plates at dinner, is available from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

* Cafe Tu Tu Tango, Universal CityWalk, 1000 Universal Center Drive, Universal City; (818) 769-2222; the Block at Orange, 20 City Blvd. West, Orange; (714) 769-2222.

J.B. Torchon at the Wine Bistro is throwing what he calls “my own little Boston tea party” on April 16--he won’t charge diners tax that night. There’s also a prix-fixe menu with choices of appetizer and entree; $22.95. He’ll raffle prizes of food and wine.

* The Wine Bistro, 11915 Ventura Blvd., Studio City; (818) 766-6233.

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What to Do for Easter: If you need a place to land after church on Easter Sunday (April 15), you might find these listings helpful:

Le Festival in Le Meridien Hotel (the former Nikko Hotel) is serving an Easter buffet brunch at 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. The Easter Bunny will hop by for an Easter egg hunt at noon and 2:30 p.m. The buffet stations will serve omelets, seafood, carved meats, salads, breads, cheese and desserts. Beverages include champagne and orange juice. The price is $49.50 plus tax for adults; $24.75 plus tax for children ages 6-12; and free for children under 6.

* Le Festival Restaurant and Bar, in Le Meridien Hotel, 465 S. La Cienega Blvd., L.A.; (310) 246-2100.

New restaurant Breeze in the recently renovated and redecorated (now minimal modernist) Century Plaza Hotel has an Easter champagne brunch and dinner. Chef Andreas Nieto is serving a three-course brunch with such choices as yellowfin tuna tartare, Iceland salmon omelet, rustic eggs Benedict and fettuccine with tomatoes and spinach in mushroom broth. Brunch, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., costs $45 plus tax and tip and includes champagne. The four-course dinner choices include curried cauliflower soup, honey-glazed Virginia ham, Alaskan halibut and artichoke ravioli with tomato coulis. Dinner, from 5 to 10 p.m. costs $68 plus tax and tip.

* Breeze, in the Century Plaza Hotel, 2025 Avenue of the Stars, Century City; (310) 551-3334.

At the New Otani Hotel & Garden, Azalea Restaurant & Bar features a Western-style buffet brunch (eggs, seafood, ham, New York steak, salads, pastas, desserts, champagne) from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Exclusive of tax and tip, it’s $25 for adults, $22 for seniors 55 and older and $17 for kids under 10. Elsewhere in the hotel, A Thousand Cranes has a Japanese buffet brunch with sushi, sashimi, tempura, fruit, French and Japanese pastries and champagne. Served 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.; $31 for adults, $28 for seniors, $22 for kids.

* Azalea Restaurant & Bar and A Thousand Cranes, New Otani Hotel & Garden, 120 S. Los Angeles St., downtown L.A.; (213) 629-1200.

Hotel Casa Del Mar will open up Oceanfront restaurant and the adjoining lounge, the Veranda, for its Easter meal. Choices on the three-course menu include lobster bisque, seared jumbo shrimp salad, roasted rack of lamb with potato gratin, grilled organic chicken breast, poached egg on crayfish and crab, warm chocolate-truffle cake, apple financiere and an oven-roasted pear in filo dough. Served from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., the meal is $55.

* Hotel Casa Del Mar, 1910 Ocean Way, Santa Monica; (310) 581-7726.

71 Palm restaurant in Ventura serves its brunch with champagne and orange juice. It begins with a garden salad and offers six choices for entree, including cold poached salmon with tarragon mayonnaise, grilled chicken breast Provencal and a prime rib sandwich. Dessert is profiteroles or sorbet. Served from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., the brunch costs $28.95 for adults; $9.95 for children 12 and under.

* 71 Palm, 71 N. Palm St., Ventura; (805) 653-7222.

Carafe (the former Le Chardonnay) offers a three-course meal and coffee with mignardises (little sweets) to end. Choices include a cornet of smoked salmon with Russian salad, roasted duck with orange-honey and ginger sauce, roasted pork loin with mustard and black pepper and tarte tatin. Reservations taken between 4 and 8 p.m. The price is $29.50.

* Carafe, 8284 Melrose Ave., L.A.; (323) 655-8880.

Itana Bahia will offer live Brazilian piano music with its Easter brunch. A four-course menu offers a shrimp stew, Brazilian-style baked ham or rack of lamb as entree. Dessert choices are passion fruit mousse or coconut flan (with Brazilian coffee, of course). Brunch is available from noon to 9 p.m. The price is $27.95.

* Itana Bahia, 8711 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood; (310) 657-6306.

Cha Cha Cha Encino will serve a special four-course dinner menu after 4 p.m. It begins with chilled asparagus soup and a caramelized onion tart with smoked salmon. Entree choices are leg of lamb with tropical sauce or seared scallops on pasta. A magician will circulate among the tables from 6:30 to 9 p.m. The prix-fixe meal is $35 plus tax and tip. Regular brunch, lunch and dinner menus will be available too.

* Cha Cha Cha Encino, 17499 Ventura Blvd., Encino; (818) 789-3600.

On Easter, Locanda del Lago has a brunch from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and a dinner from 4 to 10 p.m. Both include such Northern Italian specialties as mousse of smoked trout, pasta rolled with spinach and ricotta, braised leg of lamb, medallions of scorpion fish and panna cotta. Brunch begins with appetizers on the buffet table, then moves to a seated main course and dessert. It costs $35 plus tax and tip. Dinner is seated and can be paired with wines. It costs $34 plus tax and tip alone, or $54 plus tax and tip with wines.

* Locanda del Lago, on Third Street Promenade, 231 Arizona Ave., Santa Monica; (310) 451-3525.

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Angela Pettera can be reached at (213) 237-3153 or at pettera@prodigy.net.