At Mimosa, a table set aside by the chef

Last summer Jean Pierre Bosc announced the establishment of a “convivial,” or chef’s, table at Mimosa, his L.A. French bistro. He even put a special table out back for it.

Given that it’s winter now, after a fashion, the chef’s table meal has moved indoors. If you want to have Bosc prepare a prix-fixe menu for six or more, he’ll serve you on the enclosed front veranda.

Recently I decided to try it and had a friend reserve the chef’s table for six. As promised, Monsieur Bosc called him back the next day to discuss the menu. What he proposed sounded like a lot of food -- and a bargain, at $48 per person.

The night before the dinner, just as we were walking into another French restaurant, our friend’s cell phone rang. “Monsieur Gourmet?” (not the name he used, of course) asked someone with a heavy French accent. Assuming, because we were late, it was this restaurant calling, my friend kept repeating, “We’re here!” until he grasped that it was Monsieur Bosc of Mimosa on the line, eager to tell him he had a new idea for the menu. He wanted to make short ribs and hanger steak with marrow on top and needed to make sure it would suit everyone at the table. “Terrific,” we all agreed.

When we arrived the next night, our table was already set with the big French canning jars of black olives and cornichons that are a Mimosa tradition. First came what Bosc described as “a few things before everything” -- delicious French salami, rillettes, tarte flambee (a sort of Alsatian pizza blanketed with creme fraiche, onions and lardons) and tiny whole fried fish with handmade tartar sauce.

Next was a beet salad with a warm gratinee of goat cheese on top, garnished with black olives -- very nice, except for some insipid yellow tomatoes. Bosc then served a beautiful piece of roasted black bass in a lemon confit sauce on sea beans, a seaweed that looks like green beans.

I appreciated the sauteed duck foie gras, but the Armagnac-soaked prunes had more flavor than the foie gras.

His Burgundy-style short ribs were wonderful, though, and the hanger steak with a marrowbone was a big hit. A pear tart stained with red wine and served with Fourme d’Ambert bleu made a lovely cheese course.

And for dessert, he served profiteroles with vanilla ice cream and dark chocolate sauce.

Quite a feast -- and a very good time was had by all.

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Mimosa

Where: 8009 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles.

When: Chef’s table dinner, 6-10:30 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday; closed Sunday and Monday. Wine. Valet parking.

Cost: $48 per person (minimum 6 people), not including wine, tax or tip.

Info: (323) 655-8895; fax,(323) 655-9178; www.mimosarestaurant.com.