There’s no wait -- yet

WHAT food lover on a trip to France doesn’t dream of coming across some terrific little restaurant that hasn’t been discovered by the Michelin inspectors yet, where Madame -- tres charmant -- runs the front of the house while her husband works the saucepans in the kitchen (or vice versa). Come to think of it, the mom-and-pop aspect characterizes almost every eating establishment in France. Even at the highest levels, they are still basically family restaurants.

When I walked into Bashan, a new 40-seat restaurant a few blocks from downtown Montrose, it felt very much like a small bistro or restaurant in France. Romy Bashan runs the front of the house while her husband, Nadav, mans the stoves. Moving into the old Bistro Verdu space, the couple has given the simple storefront a smart, penny-wise makeover with sea grass wallpaper, dark floors and varnished wood tables. Light fixtures in the shape of origami-like artichokes run in two rows down the ceiling. At the back, a dark wood divider holds sculptures that suggest sea urchins and starfish. Simple, but tasteful.

Nadav Bashan is no amateur. He’s been executive chef at Michael’s in Santa Monica, leaving to take a position as sous-chef under Michael Cimarusti at Providence, which means he knows his way around a fish. (He also worked at the Lobster in Santa Monica.) And he and his sous-chef are turning out sophisticated contemporary cooking from a minuscule kitchen.

He’s smart to keep the menu to a handful of appetizers and main courses. But this is no ordinary fare. He’s using the same top-notch ingredients you’d get at Providence or any other top restaurant in L.A. And while Bashan may be more high-end than this neighborhood has seen before, his professionalism and skilled, attentive cooking make this sweet little restaurant a real find at these prices.

Start with the chilled oysters on the half shell with a lovely apple mignonette or an heirloom tomato salad with creamy burrata, pickled shallots and a shot of tomato water. He makes a mean sweet corn ravioli, but his crispy veal sweetbreads have to be the star of the appetizer menu right now.

He’s very good on fish. After all, he cooked at Providence. I loved the Columbia River steelhead trout with braised daikon, bacon and shimeji mushrooms. And also the Alaskan halibut with a bright-tasting piperade of sweet peppers and tomato. He serves a nice 28-day dry-aged New York steak for under $30. But the real surprise is the chicken; a perfectly cooked breast accompanied by the confit chicken leg and sweet potato in a sherry mustard vinaigrette.

Order the artisan cheese plate to finish off a bottle of red from the modest wine list. Or pick up a bottle at Rosso Wine Shop next door and drink it for a $10 corkage fee. The dessert selection is short but sweet -- a dreamy chocolate bread pudding with vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce or caffe pannacotta served with dulce de leche ice cream and alfajor (shortbread cookies with dulce de leche inside).

The good news is that you don’t have to reserve one month ahead -- yet.

virbila@latimes.com

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Bashan

Where: 3459 N. Verdugo Road, Glendale (Montrose).

When: Tuesday through Saturday, 5:30 p.m to 10 p.m.; Sunday, 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Beer and wine.

Price: Appetizers, $12 to $16; main courses, $21 to $29; artisan cheese plate, $11; desserts, $7 to 9.

Info: (818) 541-1532; www.bashanrestaurant.com