Anisette was excellent. It’s a very handsome room, sort of theme park French Bistro (real French Bistros are both more beautiful but less dramatic, this was California French, or French-Mission Style - but it’s lovely nonetheless). We both had the same appetizer, a superb white tomato gazpacho with grapes and nuts in it. Simply delicious. I had Moules Frites and they were good, but perhaps not quite as good as those last night [at Rustic Canyon]. Gary had a steak frites and it was marvelous - a clear winner. We didn’t have desert. The service was very nice, our waiter was French, and wryly funny. We liked him. The place had no buzz at 5:15 and curiously, there were only men at the bar. The place started to fill up as we were finishing, but it wasn’t a glamorous crowd. But they tell me the place really is hopping between 7 and 10. I think it’s the type of place where you’d want to go for the experience and the buzz. The food alone is maybe not enough. But it was delicious and the bill for the two of us came to only $98. Not bad. I’d give it a B+

Related Posts

1. Michael D’s - Santa Monica, CA - Sunday, September 7, 2008
2. Father’s Office - Santa Monica, CA - September 11, 2005
3. Rustic Canyon Wine Bar and Seasonal Kitchen – Santa Monica, CA – September 4, 2008
4. Pollos El Brasero - Los Angeles, CA - Friday, September 26, 2008
5. Whist – Santa Monica, CA – March 26, 2008

This entry is filed under Dispatches.