Fraiche

As a manager of Fraiche, I would like to address the guests of Mr. L------ that came to dine at Fraiche last Saturday on March 8, 2008. The reservation was originally made for a party of six people at 8:30 pm where only half of the party arrived. Our policy at Fraiche is incomplete parties will not be sat until everyone has arrived. We do allow a twenty minute window for guests to arrive until their table is given away. Unfortunately, the guests of Mr. L----- were late so their table was given away. They were highly upset as they began to show their anger towards me, so at approximately nine o?clock I gave them a table outside that they were not happy with. Yes, they ?loudly complained? disrespecting not only me, but even more so the guests that were paying for a dinner that was interrupted by Mr. L-----?s guests. The owner then arrived to help control the situation. \r \r Despite the fact that the owner and my self were subjected to profanity and the guests throughout the restaurant were disturbed when Mr. L-----?s guests yelled out, ?I work at Sony and my friends here are from LA times?.You?re restaurant is going down!? we did the best that we could to rectify the situation. The owner of the restaurant deeply cares about the employees and kitchen staff, and most importantly his guests. This is why Fraiche once again extended their hands out by calling one of the guests of Mr. L----- to apologize for the situation. However, the woman was uncooperative and unwilling to work out a compromise to where both Fraiche and this guest would be happy. Furthermore, using Sony?s name and LA Times to slander and threaten a restaurant is both disrespectful and immature. Fraiche caters greatly to many people at Sony and LA Times and appreciates both their business and clientele. And we will continue to do so. more

We had a reservation and asked for an outside table when we called. When we arrived we were give a terrible inside table and were told by the manager that we could sit down or leave. So we left. \r \r Fraiche has the potential to be a wonderful restaurant if the service experience improved to include friendliness, common courtesy and speed in meal delivery. In it?s current form, not a recommended choice. Pros: do not eat here. Cons: do not eat here. more

We were a walk ? in and the manager said it would be 1 hour for a table. We asked him if he needed our names but he said no that he would get us at the bar. Had some drinks and a couple of appetizers at the bar, both were good. We waited 90 min. and went back to the manager to ask about our table and he said eat at the bar he had no tables available for only two people. He had no intention of sitting us at a table. I will never go back. Stay away from this place. Cons: TERRIBLE Manager more

I had ever seen. Fraiche was one of the remaining places on my list of top LA restaurants and I have to say it did not disappoint. Without question the best restaurant in Los Angeles and trust me I?ve eaten at all of them. The food is amazing, the service flawless. I did however think the interior of the was one of the most beautiful The nice menu with (request the wine pairings to Thierry) is the way to go in order to appreciate the full range of talents the cooking staff and service staff have to offer. Boudin noir, seafood, Pork, pasta, lamb, beef - it is all here in the highest forms possible. Flavors are all excellent and well presented. Overall, Fraiche is a fantastic place. I highly recommend Fraiche for the impeccable food, service and decor. If you had to pick one place to eat in the city. This is it. Thank you Jason and Thierry more

Ate here for the 1st time Saturday night with my hubby. Granted we were late (half our fault, half due to lack of parking/no valet) 30 mins, didnt expect a a rude ""You're late"" chiding with a heavy French accent from the guy up front (manager or owner?). The people beside us were talking about how they found him rude, too. Our waiter, on the other hand, needed a bit more knowledge. He mixed up my drink order and couldn't answer any of my questions about the cheese. There was also no introduction of each item, as they usually have it in other restaurants. BUT the food was amazing. The oysters were the creamiest I've had in a long time, and trhe eel salad was very light. My sole was cooked perfectly (crunchy outside and flaky but moist inside) and my hubby said the pork chop was excellent (I tried the mashed green potato and it was yummy). Must try is the Bananas & Chocolate dessert --- so light and the sweetness was just right! Didn't have wine but I saw the list and it was both extensive and very reasonable (bottles from $30-$250). 2 appetizers, 2 entrees, 2 desserts & 4 cocktails, after tax & 20% tip was $180. Pros: great food, nice indoor/outdoor ambience, cheap parking, good wines at decent prices Cons: spotty service, can be hard to park more

We went to Fraiche for what we were hoping was going to be an amazing dining experience but sadly, we were a bit disappointed. Fraiche has the makings of a great restaurant: very cool space, not too loud, great crowd, and truly delicious food (even though we felt that the choices on the menu were a bit limited). However, what could have been a perfectly wonderful dining experience was totally ruined by our rude waiter who really could not be bothered to serve us, answer our questions, or check in with us to see how we were doing. Not only did it take us asking him THREE times for a basket of bread, given that we had waited 40 minutes after our reservation time to be seated inside rather than the patio, but he was rude to us in answering our questions about the menu, and pretty much ignored us throughout our meal. The only time he didn't ignore us was when, without us even asking, he unnecessarily opened another bottle of water and started pouring it in our otherwise full glasses, something which is a huge pet peeve of mine. I've read other reviews and I get the sense that the others who complain about the service probably had the same waiter as we did. Pros: Great food, nice ambiance Cons: Incredibly poor service more

Making my first visit at Fraiche, I wanted to sample the more upscale restaurant. I'd heard so much of Fraiche. I made a single reservation by ?open table? about 2 weeks ahead of time. The week before my flight I called to ask them fax the dinner menu. Being from NYC, my only french restaurant experience was a few days earlier at Daniels. I loved that. My dining experience at Fraiche was exceptional. My only regret was I had no date for the evening. Upon my arrival, I was promply escorted to a quaint small table that I'd asked to be able to view the entire dining room. This was to watch the other diners (descreetly), to learn. Having NO french food knowledge, I gave the waiter my preferred food taste, and asked him to help me make a suitable selection. I had the 3 course meal. I can honestly say that every single plate brought to me, the food was absolutely delicious. I had boudin noir & main course, cote de boeuf.I deliberately ate very little on this day to hopefully ensure I could eat it all. I had to force down the last few bites, but it was so delicious, I had the waiter print a copy of what I had for future reference. Service & atmosphere: I've never experience par excellence service as I had at Fraiche. It's difficult not to use the word ""perfect"". After I couldn't eat another bite, I just sat there for a while. Just before leaving, I asked to speak to the evening manager (who was the owner). The waiter seemed concerned if anything was wrong. I introduced myself as a out of towner, but explained how exceptional the dining experience was. The waiter, service, & food were simply outstanding. The service was so incredible, nothing I'd ever seen, even better than Daniel. I'll be headed back to Los Angeles this upcoming april for 11 days. Hope I can have a date this time. more

It was the first time traveling to Los Angeles with my boyfriend and one that I will always remember.. I made a reservation a 2 weeks in advance and very glad I did. We arrived 30 minutes early but they cheerfully greeted us and had a table already waiting. The manager/owner were exceptionally well dressed and helped me pick out a great wine. Our water was always filled. I took a restroom break only to discover that when I got back, they replaced my silverware and covered my dinner. The food was fantastic and cooked to perfection as well as the dessert. We had a three course meal and were so stuffed! I highly recommend Fraiche! more

I heard they started serving lunch. So I was talking by and went in to ask the owner/manager what the hours are. It was around 4P so there was no one in there. He could not have been more rude. One would think he would want my business, but he gave me a couple of one word answers and then just walked away from my. more

I am trying to figure out why my experience was so positive considering some of the complaints by other reviewers. Two things: there were not a lot of people there at 6PM on a weekday so we got great attention and we are teetotalers and much of the complaining has to do with the service. I am not naive and found things to criticize about Ortolan and Mozza but I found the food, service and decor to be expemplary. I was wowed on entering the crimson room by the plush, comfortable and beautiful settings. I had an appetizer, entree and dessert. There are many fish selections, but I proceeded with the half-chicken which was the best I've ever had. Food is superb. So is the service. No one had an attitude. I figured that the manager (Terry) used French phrases because it is a French restaurant and he speaks French. I simply responded in French. Many different severs approached us and all were respectful and knew exactly what we were to get and how to serve it. The desserts were great without needing to be bizarre. The chocolates were above average even for a top chocolatier. The price was low. I paid much more at Ortolan which was a fine experience but not like this. I do notice that when you don't drink wine, you get a lot less attention at most restaurants but there is less to dislike! I truly felt special in the staff's hands. more

I've been to Fraiche twice, once with a group of girls and the other with a date. Both times, we were seated promptly and given great service. Not sure who the ""rude"" manager was, but the guy who seated us was tall and handsome, and was happily pouring wine from his private collection for several tables (and luckily, us!). The Austrian bartender is a real showman, making drinks only with fresh fruits and herbs. Be careful, though, they're so tasty that you won't know you're drinking alcohol until you try to stand up! The steak frites with garlicky, crispy fries, is the best I've ever had (I used to live in Paris). I've tasted the lamb, the black cod, and the monkfish, which were all great. The restaurant and bar are open, airy, and unpretentious. One of my friends said that being there reminded her of being on vacation. Not bad for a trip to Culver City! Pros: Food, elegant ambiance, service, unpretentious atmo Cons: can't go there every night more

Reading these reviews were so funny...such opposites from one to the other. Here are my 2 cents though - GO! My experience was just wonderful, amazing food (so clean, big and bright tasting), great cocktails, an eclectic & extensive/interesting wine list, gorgeous place to sit in and spend an evening, and I had such a welcoming and personable evening with my server that I would go back just for the nice food/wine chat that we carried on throughout my meal. My guest was thrilled that I had chosen such a winner for our night out. Thanks Fraiche!!! Pros: prices, flavors, staff Cons: ??? more

Even though the food was delicious the service experience was so incredibly poor that it marred the entire evening, thus the below average rating.\r It seems that management philosophy at Fraiche is to ignore the customers, to make the place seem more exclusive!!\r We had a 7:30 reservation and did not see our waiter for at least 30-40 minutes, to take our drink orders. Our waiter in particular was extremely dis-courteous. I was observing one of the female wait-staff waiting on an adjoining table and she was quite courteous & professional, even though slow in moving orders thru. \r Our waiter on the other hand, was very unfriendly, nor was he very informative on questions regarding the menu. With a 7:30 reservation, we did not receive our entree till at least 9:30, which was bad enough, but our waiter never bothered to stop and check on us or explain that the food was running late?. He basically took our orders and then came back a few hours later with the check, when requested.\r \r Fraiche has the potential to be a wonderful restaurant if the service experience improved to include friendliness, common courtesy and speed in meal delivery.\r \r In it?s current form, not a recommended choice. There are plenty of restaurants within Culver City and surrounding areas that have as a good a menu and food quality for the same price range, that DO value the customer and provide good service. Pros: Good Food Cons: Terrible Service. Very Slow. Cramped space & very noisy more

I've eaten at Fraiche a few times now since it opened. Each experience has been top notch. Every person that I talked to that works there has been professional, friendly and very knowledgeable of the menu. And the food, well, it is SPECTACULAR. I had the Fruits de Mer platter recently, and it was just divine. It reminded me of my vacation in the south of France. A real treat. Other entrees I've had are the steak frites (with crispy fries made fresh daily), roasted half chicken (most tender I've ever had) and branzino (so flavorful but light). After each meal, the maitre d' brought a beautiful presentation of cheeses for us. Miho Travi, the pastry chef, makes these awesome desserts that you can watch her make. She makes this wonderful plate of cookies that are so fresh and delightful. I also highly recommend the Paris-Brest with the praline cream - very light and airy.\r \r So, it comes to my surprise - being the first time seeing these reviews about Fraiche - that there were a couple of malicious reviews about the service, especially the most recent one, which I was a witness to. People like this woman who yelled at the maitre d' (not the other way around) that she was an ""important person in Culver City"" and threatened that he would ""regret"" what he had done should really take some lessons in the etiquette of dining out. First of all, MAKE A RESERVATION. You can't demand to be seated in a restaurant if the seats are already reserved. Every time I ate at Fraiche, I made a reservation and was seated right away. I've always had great service, including from the maitre d'/owner. It would not have been fair if the maitre d' gave up a table that I reserved in advance to some DEMANDING, SELFISH person off the streets. Fraiche is busy for a reason, and that is because of the exemplary service and the outstanding cuisine from Chef Jason Travi. To danagashe, you are missing out and clearly have a lot to learn, even if you are an ?important person in Culver City.? more

Try the white gaspacho, and the smoked eel salad, then the rabbit tortelini. Unusual dishes for Los Angeles, but incredibly tasty, different, and outright incredible. When I first started going, the service was marginal compared with the quality of the food, but the service has improved tremendously, and is no longer an issue.\r \r I think prufrockla (Adam is it?) needs to actually try the restaurant before making a bogus review...\r more

Thank you Chef Jason for the elegant menus. You are a true genius of cuisine, and your staff deserves much praise for their service and kindness. And thank you also to Terry for the wonderful welcome Your restaurant will be a definite highlight of any trip to Los Angeles.. more

A truly amazing experience for my six year anniversary. The maitre d? (co/owner) proposed to us the six course tasting menu paired with wines each step of the way. The food was fantastic with an array of flavors with each dish and presentation that could belong at the Met. The amazing part of the evening was in the service. I have never had such attentive service and in a totally non-pretentious way. You have a head waiter but are constantly attended to by many throughout the evening to ensure there are no requests - even those you didn't know you had - answered. This is a dining experience to be experinced at least once in a lifetime! Thank you to the Frenchman!!!!\r more

Wow! I've been here twice in the month since they've opened, and am so impressed. The food is spectacular (especially for the price -- entrees are low 20s), the service is attentive and sweet (love the maitre d'!), and the wine list is great. It's a silly thing, but despite a reservation we had to wait maybe 10 minutes to be seated. Rather than making us mill about in the entry (which happens WAY too much in LA), we were immediately shown to a table at the bar, and given free cocktails. It's a small gesture, but the sort of thing that makes an experience memorable. This is such a wonderful addition to the Culver City scene. I'd highly recommend the eel salad, veal cheeks, and charcuterie. Also, the desserts are fabulous. The restaurant is new, and you can tell they're still working out some kinks, but overall, I absolutely loved this place. I will definitely be back. more

My wife and I went to Fraiche last night - May 18. It was fantastic. We had the 3 course menu with paired wines. We were greeted and seated immediately. The room was stunning and the service was incredible. For special occasions or frankly - any other reason - I would recommend this restaurant. Truly old world in the best sense of the term. It's not flashy like Ortolan, but rather subtle, graceful, and warm. more

Although my experience at Wilson had embittered me to restaurants in this neighborhood, I still decided to venture to Fraiche for a special occasion with my fiancee. I'm very glad I did. From the moment we walked in the door, we experienced friendly, professional and prompt service throughout the evening. The staff was knowledgable and had a nice ability to be there when you needed them at a moments notice but be unobstrusive. Everything we ordered was delicious, but what really pleased and surprised us was multiple on the house treats at different times of the meal. Although it is inexpensive dinner, Fraiche earns it with superlative food and exemplary service. I actually tipped 25% on top. Keep this place is your back pocket for a special occasion, it will certainly deliver more