One of the other restaurants in LA we had on our list for quite some time is Republique. Our first time eating Chef Manzke’s food was quite some years back in Carmel at Bouchee and Cantinetta Luca and later also at Church & State in LA. Republique is clearly a continuation of his style but perhaps even more refined and grounded in French cuisine but taking influences from many directions and places. Great food, cocktails, patio and particular excellent service.
Amuse bouche - A variation on Vichyssoise and a nice start on the night
Eggs on toast, soft scrambled eggs, santa barbara uni
Potatoe and leek beignets, comte cheese, black truffle aioli
Brilliant combination of uni and scrambled eggs - one of the highlights of the nights. But the beignets were also not too shabby with a wonderful aioli
Kanpachi crudo, fuyu and hochiya persimmon, passionfruit, thai curry
Good combination of sweet- and tartness but the curry flavor really brought the dish together
Pate en croute, broken ranch venison, pickled baby vegetables, quince, medjool dates
Excellent pate with good acidity from the vegetables and mustard
Wood-fire roasted market vegetables, sweet potato hummus, dukkah
An unexpected highlight with great roasted, slightly smokey vegetables and wonderful variation on hummus
Cauliflower agnolotti, maine lobster, black winter truffles
Pillows of perfect pasta with plenty of lobster and black truffles - what’s not to love about this dish
Mezze maniche, wild trumpet and porcini mushrooms, duck liver, vin jaune, mimolette
Full of umami and nice minerality from the liver
Black hawk wagyu beef zabuton, sunchoke, smoked green farro, spinach, radishes, black truffle jus with french fries, bearnaise reduction aioli
Like in many dishes at Republique the sauce is bringing the dish together.
Dark chocolate mi-cuit, pecans, banana ice cream
The dessert was a bit one note and surprisingly dry but the banana ice cream helped to balance it out
Apple tart, apples, medjool dates, armagnac caramel, vanilla ice cream, comte cheese
Much better dessert where the comte was an unexpected but very good addition
