Fraiche

Bland lamb pasta. Not worth the money… I’ve had better pasta from chain restaurants for less money.
Never got our bread.
Tables too close to each other (no privacy)
Server was nice and we were seated immediately.
Park in a near by structure (2 hours free, 4 hours with validation).
I won’t be back as the food is not worth it at all.

I hate to review the walking dead, but as other reviewers have already alluded to, Fraîche CC will close it’s doors in late June, the SM location will remain open. Until then, you can still have one last shot at their regular menu at either location at a discount from their clandestine menu:
Even all of the multiple Groupon (?) offers couldn’t save them. Still buzzing from the happy hour crowd huddled near the bar, we came armed with one back in April that included two flutes of prosecco and a $ 40 discount. Actually, through creative accounting, I found out afterward that they had botched the bill when they charged us $ 18 for the prosecco and later applied a $ 52 Groupon discount after tax; bottom line — I was ripped off $ 6 + tax. Oh snap…
The prosecco was fine, can’t screw that up
; what was a recurring theme throughout the meal that bugged was that they were out of out of everything on the menu, I couldn’t tell if they were just out of everything that we wanted…
We overheard another waiter say that they were out out of the Agnolotti…
They were out of the Papperdelle and were substituting Penne…
The waiter told us that the Chocolate Purse for dessert «didn’t turn out…»
Wtf…
The Fraîche Salad was fresh and exciting with grapefruit and orange segments, hints of radish, walnuts, and a few whispy shards of manchego. The greens were tossed separately in a vinaigrette before assembling the salad together to preserve the individual flavors…
The Seafood Spaghetti looked and sounded better than it actually was. The menu says manila clams and little neck clams but I may have wound up with only one of each. I counted 7 mussels, 3 shrimp, and a couple of piddly cubes of salmon for $ 24. Worse, the spaghetti pasta was devoid of any taste, it was just thirsting for some kind of sauce to pick it up. I was embarrassed to be sharing my plate as we often do because there was so little to share; we were both scared to take anything for fear of leaving nothing for the other…
Delightfully, the chicken was the deal; who would have thought that something so pedestrian sounding as the Half Roasted Chicken would be one of the best tasting chickens that we have ever tasted. The skin was ever so lightly seasoned crispy, and the underlying flesh was moist and succulent. This chicken didn’t need help from the emulsified salsa verde at all, it was that good. The dish also included roasted haricot vert that were fresh and snappy bound together by edible scallion strands. The ricotta gnocchi was a bit disappointing and on the chewy side…
The Chocolate Coulant was a frosting-​less Ding Dong without any cream, it was dry; however, the Peanut Butter Gelato on a bed of diced strawberries was nice and refreshing…
Many reviewers had harsh words about the service but our server Mark did an admirable job, with the exception of the calculation of the final bill which he may not have had a hand in. There was a woman walking about and on occasion helped to bring out the dishes who I assumed was the manager who I thought was cordial and congenial. The bus service was fine; they cleared our dishes when we were done and kept our water filled. The patio seating was nice albeit covered by plastic covers that helped deflect the wind…
It’s the end of the road for a once highly touted restaurant, I’m glad to have tried it once, although it seems that it’s best days are behind it. Take advantage of the reduced menu while you can, assuming that they actually have what you want on it; and while you’re at it, remember to check your bill. The HH menu still seems popular also…

Located in downtown Culver City, I’ve passed by Fraiche plenty of times with a growing resolve to try it one day. The opportunity came with a Groupon ($ 20 for $ 40 worth of food plus one complimentary dessert), and so a girlfriend and I treated ourselves to a fancy dinner one Monday night to begin the week off right.
I made 7pm reservations and the restaurant was fairly populated when we arrived, though not terribly busy. There didn’t seem to be a host/​hostess around so we lingered awkwardly before being seated outside in the open patio area when someone caught our eye. I loved the ambiance outside! Delicate twinkle lights and a cool evening breeze characterized our mellow night in downtown Culver City.
Prior to dining, I Unilocaled (of course!) the most popular dishes at Fraiche and was a little disappointed when our waitress informed us that they were out of the house made agnolotti. I opted for the signature Monkfish, while my girlfriend ordered the Lamb Papperdelle.
The Monkfish had interesting flavors… It took me a few bites to decide whether I liked it or not because of the unexpected texture of the fish and the tang of the white wine sauce. The flavors developed more intricately as the meal progressed, and the accompanying potato purée and spinach sides were nice as well, so I think I give it one thumb up in the end.
My girlfriend liked her Lamb Papperdelle, though she didn’t rave much about it. I stole a bite and agreed with her nonchalant reaction. The dish was good, but forgettable.
For dessert, we shared the Chocolate Coulant with Caramel Ice Cream. This was fabulous! A warm rich chocolate cake with a creamy scoop of caramel ice cream. YUM.
Our waitress was sweet, though I personally felt a little rushed with our meal. She was politely apologetic while asking for payment when we finished our dessert and stayed chatting at the table. She informed us that we could stay as long as we liked, but if we could please take care of the check??? It’s nothing to actually ruffle my feathers over, but enough for myself to have made a mental note for mention.
Taking into consideration all aspects of the evening, I probably wouldn’t return to pay full price on another meal. However, I’m glad I tried it!

It’s definitely a nice spot and a great date destination, but a bit pricey for what you get.
For an appetizer, the braised brisket with fondue was ridiculously small. About 3 fingerling potatoes, half a cup of generic cheese fondue, and a few cubes of brisket looked rather empty on an over-​sized plate. Our hero had the steak frites meal, which came with an overwhelming amount of mediocre fries, some very vinegary salad, and about 6 ounces of pre-​sliced blackened steak. The steak was on the small side for an entrée and very charred on the outside for a medium rare selection. It was fairly filling though and looked like it was the largest entrée on their whole menu. The cheesecake was alright, although the sorbet it came with was rather tart.
Our hero was a bit annoyed by how slow the service was. Dinner took 2 hours from start to finish, which pushes the limits of parking meters if you’re parking on the street. This place definitely fits the definition for «slow food», where the experience takes precedence. Be prepared for a drawn out dinner if you come here.
PROS:
— Nice dim romantic ambiance.
— The servers are rather chipper and entertaining.
CONS:
— Slow service.
— Parking can be tough.
— Fairly pricey for some simple dishes.
— The close distance between tables can be uncomfortable. You can barely get out if you’re sitting against the wall and can definitely hear everything your neighbors are talking about.

A delicious, non-​pretentious slice of culinary heaven in Culver City. My girlfriend and I hightailed it over from her Koreatown digs in search of the perfect dinner: well prepared, seasonally fresh, and a light but satisfying meal that doesn’t stretch your gut out.
Fraiche delivered, and very pleasantly I might add.
HIGHLIGHTS: The baby beet salad with goat cheese and light vinegarette to start, with a crispy sauvignon blanc recommmendation from the sommelier.
The slightly dim, dark wood interior (clear from my other reviews that i’m obviously a fan of this take on restaurant/​bar décor).
The sweetly light, and perfectly carmelized crème brûlée. A dessert that’s easy to fuck up, but so divine when done right. A few fresh blueberries to top it, and it lent this tart little texture element to something that was perfect to begin with. Mmmm.
The helpful sommelier and our pleasant waiter. Warm service and great conversation with both, actually.
LOWLIGHTS: None, except for that I live in Portland and was here on vacation, so it’ll be quite some time before I get to visit Fraiche again.

This used to be one of my favorite restaurants, but now I have to seriously reconsider whether I’d ever go back on a regular basis. I never thought that a rude host could ruin a dining experience until now.
When my bf and I walked into the restaurant and waited at the host stand, we saw two hostesses and one host walking by us several times. None of them bothered to greet us. Even when the host was at the host stand, he pretended like we weren’t there. When I finally got his attention, he told one of the hostesses to seat us, who proceeded to put us at a 4-​seater table. My bf pointed out that there were other tables available for only 2 people, and the hostess just shrugged and let us sit wherever we wanted. So much for doing her job.
I’ve gone to restaurants where hosts might not be super friendly, but I have never encountered one as rude as this one. He seemed very unskilled and unrefined. After continually walking around and talking to other diners, he finally passed us and (after staring at us for a few seconds) asked us if we got everything we needed. I’d rather he didn’t say anything to us at all. I’m not sure if it’s because we looked young or what, but the way he looked at us and spoke to us seemed very demeaning.
After my long rant, I should at least comment on the good things about this restaurant. Our waiter (who has served us a couple times before) was very courteous and friendly as usual.
My bf and I ordered the Salmon Tartare, Home Made Agnolotti, Tiger Prawns Risotto, and Chocolate Purse. The tartare and the dessert were tasty as usual. The agnolotti was good, but not as good as the first time we had it (but then again, the first time was complimentary and free food always tastes better). The risotto seemed slightly undercooked to me, but my bf liked it that way. The tiger prawns were cooked well, but I thought the vegetables had a taste that didn’t go well with the rest of the dish.
Overall, the food and waiter service were great and deserved many stars. But due to the 0 stars I would give to the hostesses and the multiple negative stars to that one particular host, I unfortunately have to give this place 2 stars. If we go back again (which won’t be anytime soon), I hope we don’t have to relive the same experience again.

Friday night dinner at Fraiche in Culver City. Culver Blvd is a such a trendy location, and Fraiche was very busy. Unfortunately they were very understaffed.
The waiters were running around like crazy. I ordered a Pinot Noir and Steak with mashed potatoes substituted for the French Fries.
The waiter brought me a Chardonnay. He had to take it back and bring me the correct wine.
Then my little tiny steak arrived. Yes, a very small portion of meat. The meat was delicious, but just a ridiculously small portion. And a huge mound of french fries with a salad on the side.
I grabbed the waiter again. I said «I asked for mashed potatoes, not fries’. He brought me a side of mashed potatoes and did not charge me, since they were supposed to be in place of the fries anyway.
The fries took up half the plate — and I gave them to my friends.
The best part of the meal was the Mango cheesecake, and Earl Grey tea that I ordered. The Mango Cheesecake came with a scoop of sorbet and strawberries. And the tea was served in a lovely individual teapot.
However, my friend sent back his chocolate dessert saying it was all dried out. He got a pudding instead which his still didn’t like.
Our waiter was very apologetic about the mistakes. Then I heard him apologizing to the table behind us too. So I guess we weren’t the only ones with the mistakes in our orders.
If Fraiche is going to be that busy on a Friday night, they need to hire more waiters.

Went here a few weeks ago with Lilly we used the Groupon I had purchased a while ago. Nice cool vibe. I did not receive any pretentious behavior from the hostess… although I have read in several reviews that was common, not so with me.
Lilly really like her mushroom, endive salad it was good she also ordered the Shrimp pasta dish we both agreed it was rather bland. I got the Lamb Bolognese it was good (rich) the bread left a LOT to be desired though (YIKES) the olive oil you dipped it in was the BOMB but it was dry and not flavorful =[
Service was attentive from the Manager and our server himself was fun he did his best to upsell from that Groupon we had purchased told us we didn’t have to stick to the entrees that were selected on the groupon… but you should keep in mind the certificate is only for $ 50.00 and includes 2 glasses of Prosecco so just keep this in mind while ordering.
Bartender was slow that evening… not sure why because from where I was sitting he didn’t look like he had many orders up =? Drinks were strong and creative.
Respectfully Reviewed

My friend gave me a list of three French restaurants in Culver City and I chose this one because the pics on Unilocal look appetizing. There is a French restaurant in the west side where there are hot guys who are flirtatious, but I wanted to avoid that distraction because I really needed to talk to her about some important issues.
Our reservation was at 6:30. There’s valet parking, but there’s also 2 hour complimentary parking in the back alley. The parking structure accepts cash only.
Service was flawlessly executed. My water glass was always full. I ordered the monk fish $ 26. I didn’t care for the flavor. I thought it was over priced in relations to the portion.

40%
So-​so, $ 34, 3-​course Dine LA dinner
***Short Review
Came to a DineLA dinner at Fraiche (Culver City branch) in Oct’11
Menu seems a bit conservative.
My steak frites were pretty good overall.
The quality of meat was good, and I enjoyed the generous portion of well prepared fries.
My mushroom salad was about average.
While the ingredients were good, I felt the aggressive vinaigrette was too overpowering.
My cookies were completely forgettable.
Value seems relatively reasonable.
Portion sizes are generous, and the ingredients are good.
Happy hour looks to be a good value, and I intend to return for that in the future.
(Did recall enjoying their truffle burger for less than $ 10 a lot some time ago before I began writing reviews).
Service is good.
My waitress and the bus-​boys were attentive and efficient, if not enthusiastic.
Ambiance is comfortable albeit interior décor is very generic LA.
Overall a dining experience closer to average and mildly enjoyable, although far from impressive.
Detailed Review will look into the dishes sampled further.
***Detailed Review
’Mushroom Salad’
warm mixed mushrooms, chopped yellow endive, frisee, citrus vinaigrette dressing garnished with shaved parmesan
(Dish Rating, 40%)
Okay salad overall. Not terrible or great. The concept is a bit conservative, but some elements work. In terms of the good, the leafy greens and tasty mushrooms are quite fresh, and generous. The addition of generous Parmesan cheese slices were a welcome addition, giving the greens some welcome flavor. Portion size was quite generous.
Where this salad didn’t work for me was the aggressive and over-​powering sour acidic citrus heavy dressing. I thought LA restaurants stopped doing this back in the late 90’s (main reason why I didn’t use to care for salads in general), but I guess not. With the dressing, it was much more difficult to savor the more subtle flavors of the greens. Without it, it would have been a pretty good salad, even if not quite great.
Steak Frites
Prime flat iron made to order, served with herb butter pomme frites and baby arugula in balsamic vinaigrette
(Dish Rating 55%)
Pretty good steak frites. Meat quality is generally good. There was no noticeable excess gristle. Meat was quite juicy and lean. The herb butter was welcome giving the steak a slight buttery character. Flavor of the steak was a bit more robust relative to most flatiron cuts I’ve tried. I requested the meat cooked ‘rare’, but it came out closer to medium rare, which is acceptable enough for me not to send it back. There was no noticeable sear on the edges of the meat unfortunately. Overall I’m also more neutral about the flat-​iron cut of beef. It’s not my favorite, but I don’t mind trying it every now and then.
Portion of steak a bit small, maybe 8oz or so, but I felt it was reasonable given the better quality of meat, and price.
On the side there’s a generous portion of arugula greens. Unfortunately again it has the harsh acidic vinaigrette dressing. There’s also a generous portion of medium cut fries on the side, which were very good. They’re a thicker cut, not unlike a McDonald’s cut, but relatively light and crisp. They’re also nicely herbed, and seasoned nicely on the subtle side. The fries are quite low on grease
Overall pretty good dish, but not quite exceptional.
Cookies.
Piccolo Pastic
house made confections
(Dish Rating 20%)
This was a selection of cookies which weren’t particularly memorable or special, but not quite inedible. They could have been from a tin can at Ralph’s super-​market, and I wouldn’t have know the difference. It was just boring butter cookies, one dimensional in flavor and heavy. I think it was a poor choice to serve something like this at any restaurant. One of the worst desserts I’ve tried this year.
Will return to try their Truffle Burger, but thus far I can’t recommend their Dine LA menu.

I ate at Fraische about five years ago and would have given this classy joint a five star review. I made a big hype about this restaurant because of my prior experience. I came here tonight to have dinner with my work colleague, and left the place a bit dissapointed.
First, we walked in the restaurant at 7:00 and the hostess (Asian gal with fake colored contacts, and an even more fake English/​Brittish accent?) gave us both a very snooty look. I very politely asked her for a table for two and she continued to shuffle paperwork to avoid giving us a table. I asked again for a table for two. RING — saved by the bell, the phone rang and she quickly answered it. Avoided us again! When she was done with making a new reservation for the person on the phone, she then turned to us and gave a very fake «hello». She eventually seated us with a HUGE attitude. How pathetic and sad she got our dining experience off to a bad start. Comeon, there were 3 tables occupied in the entire restaurant! Hostess Grade: F!
Our server for the night was Laura. She was absolutely WONDERFUL! Laura was very friendly, helpful in ordering, patient and professional. She gave us several suggestions on what to order and did a great job! Service Grade: A+!
We started with two 16 oz Beers for $ 7 a glass (brand was a Little Yellow something that was produced in Littleton, CO.). They had about 6 beers to choose from. Nice selection! Drink Grade: A-​.
For an appetizer, we started with with the Brisket ($ 14). It was a well prepared beef brisket stew, served with finger potatoes. The meat was well seasoned and tender. It tasted like a very mild beef bourguignon. Nicely completed. Grade: B+
There were two main dishes that we shared: The first dish was the Monkfish Francaise ($ 26). The waitress, Laura, described this dish perfectly! It was the «poor mans lobster». The white fish was very flavorful and tender, with a bounce to the meat. It was prepared as three medalions of meat, served on warm spinach and a heavy cream over a potato purée (like mashed potatoes). The dish had a strong citrus /​acid to it, combined with white wine. It had a fresh taste as it was served with fresh Italian parsley. Grade: B
The second main dish was the Seafood Pasta ($ 26). This was a dish served with mussels, clams, salmon, and shrimp. The pasta was a nice and bouncy spaghetti noodle that soaked up the white sauce from the seafood. This dish was nice and «expected». Grade: B.
For dessert, we had some kind of mango pudding. It was a cocktail cup served with nice mango pudding. YUM! Flavors were fresh and creamy. It was served with fresh mango (?) on top. Very nicely created dessert! Grade: A!
We finished off the meal by having coffee. The coffee wasn’t anything memorable, as it was very thin and not acidic. Grade: C.
Hostess Service Grade: F.
Food Grade: B.
Table Server (Laura) Grade: A+
Dessert Grade: A!
Note: I would have given this review a 1-​star review, because the hostess ruined the dining experience. The food was too pricey for it’s average quality and preparation. But, the great service from Laura bumpped it to a two star rating.

Grabbed dinner here with a girlfriend of mine since I purchased a GROUPON. And since Emily C. is a foodie as much as me, we ordered:
Charcuterie Plate
Black Mussels «Provençale
House Made Agnolotti
Risotto (truffle mushroom? I can’t remember)
Crème Brulé
…whew.
The plate was good, but I don’t think it was worth it and I wouldn’t order it again. The mussels were good, but kind of small and the sauce was great. Especially when the bread is dipped in it. Mmm… The agnolotti was really good. Ate it allll up! The risotto was really good too. Cooked perfectly. And the crème brulé was nice and smooth, very delicate. You can see the vanilla beans. YUM.
The service was on point. We were seated by the open kitchen so it was nice and warm. The feel of the restaurant is nice and lively. I’d definitely come back. Maybe even for their happy hour…

***Despite the many chef changes, Fraiche remains a reliable and consistently good upscale restaurant***
When Jason Travi helmed Culver City’s Fraiche (and his wife was the pastry chef), it was one of my favorite Los Angeles restaurants. I had one of my favorite all time pastas here (a take on frutti di mare) as well as one of my all time favorite desserts (a Napoleon with a sour cherry compote, chocolate mousse and vanilla gelato). They have gone through many chefs since, but they’ve kept the menu roughly the same – big focus on pastas and fresh ingredients. And the results are still good even if it is not as great as it once was.
The complimentary bread was a sliced ciabatta (not served warm); it was okay. Olive oil accompanied the bread (instead of the olive tapenade, which they used to have here).
We had their warm calamari salad, which came with calamari (not fried), radishes, some micro greens, and a pesto. It was a light dish and pretty good (nicely seasoned).
I had the Monkfish Francaise, which was good. It was kind of a take on a chicken piccata. The monkfish medallions were lightly breaded and lightly sauteed. The monkfish was moist and tender and the breading was good (I would have preferred a slightly more crisp outside though I like how they keep the breading from being too thick or overly crisp/​crunchy).
The monkfish was served with warm spinach and a very creamy and smooth potato purée. There was also a nice white wine sauce. It was a rich dish, but it was good.
I also had a little bit of the steak frites and the flat iron was juicy, flavorful and tender. I liked their French fries, which were of the double fried variety.
For dessert, we had the spiced apple cake, which was served with caramelized apples, caramel and a cinnamon ice cream. The spiced apple cake was like a banana bread. It was very dense and dry. The flavor was mild. It was okay, but it was the kind of easily-​prepared-​beforehand-​dessert that I try to avoid.
The caramelized apples had a great caramelized crust. The cinnamon ice cream was okay.
We also had the cheese plate, which was a small portion, but it included a good manchego and a good blue cheese. There was also a strong goat cheese. The cheese came with a little bit of bread as well as a dried fruit in honey garnish that went well with the blue cheese.
The manager comped the desserts and cheese because she felt the portions were smaller than they should have been (a very nice but unnecessary gesture). Desserts are always a tough one at nice restaurants because a lot of people don’t like desserts and small kitchens make it difficult to put out elaborate or more made-​to-​order desserts. I have had good desserts here in the past though I am not sure if the restaurant (in its current setup/​style) will be a strong dessert place in the future.
Service was good. The waitress Lianne was pleasant, personable, polite and attentive. The food came out at a good pace and finished plates were promptly removed.
Prices are about what you would expect to pay given the type of restaurant that Fraiche is. Entrees range from the low $ 20s to the mid $ 30s for the bigger and more elaborate dishes. Fraiche does participate in a lot of online deals/​discounts so you might be able to save some money on your total bill if you do research before going.
The atmosphere at Fraiche is nice. The décor is upscale, contemporary, lively, and very warm. I like the Culver City Fraiche décor much more than the Santa Monica Fraiche décor, which is rustic and feels less vibrant.
Fraiche is a good and consistent spot and it has both a strong kitchen and a strong front of the house. There are a lot more upscale restaurants in Culver City now with places like Lukshon, but Fraiche remains a satisfying upscale restaurant for the area. And if you are debating on which Fraiche to try, I would suggest this restaurant, which is the original location.
There is a parking structure just west of Fraiche that offers free parking for the first 2 hours.

Hey Fraiche,
Sorry to say, but I have a bone to pick with you. While your food is fairly reasonable and tasty, I visit your restaurant to actually DINE. I was under the impression that you were a sit-​down, relax, and enjoy the atmosphere kind of place… this was NOT case on my last visit. I kid you not, from the time we had our order taken to the time it was boxed up in neat little to-​go packages, was a mere 22 minutes! Umm If I wanted fast food I would have gone elsewhere for a fraction of the price!
Bf and I ordered our din and were looking forward to some nice conversation while we relaxed and sipped our champagne and nibbled on that delicious bread you brought us… 5 minutes went by, and BAM! Our food comes out. Granted it was hot and tasty, but jeeze, give us a few minutes!
We’re fairly fast eaters (at least the bf is, hence I become a bit voracious myself given the lack of conversation), but we filled up fast and had quite a bit left over. Immediately servers and bussers are in our face trying to clear things, etc. Thats nice and all, but give us some time to breathe! No, we don’t want dessert right now. The check can wait too. Umm, no I don’t think we’re quite ready yet…
Couple next to us were complaining about the same issue and said they felt super rushed to get in, out, and on their way as well.
Fraiche succeeded in filling our bellies without breaking the bank, but overall we left feeling disappointed. It wasn’t the night out we were hoping for and really detracted from any sort of «experience» that one might hope to expect while dining out.
If it werent for the Truffle Burger (which for $ 16 is the best deal you’re gonna get for a giant gourmet burger, fries, and arugula salad), I would have to give ‘em 3 stars.
–Oh, and btw, skip the shrimp pasta. its rather boring and uninspired. Super heavy on the butter too.

Meh. Is the one word I would use to sum it up.
Crispy Loup de Mer (Sea Bass)
It looked prettier than it tasted (picture included). I still can’t tell if there wasn’t enough sauce, or if the sauce just didn’t stand out very much.
Monkfish Picatta
Tasted better than it looked (no picture: P) It wasn’t my dish, I just had a bite of it, but it was very flavorful from what I had.
Service was okay. There wasn’t many people in the restaurant at all, yet service was still slow.

What can I say, the place is in my hood and I go for the monkfish. Shelagh and I both had the fish, preceded by a brussel sprouts appetizer. It was 6 pm on Sunday night and not very crowded, plus it was cold outside so no people at the outside tables.
I had asked the server if the brussel sprouts were cooked and hot and she said yes. Maybe she didn’t hear the «hot» part. They were almost raw and very crunchy and chewy. And they weren’t hot or even warm… they were actually cold. There were little pieces of dates and small nutty pieces mixed in with the sprouts. The mixture of the bland veggie with the dates and nuts was a nice taste treat. But hello, can you please cook the sprouts a little more? I left half on the plate, just too much work to chew it all up.
The monk fish, as usual, was perfect. Sauteed in some kind of butter/​wine sauce and plopped on top of a small portion of very creamy mashed potatoes and a small portion of spinach. Yeah, so this isn’t a place to come if you’re really hungry, unless you order a bunch of dishes, ’cause the portions are small, but, as I said… it’s all about the monkfish for me.
However, now there is another reason to dine here: OMG, the «caramel budino.» «Budino» means «pudding» in Italian, but this was one gourmet pudding. A small little cup of creamy, tasty caramely wonderful pudding, topped with a glob of whipped cream, and drizzled with caramel sauce. Wow. Yes, she will be back for the budino.
Parked with the valet ’cause didn’t feel like walking from the parking structure on Cardiff. They took a really long time to bring the car. Oh well.

The only reason why my friend and I came here was because of DineLA; otherwise I don’t think we would be able to afford dinner at a swanky place like this on a college student’s budget. I glanced at the regular menu and the average price for entrees was over $ 30…
For $ 34 + tax/​tip, we got a set 3 course menu. I ordered the Tricolor Salad, Steak Frites, and a dessert (I don’t remember the name). They gave us some bread and spread after we put in our order. The spread was really good; I believe it contained olives. The portions for the appetizer and entrée were small, even for a person with a small appetite like me. I guess i can’t complain since Fraiche is an upscale restaurant. I only got about 5 thin slices of steak and fries on the side… My dessert was a selection of 3 items, 2 of which were cookies and the other was like a Turkish Delight item; there were 2 of each, so it was easy to split. The cookies were warm when we bit into them! The Butterscotch Pot de Crème was not very pleasant; there were small patches of salt in it, gross! We didn’t finish it.
In all, the food and service was good, so it was worth the money I paid for the dining experience. Thank you DineLA!
*First 2 hours are free in the parking garage

*** I believe Fraîche is Franco Italian. ***
It is a solid mixture of both Euro cuisines.
I’ve been here a few times now. It’s comfy,
not too pricey, relaxed, good presentation
and their service has always been on point.
I will most definitely return here … I’m a fan.
But it is missing that «je né sais quoi» to be
a lovely romantic keeper, quaint but not hot.
*** I love the prosciutto appetizer most. ***

I’m not a big believer in spending a lot of money for quality food because there are so many hidden gems out there, but I will make an exception for Fraiche! You should expect to spend at least $ 50 here for a quality meal, but trust me… it’s WELL WORTH IT! :) This place has the usual dim, candlelit ambiance that typically accompanies a fancy schmancy restaurant, which immediately creates a warm experience!
To start, I ordered the farro salad, which is not your typical salad, in that it does not contain lettuce! It’s actually a grain (possibly barley?), tossed with fresh cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion and mint. They actually garnish the top with feta cheese, which melts perfectly into the dish and adds a comforting warmth to it. I really loved the Mediterranean flavors, which melded well together and the mint made the dish extra refreshing.
For the main course, I ordered the braised short ribs. They were the BEST SHORT RIBS I have ever had because they literally melted right off the bone. So tender! So succulent! So hearty! As Joel McHale would say on «The Soup»…SOOO MEATY! :) It even came with a tasty corn polenta and I usually don’t even like polenta! Unfortunately, they have since removed that item from the menu and replaced it with steak frites. Bah. I have tried their rigatoni before, which came in a lamb ragu — that was also pretty unique and hearty for a pasta. I enjoyed it, but it still didn’t compare to those amazing short ribs!!!
For dessert, I ordered chocolate bread pudding, smothered in bourbon caramel sauce, and accompanied by peanut brittle ice cream. It was one of the most spectacular desserts I’ve ever had because it blended hot and cold, salty and savory, and crunchy and saucy. Unfortunately, I believe they have also modified this dessert. I don’t know what’s going on over there, but I may just have to go back to Fraiche just to make sure it’s as good as I remembered it ;)

Ambiance is still the same. I always enjoy it. Although everytime I go, I am always seated by the wall (which is where I prefer to sit anyway), but you are seated way too close to the table next to you. Bygones.
Bread — the busboy comes around and offers bread. I’m on the fence whether I prefer a bread basket and to be left alone or if I prefer the extra nice added service of the actual serving of bread (like you would expect at Spago, etc).
Burrata and Speck — I tend not to eat anything pork, but since it came with the burrata, whaddaya gonna do. However, from the charcuterie I have tried, the speck here is good. Thicker than other places I have eaten speck. Again, I don’t care for prosciutto or any charcuterie really, but if you do — the speck here is good. 3 bulbous pieces of burrata served with 4 slices of speck.
I was torn between the monkfish and the branzino. I should have ordered the branzino. Can I get some fish with my salt? Goodness, this dish was SOOOOOOO salty. I was really torn whether to send it back or not. However, I was a good sport and suffered through. This dish is a heavy, creamy, salty dish — which is quite the opposite of what I wanted that evening. But the server recommended the monkfish over the branzino. Sigh.
On the other hand, the Roasted half chicken with spaetzle was fantastic. It was not a heavy dish. The chicken was fully cooked and more than satisfying.
For dessert — we had the marscapone cheesecake. It was okay, but I don’t particularly care for cheesecake. Not too dense and not too heavy.
The chocolate cake was similar to every other chocolate molten lava cake I have tried at various restaurants.