Fig & Olive arrives to a massive spot on LA's La Ciegena Avenue at quaff Melrose Place in a space that's struggled in recent years as a supper club, dance club and sometimes both. The corner location puts it walking distance to boutiques like Alberta Ferretti and Marc Jacobs as well as neighbors to perennial restaurant hotspots like Koi and Nobu. A massive 8,000 square foot space adorned with actual olive trees and rosemary shrubs is home to a 50-ft. tasting bar and open kitchen with beach-chic vibe of basket-weave chandeliers and communal tables. Upstairs, a little used champagne lounge has yet to get its footing. Best for brunch, expect a hotter weekend scene with house DJs spinning lounge anthems to the pop of Rose` and champagne corks ala St. Tropez in shoulder-season.
The Food
Those that know the ins and outs of the Meatpacking District dining have watched the growth of Fig & Olive, the beach-chic Mediterranean-inspired dining room with three NYC locations is now branching-out to the West Coast. With a focus on olive oil, a locally sourced Mediterranean cuisine with focus on the South of France offers homemade crudo presentations, gourmet flatbreads, homemade pastas and signature meat dishes of the East Coast location interpreted by chef Pascal Lorange who’s been with the company since 2005. On first visit, we found the crowd and food were a bit of a disappointment with overstaffed entrance and inexperienced wait-staff yet to know the difference between a Cotes du Rhone and a Cotes de Provence.
Last Word
NY’s Fig & Olive makes grand LA debut along La Cienega and Melrose Place with beach club-inspired dining room and tasting bar with in-house gourmet boutique.
