"“Still a pleasure” sigh guests of chef-owner Mark Peel’s 20-year-old “class act” on La Brea rolling out “memorable” meals of “tantalizing” Cal-Mediterranean cuisine in a “serene” atrium setting with a “soaring” ceiling, “lovely brick walls” and a tile fountain; service is “top-notch” too, so while “prices are not for the faint of heart”, at least weekend brunch is less expensive, as is Thursday’s Grilled Cheese night, which is practically an “LA institution.”" - Zagat.com

" This rustically elegant establishment on La Brea can be thanked for all the other interesting restaurants that have popped up in the neighborhood, and, of course, for putting the now-ubiquitous La Brea Bakery on the map. Additionally, the kitchen's alumni have gone on to open some of the best restaurants throughout L.A. The setting---Charlie Chaplin's old digs---is reminiscent of a little Mediterranean village, complete with a bell tower (campanile in Italian). A bar sits on one side of the fountain-accented courtyard, a tiny bakery on the other, a casual dining area faces the open kitchen and there's a formal rear dining room. The wine list is tantalizingly eclectic and the cuisine ranges---erratically, sometimes---from acceptable to dazzling. Chef-owner Mark Peel prepares such rustic French- and Italian-influenced dishes as brandade with grilled escarole, artichoke hearts and black olives; charred baby lamb with mustard butter; and grilled prime rib with olive tapenade, flageolet beans and sautéed bitter greens. Desserts are legendary. Thursday night is grilled cheese sandwich night---a moderately-priced affair that has become a popular L.A. culinary event---when they make a dynamite croque monsieur; and these popular sandwiches are now also available on the regular menu. Monday nights they do a reasonably-priced three-course family menu. Our only regret is that we've sometimes suffered through mediocre and dispassionate service, a shame considering all the rest this restaurant has to offer." - Gayot.com