Juliet

Looks are undoubtedly subjective, but good luck finding anything ugly about Juliet. This polished French brasserie in Culver City is the type of restaurant you keep in your back pocket to impress someone—specifically, someone who's impressed by pretty things. Dishes come served on silver platters, your appetizer is studded with flower petals and smoked trout roe, and the glitzy brown-tone space makes slurping oysters under the rumbling sounds of the Expo Line feel decidedly glamorous.

If you're wondering whether all of these frilly delights will cost you, the answer is yes. But don't write off Juliet for being all looks, because once you peel back the pretense, you're left with food that (for the most part) tastes as good as it looks. 

Similar to her sisters Margot and Norah (run by the same people), Juliet makes a bold statement with its decor. It's a muted space that looks like a celebrity's Malibu farmhouse in Architectural Digest, with faux rustic wooden floors, shiny white marble details, and sliding glass doors that open to a breezy patio. Rather than charming accordion music, you get soft French house vibrating through a stylish crowd that sips white wine with designer sunglasses on. And because Juliet knows what  breed of posh it's pandering to, the menu doubles as a brochure to the coolest wine bars in Paris that you naturally should know about. However, once you piece together a substantial meal here, expect your Parisian travel funds to take a considerable hit.

photo credit: Jessie Clapp

photo credit: Jessie Clapp

photo credit: Jessie Clapp

photo credit: Jessie Clapp

photo credit: Jessie Clapp

The best part about Juliet's menu is that it doesn't feel copy-pasted from every French bistro ever. Instead of standard-issue boeuf bourguignon, there are buttery veal sweetbreads in a silky maitake mushroom sauce, an intensely fishy whipped cod dip we’d kill to smear on a bagel, and tiny chicken liver tartlets that don't look like much but pack a lot of flavor. Other dishes, however, are pretty snoozy, including a forgettable tuna carpaccio and a bland ricotta gnocchi with pea puree that tastes like, well, pureed peas. Skip these and redirect those funds to something more fun: the very long, very French wine menu that you can sample via one-ounce pours, half-glasses, glasses, or full carafes. 

If Juliet didn't make emulating a Parisian lifestyle in new-construction Culver City feel so pricey, we'd probably swing by more often to test-run a smart outfit, eat juicy lamb chops with our hands, and sip wine on that sunny patio. But until we get rich off some new cryptocurrency, it'll remain a special occasion spot with style and substance.

Food Rundown

photo credit: Jessie Clapp

Moules Persillade

We could eat a tin of these chilled, saucy mussels with a cold beer and call it a day. They're meaty but not chewy and the sweet sauce vert adds a nice fennel flavor that brightens up the cold shellfish.

photo credit: Jessie Clapp

Tarama

If you're predisposed to love everything from the tinned fish aisle, this creamy cod dip is heavenly. It's luscious like whipped ricotta and packs a briny, pungently fishy taste that's probably not for everyone. It's definitely for us, though, and we now want it on every crudité board.

photo credit: Jessie Clapp

Mousse au Foie de Volaille

Ok, hear us out: we're aware this tiny little tartlet is $18. But it's also absolutely delicious and worth every penny. There's a lot going on here, from the rich, funky liver mousse to the crunch of hazelnuts to the burst of sweetness from the translucent apple gelee. It's quite decadent, too, so a little goes a long way.

photo credit: Jessie Clapp

Carpaccio de Thon

Tuna carpaccios are like Vin Diesel movies: once you've seen a few they kind of start blending together. Occasionally you'll find one that amuses you, but this shiny platter of pounded ahi is not that. The slices are a little too thick, and all you really taste is the saltiness from the tonnato and minced olives on top.

photo credit: Jessie Clapp

Cigares de Confit de Canard

The only downside to these crackly duck-filled cigars is that one is enough, because they're extremely rich. They come out hot from the fryer, shatter once you bite in, and the duck confit is plenty moist. The tangy valois sauce on the side is nice but doesn't make this heavy dish any lighter.

photo credit: Jessie Clapp

Ris de Veau

These sweetbreads are a fan favorite, according to us (their fans). They're not gamey and cut effortlessly like softened butter, and the salty maitake mushroom sauce and zingy pickled celery give them the personality and depth we're looking for (both in food and on a first date).

photo credit: Jessie Clapp

Côtes d'Agneau

These lamb rib chops are another cut that could be gamey, but luckily aren't. They're wonderfully juicy, a little grassy, and genuinely don't need the salty olive tapenade or chickpea puree underneath, but we'll take it.

photo credit: Jessie Clapp

Gnocchis au Fromage

When during the pursuit of light and fluffy gnocchi does gnocchi become…too light and fluffy? This example kind of feels that way. We'd like some more chew in these ricotta dumplings, and their pea puree leaves us with nothing else to say except it tastes like peas.

photo credit: Jessie Clapp

Daurade Royal

The correct word to describe this dish is "nice." It's a nicely cooked piece of seabream with a nice, saucy ratatouille, and nice garlicky pistou that's not overpowering. Nothing exceptional, just nice.

photo credit: Jessie Clapp

Aubergine Rôti

This roasted eggplant gets a gold star for its various textures, from the silky flesh to the crunch of popped sesame seeds. However, the white soy glaze is way too sweet.

photo credit: Jessie Clapp

Eclairs Maison

These are not your local bakery's eclairs. They're the glammed-up eclairs in a Rodeo Drive boulangerie or Cardi B's birthday party. The yuzu-poppyseed flavor strikes a nice balance between tart and sweet, but the dark chocolate sea salt eclair is mabe a bit too rich.

photo credit: Jessie Clapp

Madeleines au Beurre Noisette

Simply put: these madeleines are perfect. They're warm, pillowy cookies/cakes that taste like pure butter with a hint of sweetness from a dusting of powdered sugar. Please end your meal on this high note.