Petit Trois

For the past decade or so, Petit Trois has been serving cheese-filled omelets from a narrow, dark-wood bar counter along Highland Avenue. And while many things have changed over the past ten years, including the crowds that you used to find huddled outside the front door waiting for a table, we appreciate that the food at Petit Trois isn’t one of them: you’ll still find the same pleasantly straightforward French bistro cooking (that doesn’t skip on butter or garlic) set in an intimate space. It’s perfect for dates, long lunches, or celebratory dinners at the bar with a friend or two.

photo credit: Benji Dell

photo credit: Benji Dell

There was a time when waiting in the parking lot for a counter seat at Petit Trois was such an ordeal we’d divert people to the more spacious Sherman Oaks location as a safer bet. But since then, Petit Trois L’Original has added a covered front patio with a few tables and a spillover space next door (previously home to tasting menu spot Trois Mec). That said, eating in the main bar area is still the move here—mostly because the ambiance in the other two options is abysmal. You’re either eating steak frites with a view of a parking lot or an empty, unused kitchen. However, the experience of dining at the main counter—watching cooks work in observing the small open kitchen with the smell of brown butter in the air—encapsulates Petit Trois’ charm. Imagine a Masterclass where the subject is cheesy french onion soup and escargot smothered in enough garlic to require half an Altoids tin, with pours of grenache and friendly chatter on the periphery, and you’ll grasp the romantic appeal.

Most of the menu here is made up of neat, by-the-book French classics that might not blow you away if you’ve eaten them before but are still undeniably delicious. The least traditional—and most famous—item is Petit Trois’ Big Mec burger, which oozes a rich bordelaise. It’s meat, cheese, and bone marrow sauce, all of which are over-the-top decadent. Even a simple cornichon (or any morsel of something bright and green) would be appreciated to break up this saucy behemoth.

If you plan on taking an extra long lunch break, Petit Trois is a place to do exactly that with style. There’s a lunch prix-fixe menu for $42 that includes options like beet salad punched up with horseradish cream, steak frites, and a small ramekin of chocolate mousse. But if you want less structure and more cheese, stick to the midday a la carte offerings, like the fluffy Boursin cheese-filled omelet or croque monsieur capped with a blistered layer of gruyere. Pair your $26 sandwich with a 2pm drink (how euro of you), and Petit Trois’ secret to longevity will reveal itself. It’s just a pleasant neighborhood spot that understands the appeal of a nice baguette and butter with a glass of wine in a low-lit room.

Food Rundown

photo credit: Petit Trois

Big Mec

This gut-bomb of a burger is so unabashedly rich and saucy that it seems to have as many haters as it does fans. We fall somewhere in the middle. The patties are nicely seared, the bordelaise sauce is savory-smooth, and the brioche bun is slightly dry. But we can’t imagine eating a whole one and not falling asleep at the bar, so we’d only suggest getting this to split with someone else.

French Onion Soup

Our first thought when this soup arrives is always, “damn, that’s a lot of cheese.” The molten cap of alpine cheese on top is the most noteworthy thing to say about this textbook soup, made with hearty veal stock, a glug of sherry, and jammy onions. Best enjoyed on a frigid, 60-degree night in Los Angeles.

Omelette Petit Trois

This classically French omelet filled with tangy-soft Boursin cheese made a quick cameo on a episode of The Bear, but Trois Mec has been serving this silky beauty since day one (pssssst, the secret is lots of butter). If it's hard to imagine getting excited about an omelet, know that this one makes other “omelettes” you’ve had seem like overcooked beaten eggs.

Burgundy Escargots

These plump snails act as tiny vehicles for the delicious sauce made with tons of butter, garlic, and parsley. If your date or guest doesn’t mind smelling that on your breath for the next hour, order this little snack with a glass of white burgundy.

Steak Frites

A hit-and-miss dish. This $40 steak used to come covered in creamy bearnaise butter, but on our last visit, that’d been swapped for a watery herb sauce. The steak was also kind of cold. Good frites, as always, though.