Openings

What to Eat at Raphael, Open in Studio City

Photo: Raphael

Feel like eating Mexican, but your honey wants Japanese? Raphael restaurant opened this week in Studio City, serving regionally specific world cuisine sure to solve your dining dilemmas. Don’t get it twisted, it’s not fusion, but a greatest hits of international fine-dining. The restaurant comes from Valley local Alon Raphael, son of the clan behind Bel-Air Bar and Grill. He told Grub Street, “we really wanted to introduce a higher-end restaurant to the Valley; in quality that is, not in prices. We know from personal experience that we need a great, city-caliber restaurant here,” notes Alon, who is proud of Raphael’s wine selection that includes 64 varietals, and 50 by the glass.

To help in his mission, Raphael is keeping really good company, specifically chef Stephen Barkulis, who was trained under Michael Cimarusti David LeFebvre at Water Grill. The menu, which names the country-of-origin next to plates to let you know where the recipe is coming from, includes Burkalis’ takes on yellowfin nicoise, sesame seed calamari, Moroccan Peking duck, Mexican ceviche, and yup, the U.S.A. makes a contribution too, with a $13 burger and crispy fries. Raphael’s lunch, dinner, dessert, and wine menu are below and reservations can be made at (818) 505-3337. 11616 Ventura Blvd. Studio City

LUNCH MENU

Starters
Soup of the Day- Chef’s selection
$7.50

Baby Green Salad- house selected organic baby greens with champagne mustard vinaigrette
Northern France
sm $8.50/$ lg 12.50

Caesar Salad- romaine lettuce with parmesan, fresh baguette croutons
Mexico
sm $9.00 /lg $13.50

French Onion Soup- gruyere cheese, fresh baguette croutons Southern France
$8.50

Tuna Tartare- yellowfin tuna with ponzu, rice noodle salad, crispy lotus root
Japan
$13.00

Whitefish Ceviche- citrus marinated whitefish with avocado mousse, crema and achiote
Mexico
$11.00

Fried Calamari- crispy calamari with toasted sesame seeds and wasabi aoili
Japan
$10.00

Entrees

Yellowfin Tuna- grilled, with crispy rice, braised daikon, and red pepper miso sauce
Japan
$24.00

Scottish Salmon- pan roasted salmon w golden beet puree, roasted beets, fava bean tapenade
U.S. (California)
$23.50

Peking Duck- roasted breast with harissa spiked cous cous, candied tangerine vinaigrette
Morocco
$24.50

Filet of Beef- grilled with caramelized mushroom puree, polenta, and sauce béarnaise
Northern France
$32.00

Roasted Rack of Lamb- ratatouille, roasted peewee potatoes, and lamb jus
Southern France
$35.00

Free Range Chicken- pan roasted breast with saffron sauce, crispy potato croquet
Spain
$22.50

Rigatoni Pasta- shrimp, basil, tomato, white wine, kalamata olives
Italy
$19.50

Vegetarian Eggplant Tart- garbanzo bean puree, kalamata olive, feta cheese
Greece
$18.50

Lunch Entrees
Coq Au Vin Sandwich- red wine braised chicken w mushroom duxelle, munster cheese, crispy fries
Southern France
$13.00

Raphael Burger- ½ lb. Meyer natural ground beef, Dijon mustard sauce, house pickled onions, crispy fries
USA
$13.00

Rigatoni Pasta- shrimp, basil, tomato, white wine, kalamata olives
Italy
$16.50

Salmon Salad- spice seared salmon w baby arugala, frissee, peanut apricot dressing, mint yogurt sauce
India
$18.00

Skirt Steak Salad- skirt steak grilled w black bean salad, corn cumin dressing and spicy salsa verde
Mexico
$18.00

Tuna Nicoise- yellowfin tuna grilled w baby greens, blue lake beans, and red wine olive puree
Northern France
$19.00

Free Range Chicken- pan roasted breast with saffron sauce, crispy potato croquet
Spain
$18.50

Vegetarian Eggplant Tart- garbanzo bean puree, kalamata olive, feta cheese
Greece
$15.50

Desserts

Amaretto Cheesecake
Fresh raspberry sauce, vanilla bean ice cream

Banana Bread Pudding
House made peanut butter ice cream, peanut brittle and tempura bananas

Chocolate Mousse Brownie
Salty caramel ice cream, dark chocolate sauce

Trio of Crème Brulee
Vanilla Bean + White Chocolate Raspberry + Green Tea

Trio of Ice Creams
Taro + Vanilla Bean + Kahlua

Trio of Sorbets
Blackberry Cabernet + Yuzu + Raspberry

Mixed Berries
Blueberries + Raspberries + Blackberries

All Desserts $9.00

Wine List

Wine Varietal $ Price Per Glass $ Price Per Bottle

Veuve Cliqot NV Yellow Label Champagne ……………………… 80.00
Moet et Chandon White Star 187ml Champagne ……………………… 15.00
Moet et Chandon White Star 750ml Champagne ……………………… 60.00
Chandon Rose Napa Sparkling 12.00 45.00
Chandon Blanc Napa Sparkling 10.00 40.00

Teresa Raiz Pinot Grigio 9.00 32.00
Maso Canali Pinot Grigio 11.00 40.00

Wither Hills Sauvignon Blanc 9.00 32.00
Groth Sauvignon Blanc 11.00 40.00
Provenance Sauvignon Blanc 12.50 46.00
Matanzas Sauvignon Blanc ……………………… 50.00
Duckhorn Sauvignon Blanc ……………………… 60.00

Butterfield Chardonnay 8.00 30.00
J Chardonnay 10.00 38.00
Tandem Chardonnay 12.00 45.00
Trefethen Chardonnay 14.00 55.00
Matanzas Chardonnay ……………………… 60.00
Beringer Private Reserve Chardonnay 16.00 65.00
Nickel and Nickel Chardonnay 18.00 70.00

Saarstien Riesling 9.00 34.00
Caymus Conundrum Blend, White 13.00 48.00
Licia Albarino 10.00 38.00

Samantha Starr Pinot Noir 10.00 38.00
Wither Hills Pinot Noir ……………………… 40.00
Sean Minor Pinot Noir ……………………… 42.00
Domaine Chandon Pinot Noir 12.00 45.00
Davis Bynum Pinot Noir ……………………… 50.00
Lincourt Pinot Noir 14.50 55.00
Hahn Pinot Noir 16.00 60.00
Migration Pinot Noir ……………………… 65.00
Consilience Bien Nacido Pinot Noir 20.00 75.00
Sea Smoke Southing Pinot Noir ……………………… 100.00
Goldeneye S.V. (Gowan Creek) Pinot Noir 35.00 130.00

Butterfield Merlot 8.00 30.00
Provenance Merlot 13.00 48.00
Matanzas Merlot ……………………… 60.00
Duckhorn Merlot 18.50 70.00

Jade Mountain Syrah 9.50 33.00
Consilience Syrah 10.50 40.00
Semler Syrah ……………………… 42.00
Chateau St Cosme Syrah 12.50 46.00
Bridlewood Reserve Syrah 14.00 55.00
Austin Hope Syrah 16.50 60.00

Blackstone “Rubric” Blend, Red 13.00 48.00
Turley Juvenile Zinfandel Zinfandel 12.50 45.00

Butterfield Cabernet Savignon 8.00 30.00
Cartlidge and Brown Cabernet Savignon 10.00 38.00
Terra Noble Cabernet Savignon ……………………… 42.00
BR Cohn Cabernet Savignon 12.50 45.00
Provenance Cabernet Savignon 15.00 52.00
Roth Cabernet Savignon 17.50 60.00
Signorello Cabernet Savignon 22.00 75.00
Duckhorn Cabernet Savignon ……………………… 80.00
J. Davies Cabernet Savignon ……………………… 90.00
Caymus Special Select Cabernet Savignon 40.00 150.00

Sexto (Spanish Wine) Red, Blend 9.50 35.00
Chateau Rocher Corbin Montagne Bordeaux 17.50 65.00
Zolo Malbec 8.50 32.00
Prima Voce Super Tuscan 11.00 40.00
Laurus Super Tuscan ……………………… 60.00
Castano (Spanish Red) Red, Blend 8.50 32.00
Chateau Pavie 2005 Bordeaux ……………………… 800.00

What to Eat at Raphael, Open in Studio City