Bites Nearby: Bouchon Beverly Hills

Want a delicious meal while helping Beverly Hills public schools in the process? For the month of June, Bouchon Beverly Hills is donating a portion of its sales to the . Bouchon, located on North Canon Drive next to the , is donating 50 percent of all dinner proceeds and 10 percent of lunch and brunch proceeds for patrons who make a reservation and give the code “Meals for Millions.”

Bouchon Beverly Hills: The food at Bouchon Beverly Hills is as good as the outstanding reputation of its acclaimed chef, Thomas Keller. The French restaurant offers several “hors-d’oeuvres,” from a daily soup du jour selection for $9 to cod beignets with tomato confit and fried sage for $14.50. The varied salads include a green asparagus with herb blossoms and a poached egg for $14.

Main dishes range from a simple “croque madame,” a toasted ham and cheese sandwich on brioche with a fried egg and moray sauce for $17.50, to roasted leg of lamb with spring vegetables for $33.50. My dining partner had a simple salmon salad with a generous piece of moist salmon over mixed greens for $26.

I ordered the three-course “L’Express” set lunch, which the restaurant recently began promoting for the bargain price of $28. My set began with sweet corn soup with truffle crème fraiche, a velvety-smooth, rich corn chowder with a sweet tinge.

My main course was that day’s “plat du jour” of shrimp Provencal with fennel confit, nicoise olives, young artichokes, cherry tomatoes and grilled mushrooms. The wide range of accompanying vegetables gave each bite of the grilled shrimp a slightly different taste. The dish was satisfying without being overly filling.

The desert that day was black cherry sorbet, a perfect scoop that was not too sweet. On other days, the sherbet may be pineapple, passion fruit or mango.

Diners who chose the similar “Beverly Hills Unified School District” set lunch pay $40, but they also receive the added benefits of a personal tour of Chef Keller’s kitchen, a Bouchon Bakery gift, a $5 lunch or $10 dinner gift certificate and an invitation to one of the upcoming grand opening celebrations for Bouchon Bakery, coming later this summer.

Bouchon also offers brunch on both Saturdays and Sundays, with a rotating menu based on fresh items from the local farmer’s market. Father’s Day brunch will be offered this Sunday from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., as well as the “Meals for Millions” brunch menu.

Bouchon Beverly Hills is located  at 235 N. Canon Drive. For reservations call 310-271-9109. Hours are 10 a.m. to 10 p.m daily. Free parking is available at the city lot at 241 N. Canon Drive. Valet is also available.

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