Perle Restaurant

On our lists of the best romantic restaurants, cozy restaurants and special-occasion restaurants in Los Angeles.

Dean Yasharian spent ten years as a sous chef under Daniel Boulud in New York before opening this French restaurant on East Union Street, named for his daughter. He did much of the renovation himself, and his wife and co-owner, Pauline, throws the soup bowls and teacups on a potter's wheel. The menu sticks to classics like French onion soup, escargot, coq au vin and steak frites, and most have a vegetarian double, down to a mushroom "escargot". The hand-carved mahogany bar takes walk-ins and serves the full dinner menu.