Just a few months after opening this summer in Beverly Hills, French-Mediterranean restaurant Azur has scored a world-class chef to run the kitchen, and he has some ambitious plans for the lively bohemian beachy-style restaurant.
“First I want it to be a good restaurant that makes customers happy and they come back and maybe in the future one of the best restaurant in Beverly Hills, and in the future one of the best restaurants in L.A. and then one of the best restaurants in America,” said French-born Cyril Lenoir, Azur’s new executive chef.
While it’s a lofty statement, Lenoir does come to the French-Mediterranean restaurant with a prestigious resume that includes stints at places such as London’s Sketch, some time as sous chef at Los Angeles’ now closed Michelin-starred Ortolan, the renowned three-Michelin-starred Le Bristol in Paris and he served as executive chef at the famed Les Ombres, at the Musée du Quai Branly in Paris.
One of Chef Cyril’s most pivotal career points was opening Zabad in Lebanon, where he specialized in contemporary Lebanese cuisine and he’s already making his mark at Azur after starting with the October debut of a new menu that upgrades the French-Mediterranean cuisine.
“My target is to make good food and that’s it,” he said.
New on the menu under the leadership of Chef Lenoir are dishes such as escargots with fresh tomato, garlic butter, a touch of almond powder and topped with a bread crouton. His version emphasizes the importance of the butter mix.
“My technique is to add almond powder because normally if you put the butter in the heat in the oven it’s going to be totally separate,” he said in a French accent.
It’s a dish that’s meant to be slowly savored rather then devoured.
“When you’re a customer you have to eat bite per bite. So you take a small spoon and you go deep into the escargot, the butter and the bread. You have the flavor of tomato reminding you of the South of France then the classic butter escargot,” Lenoir said.
Also new is the Fleurs de Courgettes Farcies et Croustillantes, made of crispy zucchini blossoms stuffed with goat cheese and fried tempura-style.
“It’s very light and crispy on top, then you add the dough, the goat cheese and everything is going to melt in your mouth,” he said.
More traditional new plates include the Petits Farcis Méditerranéens, a Niçoise dish made of vegetables filled with a savory blend of braised beef and chicken legs confit. Diners can also expect an expanded lunch menu made up of two- and three-course prix fixe meals and à la carte options including salade niçoise, a traditional salad made of tomatoes, hard-boiled eggs, olives and anchovies or tuna with olive oil, or the moules marinières, made up of mussels steamed in a white wine and garlic broth served with toasted garlic bread plus the soupe au pistou, a fragrant vegetable soup with fresh basil and garlic herb oil.
Azur is at 453 N. Canon Drive, Beverly Hills. For reservations go to azurbeverlyhills.com.