Cicada Restaurant
Description: Cicada
Copyright: www.LosAngelesRestaurants.com
Restaurant Photos
Restaurant Review
Cicada Upholds Grand Dining Tradition Downtown
Review by: Joshua Lurie
- Business Dining
- Full Bar
- Live Entertainment
- Lounge / Bar
- Meet for a Drink
- People Watching
- Personal Wines Allowed
- Private Room
- Quiet Conversation
- Romantic Dining
- Special Occasion
- Tasting Menu
- Trendy / Hip
- Valet Parking
- Wheelchair Access
- Winning Wine List
Features
Modern Angelenos are frequently fixated on the trendiest restaurants, where women wear the shortest skirts and lowest tops; the design includes plenty of smooth-coat stucco and mismatched items tacked to the walls; and the decibel level is loud enough to drown out a jet engine. Cicada is the exact opposite, a grand Art Deco restaurant in downtown’s historic core that truly befits a special occasion. Thankfully, the food doesn’t evoke a bygone era, and the restaurant delivers an L.A. rarity: a total dining experience.
Stephanie Haymes and Adelmo Zarif relocated Cicada from West Hollywood in May 1997. Haymes named the restaurant for a bug that’s considered lucky in France, appearing every 17 years to provide a feast for the animals. The cicada also happens to form the shape of a meaningful diamond broach that belonged to Haymes’s grandmother. Zarif became Cicada’s sole owner in 2002. The original Cicada touted fine French cuisine; however, under Executive Chef Suzay Cha, the restaurant has evolved into a modern northern Italian restaurant with Asian accents.
Cicada is located downtown, a short walk from Pershing Square and the Central Library in the Oviatt Building. The entrance to the restaurant is grand, with street-front screens featuring intricate metal work, including women with flowing hair riding dogs. Strange but true. Guests walk under a low ceiling into the foyer, which hosts marble flooring and a ceiling with clusters of backlit Art Deco glass triangles. The glass double doors are magnificent, designed by Rene Lalique, with Art Deco sunbursts and eagles.
The low-lit, two-story dining room is just as staggering. The grand room with the towering ceiling centers on a magnificent chandelier that dangles over a tabletop centerpiece with enough fresh flowers to single-handedly keep a florist in business. Towering mahogany support pillars from Paris are each ingrained with twin Art Deco angels. There’s a gold ceiling and drapes, plus black and gold zig-zag accents. Clusters of drop-down yellow Art Deco lanterns are shaped like inverted flower bulbs. The wood walls host a wealth of sliding, fully-stocked wine cabinets. A grand staircase leads past a landing with a colorful painting of a Jazz Age woman to a glass-lined balcony with wraparound tables that offer views of the diners below.
During the week, businesspeople and tourists frequent the restaurant. Diners regularly celebrate birthdays and anniversaries, and aspiring grooms have been known to propose. Saturdays are popular for weddings and special events. On Sunday nights in the second-story bar, Cicada Club, diners (and flappers) arrive wearing vintage clothing to dance to music from the ‘20s, ‘30s and ‘40s. They even make drinks with the notorious liqueur absinthe. During the day, Cicada is used for film and television shoots, including retro AMC show “Mad Men.”
On Thursday nights, which was when we visited, singer Max Fontaine performs in a black suit and tie, on a small stage near the staircase. With a red drape backdrop, he crooned vintage lounge songs like “That’s Amore” and “The Way You Look Tonight.”
When it came time to order, we submitted to Chef Cha, ordering the tasting menu. She started us with her summery Crab Salad. Tart pink grapefruit segments were tossed with sweet lump crab meat, thin-shaved crescents of celery, microgreens, and light shower of tangy lemon vinaigrette.
There is currently no in-house sommelier, but Chef Cha was willing to recommend wine pairings. Cicada earned a 2007 Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence, so she clearly had a serious list at her disposal. With our first course, Chef Cha paired the salad with a Sauvignon Blanc from Honig Vineyards in Sonoma, cool and clean tasting.
Chef Cha’s second selection was her signature Ahi Tuna Tartar. The minimalist plate featured a two-inch mince of silky tuna and subtly spicy piquillo peppers and a pile of chunky guacamole, jointly topped with green wasabi-infused tobiko (flying fish roe). Thin-shaved radishes and a fried wonton sheet completed the light appetizer.
The first two dishes were plucked from the regular menu, but the third course was special: three slices of luscious, crisp-skinned duck breast with a crispy fried apple segment, fried apple whisps, red wine reduction, and mâche. The duck partnered nicely with a neutral 2005 Pinot Grigio from Lagaria, Italy.
Chicken Tortellini was a colorful signature dish featuring three rectangular tortellini with thin wonton-like skins. The pasta packets were blanketed with a lighter-than-expected Mascarpone cream sauce. The plate was strewn with diced scallions, radicchio, spinach, and whole pink peppercorns for spice. The only quibble: the tortellini’s minced chicken filling could have been juicier. A bold 2006 Pinot Noir from Francis Coppola’s “Diamond Series” complemented the dish.
Chef Cha’s most traditional dish of the evening was the Pappardelle with Filet Mignon Traditional Bolognese Sauce. Inch-wide pasta sheets hosted a rich, burgundy ragu made using a generous portion of filet mignon. The dish was solid, but would have benefited from a fattier cut of beef. A topping of basil leaves lent the dish color and fragrance.
Grilled Lamb Chops were plated in a pool of red wine reduction. The tender lamb was plated with small sprig of rosemary, two roasted potatoes, and bitter fried Brussels sprout segments.
The showstopper was a special of Blue Nose Bass with a sauce of orange tobiko (flying fish roe), green masago (Icelandic smelt roe) and lentils. The flaky char-grilled fish fillet was surrounded by five crosses of al dente green beans.
Pastry Chef Jorge Flores works with Chef Cha on a menu of seemingly traditional desserts. Banana Upside Down Cake was multi-faceted. The roof of the cylindrical cake was lined with caramelized bits of banana and topped with dollop of chantilly cream. The rest of the white plate featured a scoop of rich banana ice cream and a six-inch peanut butter stick rolled in finely chopped chocolate and crumbs. The plate was strewn with peanut butter crumbs and dark chocolate crumbs. The cake itself could have been moister, but the presentation was impressive, and each part of the plate offered a new discovery.
We also ordered a Selection of Homemade Gelatos and Sorbets. A classic martini glass held scoops of sweetened milk and basil ice cream, each distinctive and fortified with plenty of egg yolks. The scoops supported a mint leaf and a dark chocolate tuile.
Before you leave the Oviatt Building, make sure to visit James Oviatt’s 13th Floor penthouse, which is an incredible Art Deco time capsule. When the building was constructed in 1927, it was the second tallest structure downtown. Now the rooftop patio offers views of taller (and tackier) buildings.
Overall, Chef Cha’s cooking was more contemporary and flavorful than was necessary given the distractingly beautiful setting. Prices were noticeably high, but Cicada isn’t just a restaurant. It’s a history lesson.
Copyright © 2010 RestaurantAgent.com
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Customer Reviews
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Charming and Eclectic
Name: Jim | Date: May.20.2010
The decor is am zing, the service quite attentive. Food is very good with serval very inventive twists on Italian cuisine. You will enjoy it.
A Terrible Experience
Name: Jean | Date: March.04.2010
I made reservations for our company’s executives and executives from a well known chain restaurant at Cicada and was terribly disappointed by the food, and especially the service. We were a table of nine people and there were two other tables of four people and we almost had to beg to get waited on. We sat down and was given our menus, and for at least 15 minutes the waiter did not come back, although a couple of us at the table waved our hands to get his attention, but he was busy chatting with the bartender. I finally went to the hostess who was also chatting on the phone and asked to get some service. She said okay, but kept on chatting on the phone! Finally, when the waiter came over he asked to take our orders, and I asked him if we could have some drinks first, and it was only then when he took our drink orders. When he did take our orders, we asked what he would suggest on the menu and named almost everything on the menu and was very flippant about his suggestions. For the prices we paid for the dinners, they were only mediocre and not well presented. The manager did not even come to our table to ask how we were doing. What an embarrassment and disappointment!
My husband's 50th was made a success
Name: Stephen | Date: March.02.2010
The restaurant is gorgeous. I planned a night out for my husband's 50th birthday and the staff made the night very special. We ordered the tasting menu and were really amazed at the artful care taken with each dish. Our waiter was very attentive and knew it was a special occasion without the two of us saying a word. He gave us a very detailed account of the history of the building and all of the beautiful art-deco architecture. It was a feast for the eyes as well as the pallet . Thank you for a great night..
Highly Overrated
Name: Mark | Date: January.12.2010
What a huge disappointment! We were a large party of 8 and the service was HORRIBLE! I finally had to find a manager to get some service. 1.5 hours from the time we walked in to get our menus, and that was only after I asked. I have had better salads at McDonald's. The lettuce in the ceasar salad appeared that it had come from the bottom of the bag and they were trying to stretch it. Cicada had one bottle of Cabernet under $100.00 and I was told they were 'out' of that one and was bumped to a $110.00 bottle. With eight people it got to be a bit much. The main course was acceptable, however not at all fantastic nor did it even come close to the glowing ratings from this website. By the time the food arrived it was hot however by then my party was tired of waiting for the food. I have had better veal chops at Carrabba's (a chain) in Houston. We were not offered any complementary drinks or dessert. This was a Wednesday night and the place was not even half full. I am not sure what the problem was but the next time I am going to spend almost $1,400 for dinner it will be somewhere else!! As my review title states this place is highly overrated!
Awesome
Name: Dan | Date: October.17.2007 This place has it all.....great food, great service and what a setting.....This has to be one of the coolest settings in Los Angeles....They really make you feel special.....Oh...awesome wine list....
Great bread & veggie food too
Name: Grace | Date: August.01.2006 I am always interested in great food and restaurants that take vegetarians just as seriously as others. Cicada has delicious Italian food for both veggies and non-veggies, and their bread basket contains a wonderfully wide selection of fresh, tasty breads that are served immediately after you're seated. Good, friendly service, too. Portion sizes not huge, but just enough.
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Restaurant Info
| Cuisine: | Italian |
|---|---|
| Neighborhood: | Central / Downtown LA |
| Cost: | 3 |
| Dress Code: | Casual Elegant. Jacket required for Cicada Club. |
| Tel: | (213)488-9488 |
| Website: | Website |
| E-mail: | |
| Open Since: | 1997 |
| Cuisine: | Italian |
| Neighborhood: | Central / Downtown LA |
| Cost: | 3 |
| Dress Code: | Casual Elegant. Jacket required for Cicada Club. |
| Tel: | (213)488-9488 |
| Website: | Website |
| E-mail: | |
| Open Since: | 1997 |
Map & Directions
Address: 617 S. Olive Street, Los Angeles, CA 90014Menus & Wine List
Business Hours
| Monday | Closed |
|---|---|
| Tuesday | Closed |
| Wednesday | Closed |
| Thursday | Closed |
| Friday |
Dinner: 5:30PM - 9:00PM |
| Saturday |
Dinner: 5:30PM - 9:00PM |
| Sunday |
Dinner: 6:30PM - 9:00PM |
Chef Profile
Executive Chef Suzay Cha
Suzay Cha’s culinary curiosity has led her to Tuscany, Beijing, and Paris. Now she’s ensconced in downtown L.A. at Cicada, in the kitchen of a palatial Art Deco restaurant that combines northern Italian fine dining with her brand of Asian accents.
Cha grew up in Tokyo, which was paradise for a young food lover. “I find Japanese people are the most sophisticated people as far as food culture is concerned,” she says. “If you go to Japan - Tokyo and other large cities - you have the best of everything…Just being there, seeing all the detail that goes into dishes, you learn a lot.”
It helped Cha’s gastro-development that her mother is a skilled cook. Cha said, “She cooks with much love for her children and her guests,” says Cha. “She’s very meticulous. When you put a little effort, it makes a big difference.” Growing up, she’d help her mother to clean lettuce and help around the kitchen, but she wouldn’t cook. Instead, she’d “try to watch how [Mom] did things.” The first dish she ever attempted to make was spaghetti, when she was 11 years old.
Cha misses her mother’s kimchi soup and garlic chive pancakes. As a result, Cha has a backyard garden at her Orange County home, where she grows fruits, vegetables, and garlic chives.
Cha was designing jewelry for a living when she took a trip to Paris that ended up changing her life. “I met a girl from America that was a chef,” says Cha. “She was doing an externship in a French restaurant.” The meeting motivated Cha to consider cooking for a living. Cha had never worked in a restaurant, but in 1997, she opened a restaurant in the Orange County town of Tustin called Mondu Suzay, specializing in Korean dumplings (mandoo) and a variety of salads. She included macriobiotic vegetarian dishes, avoided dairy and made all her flavored vinegars and sauces from scratch.
“When I did the restaurant, everybody thought I was crazy,” says Cha. “I really thought god blessed me, because there were write-ups from the LA Times, Orange County Register, Orange Coast magazine…One day I sold all my food at 7 p.m. Food writers really liked the fact that I was audacious and brave.” Another reason Cha thought her restaurant succeeded was her initial motivation. “I opened a mandoo restaurant with heart, not to make money,” says Cha. “I don’t think about doing this to make a living. I’m going to do this so I have fun, and then I have fun and work, then you make money.”
Cha sold Mondu Suzay in 1999. She never had any formal training, so she enrolled at Laguna Culinary Arts, in Laguna Beach, completing their intensive six-month professional chef program.
Culinary students typically complete externships in restaurants as part of their final training. Cha knew a chef at La Locanda del Templare in Tuscany and arranged to work for him. “I consider myself adventuresome,” she says. “I contact restaurants and they say okay. I was in [Beijing] recently and did the same thing.”
Cha prefers traveling abroad to learn about food. “When you go to any country, any place, you meet people, breathe their air, eat what they eat,” she says. “If you dive into that environment, you learn something.”
Near the conclusion of culinary school, a former customer from Mondu Suzay was friends with the owner of Cicada, and recommended her for the Executive Chef position. Cha got the job, then finished culinary school and worked in Tuscany before returning to Southern California to work at Cicada full-time.
Cha considers cooking just as artistic as jewelry making, saying, “Cooking is complete artwork. If you do it beautifully, it’s visual art, you can taste it and you can bite into it, you can hear it too. It satisfies your five senses.”
Cha cites Julia Child and Alice Waters as inspiration. “[Child] started at such a late age, and the mark she made was tremendous,” says Cha, proving, “If you like something, it’s never too late to do something you like to do…Nothing’s forever, so you should be brave to try something that you really like to do. If you fail, it’s okay, because 100 years from now, no one’s going to remember.” Cha respects Waters because, “She’s very passionate.”
She also admires skilled home chefs. “Sometimes the greatest chefs are hidden in their home kitchen. Nobody knows, but they can give you the best tips…I’ve had great experiences with people who invited me to their home. It could be something very simple, pot roast. Even just a fruit salad. It’s how you cut it. It’s your effort that makes all the difference.”
Away from Cicada, Cha appreciates simple dishes. “If you make a tuna sandwich for me, I love it… People are very busy, so they don’t have a lot of time to cook, but if you have a little candlelight, and nice music, that becomes something special.”
At Cicada, Cha changes the menu twice a year, drawing from California’s bounty. “You can have anything,” says Cha. “That’s a major advantage of being in California.” This summer, Cha is excited about her crab salad with grapefruit and lemon vinaigrette. “It has a hint of celery for crunch. It has so much of a summer feel.”
Cha will soon begin contemplating her fall options. Considering she is such a student of world cuisines, there’s no telling what the next menu has in store.
Signature Recipes
Recipe Name
| Course: | Dessert |
|---|---|
| Cuisine: | French |
| Main Ingredient: | Chocolate |
| Cooking Method: | Dessert |
| Occasion: | Any occasion |
| About: | This is a traditional French style Mousse au Chocolat |
| Serves | 2-5 |
Part 1. Chocolate Mousse
Ingredients
6 oz. semisweet cooking chocolate
1/3 cup milk
4 oz. (about 1/2 cup) finely granulated sugar
2 egg whites
1/2 cup heavy cream
Directions
Place chocolate in to top of a double boiler. Add the milk and heat slowly until chocolate is melted. The mixture should be fairly thick. Stir in sugar and let the mixture cool.
Beat two eggs whites until stiff and fold into the cooled chocolate mixture. Whip the heavy cream, fold into the mousse, and serve at once. Add more whipped cream if you desire a lighter consistency.
Note:
Recipe can be served with seasonal fruits, poached pears, berries and so on. Add a splash of dark rum or Kahlua if desired.
Part 2. Rasberry Syrup
Ingredients
6 oz. semisweet cooking chocolate
1/3 cup milk
4 oz. (about 1/2 cup) finely granulated sugar
2 egg whites
1/2 cup heavy cream
Directions
Place chocolate in to top of a double boiler. Add the milk and heat slowly until chocolate is melted. The mixture should be fairly thick. Stir in sugar and let the mixture cool.
Beat two eggs whites until stiff and fold into the cooled chocolate mixture. Whip the heavy cream, fold into the mousse, and serve at once. Add more whipped cream if you desire a lighter consistency.
Note:
Recipe can be served with seasonal fruits, poached pears, berries and so on. Add a splash of dark rum or Kahlua if desired.
Tip
Recipe can be served with seasonal fruits, poached pears, berries and so on. Add a splash of dark rum or Kahlua if desired.
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Cooks,Dishwashers
| Job Type: | Part-Time |
|---|---|
| Industry: | Restaurant - Food Service |
| Restaurant: | Red Pearl Kitchen |
| Salary Range: | based unpon experience |
| Job Description: | Our level of service requires knowledge of inventory, cost control, and sanitation procedures. Our employees must be excellent communicators that can contribute to a dynamic kitchen team. We are always looking for exceptional, energetic people who understand customer service and have a passion for providing the perfect guest experience. We continually strive to employ professional individuals who have fun while realizing organizational and personal goals. Our mission as an employer is to be a proficient and growth oriented organization while maintaining our ability to be flexible and adaptive to the needs and desires of our guests and our employees. |
Managers, Chefs
| Job Type: | Full-Time |
|---|---|
| Industry: | Restaurant - Food Service |
| Restaurant: | Red Pearl Kitchen |
| Salary Range: | open-based upon experience |
| Job Description: | Our level of service requires all our management to be hands-on, they must have an extensive knowledge of inventory, cost control, and sanitation procedures. They must be excellent communicators that can contribute to a dynamic team. PROFESSIONALS ONLY We are always looking for exceptional, energetic people who understand customer service and have a passion for providing the perfect guest experience. We continually strive to employ professional individuals who have fun while realizing organizational and personal goals. Our mission as an employer is to be a proficient and growth oriented organization while maintaining our ability to be flexible and adaptive to the needs and desires of our guests and our employees. It is our goal to employ culinary creatives and restaurant professionals who will thrive in our exciting and dynamic establishment who are bright, talented, and understand how to deal with the public and enjoy doing it. |
Servers, Bartenders, Bussers
| Job Type: | Part-Time |
|---|---|
| Industry: | Restaurant - Food Service |
| Restaurant: | Red Pearl Kitchen |
| Salary Range: | minimum wage plus tips |
| Job Description: | We are always looking for exceptional, energetic people who understand customer service and have a passion for providing the perfect guest experience. We continually strive to employ professional individuals who have fun while realizing organizational and personal goals. Our mission as an employer is to be a proficient and growth oriented organizationtrol, and sanitation procedures. They must be excellent communicators that can contribute to a dynamic team. It is our goal to employ culinary creatives and restaurant professionals who will thrive in our exciting and dynamic establishment who are bright, talented, and understand how to deal with the public and enjoy doing it. Our employees are guest-focused individuals who believe in putting the comfort and happiness of guests first and doing whatever it takes to deliver fine food and drink, artful service, and remarkable hospitality. Second best will not do. Professionalism is key. |
Line Cook
| Job Type: | Full-Time |
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| Industry: | Restaurant - Food Service |
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| Salary Range: | DOE |
| Job Description: | Kemo Sabe is seeking a bilingual line cook. Must have 2 years experience. If you are quick, organized and have what it takes to impress our guests, please e-mail your resume to kemosabe@cohrestuarants.com. |
experienced line cook
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| Industry: | Restaurant - Food Service |
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| Salary Range: | $9.50 |
| Job Description: | oyster bar/line cook |
experienced night server
| Job Type: | Part-Time |
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| Industry: | Restaurant - Food Service |
| Restaurant: | Crab Catcher |
| Salary Range: | minimum wage, plus tips |
| Job Description: |
Bussers
| Job Type: | Part-Time |
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| Industry: | Restaurant - Food Service |
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| Salary Range: | base + tips |
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| Industry: | Restaurant - Food Service |
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| Salary Range: | TBD on experience |
| Job Description: | Sous Chef with Italian cooking experience, line cook with same, must be able to work days or evenings, must be able to work with others, and be dependable. |
Hostess
| Job Type: | Part-Time |
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| Industry: | Restaurant - Food Service |
| Restaurant: | Osetra - The Fish House |
| Salary Range: | $7.50 + Tips |
| Job Description: | Osetra the Fish House is looking for evening shift hostess. Please email your resume to jobs@osetrafishhouse.com. No phone calls please! |
Waiter
| Job Type: | Part-Time |
|---|---|
| Industry: | Restaurant - Food Service |
| Restaurant: | Osetra - The Fish House |
| Salary Range: | $7.50 + Tips |
| Job Description: | Osetra the Fishouse is looking for an experienced waiters. At least two years of fine dining experience is required. Please email your resume to jobs@osetrafishhouse.com. Please no phone calls! |
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