My friend or Figaro?

Me and my spicy date decided to try something new in Los Feliz.

Mes Ami on Vermont. Now you all know how I've loved Figaro for years. But we were in the mood for something new, and I heard the original owners of Figaro are the ones who opened Mes Ami recently?

How many French restaurants does one need within 1 small block? I noticed on Saturday that Figaro was crowded for late lunch, as was Mes Ami. Tonight Figaro was crowded for dinner, while Mes Ami had much more breathing room.

They were out of the Cotes du Rhone I wanted, but the wine suggested by our waiter was very enjoyable. The food was quite good, though rather slow in coming out. My date enjoyed the foie gras from the scallop entree we shared. The scallops were absolutely gorgeous. And the polenta was great. The desserts (we shared crepes with nutella & pear as well as a chocolate souffle) were really amazing.

Mes Ami seems more family style and they have a great menu enfant with all sorts of choices for the kiddies. For the grown-ups, not as many choices for non-meat eaters as Figaro. Overall, the decor was nice, but not our style. And though I had a slightly grumpy waiter the last time I dined at Figaro (honestly--the first time that EVER happened in all the times I've dined there) I missed the proper antique silverware, zinc bar, mirrors, and the overall Figaro experience. If my parents were in town, I think Mes Ami would be wonderful. Or maybe just to have wine and quiet conversation, its good. But Mes Ami--its just not as sexy as Figaro.