Fraiche is good. My first visit was their first week of lunch service. Now I’ve pretty much eaten everything I’m ever gonna eat on their lunch menu, several times over. And some things on their dinner menu. They’ve changed up the lunch menu a little bit, but I think it’s time for more changes. They’ve made no changes to the desserts on the lunch menu, and that really needs some change up, because now I’m just bored. How many times can I eat that delicious chocolate pots de creme?

I did have the privilege and honor of experiencing Albert Trummer’s absinthe. His own secret brew, and the whole wine glass fire show. Incredible, amazing, wonderful, and delicious. It was really something. Oh Albert Trummer, I miss you.

They’re going to change up the evening specialty cocktails in the next week or so. We’ll see how that goes.

This is a positive update on a restaurant which seems to get better reviews from professional writers than fellow yelpers.
I could not finish my first review because of the word limitation so I could not comment on service. Having been back 2-3 times since the earlier review, I can say service has had its problems. Erratic and spasmodic would be two descriptors of Fraiche’s serving staff during earlier visits.
However, tonight, as well as my last visit, the server and his assistants performed at a level consistent with the cuisine. Helpful comments about the regular menu and special dishes resulted in an additional appetizer being ordered(the excellent farro salad with blood oranges and mint). The server and sommelier provided good descriptions of the two wines we were interested in(priced attractively, BTW). Most importantly, the server controlled the flow of our 12 orders so that our dinner was not only delicious but relaxing and without timing errors.
A quick mention of the cuisine. The salumi plate is very good, comparing favorably with many Italian or Cal-Ital restaurants charging quite a bit more for the same quantity and quality. Our favorite entrees included the rabbit and monkfish, each properly prepared, seasoned to the edge of perfection AND served at the correct temperature, a problem on some evenings when Fraiche was slammed.
I still think the serving staff is short one professional. I realize the addition of another server is expensive, but the pace of servers and busboys moving around the dining room would be a little less frantic. After all, the beautiful space is spread out to include the dining room, patio and bar with quite a few tight spots and lots of diners and staff moving about.

For all these reasons, Fraiche continues to be an excellent restaurant with interesting, quality and consistent cuisine, served professionally and priced fairly.

First time diner at this quasi hip restaurant in busy Culver City. Have patience when trying to find a parking spot as the public lots fill up early.

A wait of about forty-five minutes was necessary for a table on the patio at 9:15 on a Friday night.

Great bar menu and appetizers at the first-come first-serve area to the left of the outdoor area just in front of the bar. Service is good. Servers are attentive and professional.

Some offerings are less price worthy then others. Portion control is poor when looked at in relation to value.

Taste of food items is very good.

Favorite of the night was the pumpkin soup which was a rendition of pumpkin pie in a bowl. Flavors were true and developed. Puffy white marshmallow in the soup for garnish and flavor was perfect. The soup could have been hotter but it was good.

Worst item ordered was the lamb spezzetini (or something like that) – just a bowl of braised lamb with four small gnocchi.

I had an issue with an overpriced beef tartare appetizer for say $13 where we only received two toastpoints with very good beef tartare but you could order for $16 a hug cheese fondue which would feed four. Some pricing issues need to be looked at in terms of value and when it comes to the main courses…some dishes come with accompaniments (like the really great chicken dish with spaetzle) and others (like the lamb) are just a main course where sides should be ordered separately but aren’t available.

OVERALL – really a place to check out. very fresh, high quality ingredients and superior skills from the cooks.

Dinner for four with a few drinks was $215 (3 glasses of wine and one cocktail $49 or so was beverages – $166 was food, tax and tip.)

i LOVE fraiche!!! reservations are hard to come by unless you go around 830/9 at night but the service is great and the food is, well, fresh! The monkfish is so creamy and light; its a must when you go.

The best restaurant hands down! The bar was packed but the drinks came as fast as they were ordered and made with expertise. For the food, they had me at Fruits De Mer and of course the main dish I ordered which was the Kurobuta Pork Chop was awesome too. Anyone looking for good food and a great time should check this restaurant out.