République
Situated in the heart of La Brea is a building stripped to simple brick, tile and ironwork. Little do people know that the infamous Charlie Chaplin built this space in 1928 to house a variety of shops and offices. Over the years, this building morphed into what we know today as République. This highly reviewed French-modern twist restaurant and bakery was created by the power couple Walters and Margarita Manzke. Walter was born and raised in San Diego where his relationship with food was defined early on by the fresh produce grown in his family’s backyard. Margarita, on the other hand, was born and raised in the Philippines and grew up working in her family’s restaurant just outside of Manila. On opposite sides of the world, each paved their way in the culinary sphere through high-end education and practice in diverse restaurants. Once married, their business endeavors took off which led to many different cuisine concepts. One of them being the French-inspired République which was created in 2014.
Less than a couple minutes from Stay Wildflower’s Miracle Mile apartments is this delicious eatery. The atmosphere invites diners with its shared tables and high ceilings. You feel immediately transported to an elevated experience. Each dish has exceptional quality and meticulous technique to both comfort and startle guests. Our personal favorite is an unconventional dish— served with crispy slices of artisanal bread, parmesan nutty Normandy-based butter, and lastly (the star of the show) a bowl of pan drippings. Yes, you heard us right. The pan drippings that unite the browned bits left in sauce pots deglazed with chicken stock, combined with meat trimming, and simmer with duck, quail, and chicken carcasses. There are no words to describe the excitement until you take your first bite. Please trust us!
The Los Angeles Times sums it up best — “The Manzkes have perfected the template for the all-day modern American restaurant. The place is a perpetual
motion machine. The lines trail daily at breakfast; the lunch menu embodies an only-in-Los-Angeles pluralism; dinnertime achieves an elegant, gymnastic leap from casual daytime meals to formal service. It gratifies many palates and persuasions.”
On top of breakfast, lunch, and dinner, Angelenos travel far and wide to experience Margarita’s array of crafted pastries. From something so simple as Pain au Chocolat croissant to Raspberry Pistachio Kouign Amann, you are sure to leave wanting more. The use of seasonal ingredients to create these delicate sweets explains why a morning line wraps around the building— everyone wants to get their deserts before they sell out for the day.
From the Stay Wildflower team, try République! It exceeded our expectations and it is sure to exceed yours.