NOIR - Saturday, May 21, 2011


WHAT: l’ange renégat presents NOIR
WHEN: Saturday, May 21, 2011
WHERE: TBD (Los Angeles Area)

“The questions of what defines film noir and what sort of category it is provoke continuing debate."We'd be oversimplifying things in calling film noir oneiric, strange, erotic, ambivalent, and cruel"...not every film noir embodies all five attributes in equal measure—one might be more dreamlike; another, particularly brutal...[I]n the more than five decades...there have been innumerable further attempts at definition, yet in the words of cinema historian Mark Bould, film noir remains an "elusive phenomenon ... always just out of reach".”

- Raymond Borde and Etienne Chaumeton, Panorama du film noir américain


Despite the superficial stereotype, Hollywood may be the quintessential litmus test when determining what withstands the test of time.  Whether it be movies, the characters that inhabit them, or the stars that portray them, the machine that powers our city is a tough - and fickle - judge and jury.  For better or worse, the dynamic is always shifting in Tinseltown, and the same can be said about its culinary landscape.  Gastropubs and fine-dining establishments seem to appear - and vanish - within mere months, trends come and go, and palates ride the wind of change.  It seems the old adage rings true: ‘only the strong survive’.  But that’s the beauty of the gastronomy in our city.  The endgame for all of these kitchen experiments - the push, the pull, the ups, the downs - is to become one of the precious few to join the strong and remain a pillar of a foundation that’s always shaking.

Sadly, even some of Hollywood’s culinary giants have fallen victim to the hand of time and the sting of relevancy.  Chasen’s - a regular hangout for entertainment icons and a Hollywood landmark since 1936 - closed its doors in 1995 despite having served, for years, faithful customers such as Marilyn Monroe, Shirley Temple, Cary Grant, Clark Gable, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, Bob Hope, James Stewart, and Ronald Reagan, to name but a few.  It is even said that Liz Taylor possessed such a deep affection for the chili at Chasen’s that she actually had it flown to the set of Cleopatra while she was filming in Rome.  You’ll hear similar stories about other historic Tinseltown eateries, including The Brown Derby and Nickodell’s Restaurant.

So what’s this history lesson all about?  Simply put, it’s about slowing down.  It’s about taking a moment to appreciate what these martyrs of gastronomy did right, what they did wrong, and what we can render from their historic rise and fall as we continue to shape the art and science of eating in the dynamic landscape that is Hollywood.

Thus, we’ve designed a special meal in homage of these golden-era predecessors, but with an eye looking forward:  l’ange renégat is proud to present NOIR, a fusion of old recipes and new techniques that produce culinary qualities that rival the oneiric characteristics of the film genre that provides for its namesake.  To do this, we’ve collected a variety of menus from historic Hollywood establishments, such as Chasen’s, the Brown Derby, Nickodell’s, and La Trocadero Cafe, among others, and borrowed a dish or two from each relic of the past as a basis for each course served at NOIR, resulting in such original creations as Escargot de Bourgogne Ravioli on Crispling Juniper Pork Belly and Vietnamese Iced-Coffee Ice Cream.

Cocktail hour begins at 5pm.  Dinner will be served at 7pm.  Attire is “film noir” - we’ll let you decide what that means!  Location to be determined.

Liquor is provided as an entrance and exit to the meal, but guests are always encouraged to bring their favorite bottle(s) of wine or other drink of choice (alcoholic or otherwise).


How It Works:

Those individuals interested in attending are encouraged to email marksayre@gmail.com to request admission (l'ange renégat can accommodate a guest plus one (1), if desired).

Within three (3) days of the event posting, those selected to visit NOIR will receive a reply email from l'ange renégat inviting them to RSVP. After receiving the RSVP email, guests must confirm within two (2) days to hold their seat(s) or alternate guests will be selected.

Please be advised that selection is made at l'ange renégat's sole discretion and we attempt to be fair on a seating basis (that means we evaluate a variety of factors to determine seating).  If we’ve neglected to seat you, please be assured that we’ll do our best to accommodate you in the future (our growing popularity makes it difficult to please everyone so patience is appreciated).