John Cizmas
A Franco-Belgian neighborhood brewpub? That’s so L.A. (Seriously!)
Maybe it’s the low calorie count, or maybe it’s the small portions, but California cuisine isn’t the most beer-friendly. A kale salad just doesn’t beg for a smooth porter the way fish ‘n’ chips does. And that’s why, amid all of SoCal’s cafés and “grilles,” Ladyface Ale Companie shines: It’s got all the French technique Californians love, plus carbs.
The brasserie launched in the suburb of Agoura Hills, the product of homebrewing pals Cyrena Nouzille and brewmaster David Griffiths (a BJ’s Brewhouse alum) who shared an affinity for Belgian beers. Belgian-style ales comprise the core of Ladyface’s taps; a sessionable blonde’s the most approachable, and for Belgophiles, there’s Trois Filles tripel and Dérailleur bière de garde (a usually seasonal style Ladyface now brewed year-round), plus a slew of one-offs. Over the years, the faucets have expanded to include more inventive offerings like an oak-aged coffee porter, a farmhouse wheat ale brewed with tart aciduated barley, and the best-selling Ladyface IPA, not to mention brews casked with chamomile, juniper berries and Twizzlers. Griffiths calls the lineup “West Coast progressive”: It pays homage to Belgium’s artisan brewing tradition, but works in American styles and indigenous ingredients—think local sage honey in the summer saison.
John Cizmas
Chef Adrian Gioia’s French-based, farm-minded and seasonally inspired small plates take advantage of the beer: The best-selling French onion soup is built on a base of wort from the brewery, drawn straight from the tanks; house ales also find their way into mussel broth, vinaigrettes and batters. “We wanted to highlight things that are simple, hearty and peasantlike; things people eat every day, but done with a little more panache,” says Nouzille. That translates to French classics like salade Niçoise and a croque monsieur—with locally sourced ingredients—on the permanent menu, and cheeky specials like the Sloppy Jacques (a thick, spicy beef Bolognese with crispy onions and pickled jalapeño on brioche).
“People think of French food as stuffy and high-end, but it’s not,” says Nouzille. Neither, apparently, is every restaurant in L.A.
LADYFACE AT HOME: Straight from the brasserie, these hearty, peasant-style dishes are easy to make at home, and they’re anything but bourgeois.
