Bar Chelou (Pasadena, CA) [2]

Bar Chelou
37 S El Molino Ave, Pasadena, CA 91101
626-808-4976
www.barchelou.com
Fri 02/14/2025, 08:10p-10:15p





I reported on Bar Chelou back in April 2023, not long after the restaurant had opened at the Pasadena Playhouse complex. I left that meal duly impressed by Doug Rankin's neo-bistro-ish cooking, and deemed it the best place to eat in Pasadena, a sentiment shared by many. Thus, I was certainly saddened when it was announced recently that the spot would be closing, reportedly due to a combination of lease concerns, the effects of the Eaton Fire, and a general desire to exit the Los Angeles market. February 16th was the last day of service, and I was fortunate enough to score a late-breaking reservation for one.



The main dining room has remained largely the same, with the biggest change probably being the addition of that lengthy lighting element running along the walls.


Said lighting element continues into the bar section, which has seen a more drastic aesthetic revision.


However, the restaurant's lounge has witnessed an even more major update, and is now quite a neat area to hang out in.


Being a solo diner, I was seated at the bar, specifically at the right-most position.


Here we see Bar Chelou's menu, which features the same sort of Spanish-inflected, globally-influenced, French-ish cooking that the place opened up with. Also pictured is the restaurant's cocktail list and wines by the glass selection. Click for larger versions.


Carrots [$19.00] | coconut dressing, lime leaf, peanuts, shoestring potatoes
Dinner got off to a superb start with easily one of the best carrot dishes I've ever eaten. The key was how the sweetness of the root veggie was clearly conveyed, yet so perfectly complemented by bright, creamy, Thai-like flavors, with the lingering notes of peanut being particular crucial. I also loved the salt and crunch contributed by the fried taters, and overall, everything just came together beautifully.


Apple Spritz [$17.00] | french aperitif, yellow chartreuse, clarified granny smith apple, garam masala, sparkling wine
I sampled several cocktails tonight, and started off with something on the lighter end of the spectrum: a spritz variation that was certainly an apropos apéritif. The drink went in a fizzy, refreshing direction, its base of apple joined by a plethora of bitter, herbal, spicy, and grassy components that were altogether quite beguiling.


Steak Tartare [$21.00] | burnt eggplant, watercress, sansho
Given my penchant for beef tartare, I couldn't resist ordering it. The steak itself was suppler than most, with some delicate seasoning, so the zippiness of the watercress and scallion was crucial, as was the subtle smoke contributed by the eggplant. I quite liked that aggressively crunchy, assertively spiced bread as well, which served as a fitting vessel for meat consumption.


Breakfast Radish [$21.00] | fromage blanc, furikake
I'm generally quite fond of radishes, and Rankin's presentation here was undoubtedly another highlight. I loved the bittersweet sting of the taproot and how that meshed with the cheese's lactic tang before transitioning to a multifaceted spiciness courtesy of that furikake. I swear I even detected a bit of a málà-esque tingling sensation in there.


Bee's Knees [$18.00] | rose infused gin, saffron honey, lemon, bergamot
This rose-hued twist of a Prohibition-era classic wasn't shy about its bevy of astringent, citrusy notes, underpinned by a layer of savory-spice and florals. Do note that I didn't end up getting charged for this cocktail nor the negroni below. I'm not sure if that was intentional, or if the staff just made a mistake due to the place being so busy.


Pan de Cristal [$8.00]
A gratis plate of "glass bread" arrived with the radishes and served as a fitting foil thanks to its airy crumb, shattery crust, and general toastiness.


Bloomsdale Spinach [$14.00] | roasted garlic broth, brown butter
I'm a bit of a sucker for spinach, and rather enjoyed Rankin's riff on the leaf veggie. The bitter, grassy, earthy notes I was expecting were all there, and well-matched with the long-lingering garlicky nuances present. However, the crux here was the incorporation of brown butter, which proffered these, deep, nutty flavors that didn't seem like they should work, but did.


Coquette [$21.00] | botanist cask rested gin, wild thyme, pink peppercorn, yellow chartreuse
Next up was probably my favorite cocktail of the night. I got loads of thyme on the nose, but commingled with the sugary, herby qualities of that Chartreuse. On the palate, the drink was smooth, cool, dense, its savory, bittersweet disposition perked up by hints of prickly spice. Very neat.


Mushroom Tempura [$19.00] | japanese curry, sauce meunière
Mixed mushrooms were turned into tempura form, and I appreciated the variety of disparate textures represented. The curry spice in the background worked as well, but I found the meunière sauce domineering, as its piquant, brown butter-fueled flavors tended to overwhelm the comparatively delicate nature of the 'shrooms.


Squid [$22.00] | seaweed, swiss chard
Here we had a presentations of squid unlike any I've seen before. The main thrust was how the relatively mild-tasting cephalopod was amped up by the robust flavors of the seaweed, chard, and pickle-y bits, but without ever getting lost. Nice array of textures, too.


Stupid Cupid Pink Negroni [$20.00] | gin, strawberry-rhubarb aperitif, blanc vermouth
My penultimate cocktail was this fun take on the classic negroni, one that showcased the drink's expected bittersweetness, but with a noticeably fruitier character that made a bunch of sense.


Duck Leg [$36.00] | yu choy couscous, spicy labneh, macadamia dukkah
The duck was another winner thanks to its fork-tenderness and deep, gratifying flavors. The leg was delicious on its own, but really sang when juxtaposed against the lighter, brighter nature of the couscous, all while that duqqa imparted even more oomph to the dish.


I was quite full by this point, but naturally, had to save room for dessert. Click for larger versions.


Lemon-Chamomile Semifreddo [$15.00] | calamansi, sweet fritter
In my first dessert, that fritter on top was absolutely critical, providing both textural variation and some sweet-savoriness to balance out all the sharp, tart, citrusy tastes going on in that semifreddo.


Amor Eterno Old Fashioned [$23.00] | reposado tequila, mezcal, raspberry, szechuan, cacao
My final cocktail was this fetching old fashioned variation. The drink smelled tangy, smoky, and nearly tamarind-ish at times, and taking a sip, I found a boatload of smoky, spicy, cacao-like notes, with this long-lingering, vegetal, chile-like component being particularly apparent.


Caramelized Banana Bar [$15.00] | peanut butter crisp, banana custard, milk chocolate mousse
We'll end with this absolute standout of a dessert, one with a flawless marriage of peanut, banana, and chocolate that I found utterly satisfying. There was a wonderful array of textures here to boot.


Accompanying my bill was a Dum-Dums lollipop, specifically the cream soda variant.

As expected, Rankin and his team served up another great meal tonight, one that reminded me again of how bummed I'm going to be now that we don't have Bar Chelou around as a dining option. The place will be sorely missed. The Chef expects to relocate to Denver and open up a restaurant there, but he'll apparently be in LA until the August time frame, and has some events planned, so be on the lookout for that. I'm also curious as to what will take over the Playhouse Village space, and so far, there's been no word on that front.