Crispy-skinned salmon sits on top of zucchini and basil risotto with baby squash, over dried tomatoes and fresh Parmesan. (photo by Jill Weinlein)

Little Next Door is an alluring, European bistro located amongst the trendy shops of Third Street. The décor of Little Next Door marks the confluence of a classic French Brasserie and an al fresco Mediterranean Kasbah. They say we eat with our eyes first, and the ambiance of Little Next Door definitely entices diners to embark on a leisurely meal.

When I dined at Little Next Door, I took notice as a tall gentleman walked into the patio area with sunglasses and a chic scarf tied around his neck. This very handsome French man happened to be Nicolas Meschin, one of the owners of The Little Door and Little Next Door. He sat next to me throughout my dinner and shared some interesting facts about the rise of the restaurants.

Growing up in France near Cognac, Meschin fondly remembers his mother cooking in the house every day. “The kitchen was the center and soul of my house,” he said. “Today there isn’t as much communion in many kitchens with both parents working and busy schedules.”

In his 20’s Meschin followed his brother Frederic to Los Angeles and worked along 3rd Street. When the brothers found the perfect space, they opened The Little Door, a romantic, candle-lit wine bar serving authentic French-Mediterranean cuisine.

In 2006, with the success of The Little Door bar and restaurant, they opened Little Next Door (literally next door) offering lighter, Parisian-influenced and Mediterranean fare that includes salads, sandwiches, freshly baked organic breads, pastries, egg dishes and a variety of delicious house-made jams and preserves.

Lemon tarts, macarons, croissants and other French pastries are deliciously tempting treats to finish your lunch or dinner at Little Next Door. (photo by Jill Weinlein)

While chatting with Meschin, I learned he recently opened another The Little Door in Santa Monica and he is working to open a Santa Barbara location. Kevin Luzande, the new chef at Little Next Door, recently took over the kitchen after leaving Acabar in Los Angeles. He has worked in the kitchens of the Ritz Carlton in Marina Del Rey, and at Rivera and Playa.

I recommend starting with the “Country Crouton,”  a thick crusty French bread crostini frosted with whipped brie and mascarpone cheese and topped with slightly sweet glazed apples, micro greens, and candied walnuts. This decadent bite pairs nicely with a glass of champagne.

Chef Luzande explores a wide range of cuisine, notably with his tuna tartare prepared with Japanese-Latin flair. Luzande’s flavorful rendition of the dish includes red pepper paste, avocado, scallions, shoyu and blue corn strips – a crunchy vehicle for the finely chopped tartare.

The refreshing beet salad offers a variety of colorful chopped beets with a pistachio granola, creamy goat cheese and arugula. Luzande also creates spicy large prawns bathed in heat with harissa and Aleppo peppers then cooled with labneh and pistachios.

The wine stewards of the evening – Francois and Didier – poured glasses of French Rosé and a slightly sweet white François Lurton Les Fumées Blanches. Both paired nicely with the spiciness of the tuna tartare and prawns, offering scents of citrus fruits with tropical notes and a hint of smoke.

For our next course, we tried the delicious cauliflower duo. The roasted and caramelized cauliflower sat on a bed of luscious cauliflower puree. It was a satisfying vegetarian dish, as was the corn pudding summer ravioli served with chanterelle mushrooms and chive blossoms. Luzande slowly reduces fresh sweet corn to a creamy custard. He fills pillowy ravioli pasta with the corn and then lightly drizzles it with rich butter nage. It just melted in my mouth.

Next, we tried the inventive and delectable salmon risotto made with a zucchini and basil puree. This dish includes a generous piece of perfectly cooked salmon with baby squash, oven dried tomatoes and fresh Parmesan. Francois recommended a white Chateau Goudichaud Graves De Vayres from Bordeaux to accompany this dish.

Sterling Silver top sirloin is served with a green peppercorn reduction and was paired with a glass of Ramon Bilbao Tempranillo from Crianza. The cherry-red color wine offered an intense aroma of ripe red berries, bay leaf, mineral touches and some cocoa.

Known for their abundance of French pastries, macarons, cakes, tarts and pies, I was very pleased when a beautiful whole cherry clafoutis arrived at our table. The parade of lovely desserts continued with a plate of lemon tarts topped with pristine white meringue with softly toasted peaks, and warm chocolate, coconut and pistachio macarons. Many pastry shops serve macarons cold, making them hard to the bite, however these macarons were warm and heavenly.

The pièce de résistance was the small chocolate and caramel pot de crème with a sprinkling of sea salt and fig slices on top. The desserts satisfied everyone’s sweet tooth and marked a charming end to a delightful meal.

Lunch is served at 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dinner is nightly from 6 to 11 p.m. They also have Happy Nights Monday through Friday from 4 to 7 p.m. Brunch is served on Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. $$ 8142 W. 3rd St. (323)951-1010.