Across from Bottega Louie on the corner of Grand Ave. and 7th Street is a new Mediterranean inspired restaurant, Le Grand. Chef/brother duo Alex and Chris Manos focus their brunch and dinner menus on local, coastal California cuisine with French and Greek twists.

The buttermilk pancakes at Le Grand are exquisite during Sunday brunch service. (photo by Jill Weinlein)

The brothers were inspired to go to culinary school by their father, who “had a mid-life crisis and wanted to become a pastry chef,” said Executive Chef Alex Manos.

Alex has spent time at Providence and Melisse, while Chris has worked at Michelin-starred Hytra and Spondi in Athens, Greece.

The decor inside the dining room is reminiscent of an elegant club-style restaurant. The booths are gold, mirrors line the wall, and green plants and ferns drape over a lengthy bar. Dramatic light fixtures and glossy gray floors offer a modern touch. There is even an outdoor, pet-friendly patio that allows guests and their furry friends to watch others pass by.

My family and I met the handsome chefs during their first Sunday brunch service. We started with a plate of pastries that included a beignet ball served with warm salted-caramel sauce and a beautiful, flower-shaped brioche filled with Nutella, fresh raspberries and a dusting of powdered sugar. The chefs also featured an American-style lemon “pop-tart” with a rectangular shape, light pastry crust, berry jam filling and poppy seed and powdered sugar topping. While the flavor was excellent, the tart was thin and fragile, which made it a little too messy to eat without a fork and knife and interrupted the “pop-tart” aesthetic.

The buttermilk pancakes were sublime and different than any other round breakfast cake I have tasted in Los Angeles.

With Noble bourbon-aged maple syrup, the stack offered a unique oak flavor profile. Even with a forkful of lemon zest creme fraiche on top, the golden pancakes didn’t absorb the sweet amber syrup like a sponge, nor become thin and soggy. Instead, they stayed puffy. Chef de Cuisine Chris Manos explained that “It’s all in the technique. We make the buttermilk pancakes as one would make a soufflé.” The pancakes were served with a sprinkling of delicious homemade granola, a scoop of red berry gelato and fresh blackberries.

Other winning dishes included the Dungeness crab Benedict with a poached egg, Béarnaise, and jicama slaw layered on a soft and slightly sweet brioche bun.

Another entree was the smoked salmon tartine, enhanced with a creamy white ricotta spread on top of toasted turmeric bread. The lacy fennel fronds offered a delicate anise flavor. They were so tender that the fennel practically melted in my mouth. The pretty, thinly sliced cucumber ribbons wrapped in a circular design were a creative, artistic touch.

During brunch there were two impressive sandwiches. The first was Wagyu burger with caramelized onions and romaine lettuce, topped with creamy, sweet and buttery brebirousse d’Argental sheep’s milk cheese. The second was made with an eye-catching charcoal black brioche bun, filled with soft shell crab and served with a black garlic aioli spread, sliced cherry tomatoes and crunchy jicama.

For salads, the burrata with sliced summer yellow peaches was a winner. I hoped the pistachio crackers would be crisper, but the arugula leaves sprinkled with a pleasing 30-year-old aged Balsamic vinegar was sensational.

Healthier fare includes a large egg white omelet with cubes of tofu, kale, sliced tomatoes, scallions and shiitake mushrooms, served with a bowl of summer berries.

For dinner, the chefs make their own traditional dinnertime Greek dishes, including shrimp saganaki straight from the skillet and served with house made pita.

I will be back to see if their dinner fare is as spectacular as the brunch dishes we enjoyed. Maybe on Father’s Day, as the brothers are offering specials on their Sunday brunch and dinner menu, plus every dad will receive a complimentary IPA on June 16.

$$$ 707 S. Grand Ave., (323)303-2535.