NEW BISTRO, OLD TOWN

BY CAROLE DIXON

Just across the Spanish Colonial Revival courtyard of the Pasadena Playhouse, chef-owner Douglas Rankin—last seen at wildly popular Bar Restaurant in Silver Lake— and his team are back in action in with Bar Chelou.

In tandem with Whole Cluster Hospitality, which also owns Dunsmoor in Glassell Park, the former spot of Basque restaurant Saso has been swathed in neutral linen fabric with copper-top cafe tables and a room-length, custom chandelier of mouth-blown amber glass.

Rankin, who also worked with Ludo Lefebvre at Petit Trois, Trois Mec, and Saam by José Andrés, is bringing a brandnew concept to diners based on the bistronomie movement in Paris. Chelou is French slang for unexpected or pushing boundaries, and that is exactly what you will find on the menu with morcilla (blood sausage) “cigars” and crispy potatoes with a salty sea-inflected depth of aonori and aioli.

The neo bistro is the antithesis of old-school French restaurants with stuffy execution, a long tasting menu, and an expensive bill. This movement brings the same quality of food but in a more casual setting with interesting twists on classic dishes and small plates at affordable prices. “A neo bistro is a relaxed setting without a huge buy-in,” Rankin says. “And not being afraid to break the rules and use ingredients from other countries. It is the classicism of French cuisine but made with their own lens and expression.”

To that end, you can order unique veggie plates such as cauliflower with Sichuan au poivre or carrots in coconut dressing topped with shoestring potatoes. Larger plates include the Iberico pork chop or rainbow trout with corn rice.

The thought process from the team was that, even with a downturn in the economy, people still want an experience with good food. You can pop into the bar several nights a week to order a selection of food-friendly aperitifs and classic cocktails, along with small bites, and not incur a large bill. The wine list will feature a constantly rotating mix of small-production wines, with a selection of about 40 listed daily.

Rankin was most excited about treading a new path for this type of restaurant in Pasadena, surprised by the diversity of diners, and grateful for the historic location.

“A lot of people moved out here during the pandemic and to neighboring areas farther east like Altadena, and they don’t want to dive 30 minutes for a restaurant like this,” he says. “Nothing else like this existed here, and it was a big deal for us, especially in a place that was so well known for so long.” barchelou.com