DOWNTOWN APPETITE by COLLEEN GLENDON
VOL 14 NO 7 - NOVEMBER 19TH - November 25th / DTLAWEEKLY.COM 7
DOWNTOWN APPETITE
THE FASHION BISTRO Nestled in the heart of Downtown, bakery fanatics and foodies alike will be thrilled to
find the
Fashion Bistro,
an impressive
eatery owned and run by the even more impressive
Severine Chriki
The friendly, personable, and incredibly tenacious owner Severine has made this bistro a favorite among Downtown cafes.
But it’s not just Severine’s personality that makes this cafe and bistro such a knockout. It’s the quality of food, attention to detail, and extraordinary baked goods that make the Fashion Bistro stand out. This bakery is filled with delicious homemade delights, with nearly every item baked in house. Fan-favorites include the classic chocolate chip cookie, Nutella brownies, or their signature pound cake. Lunch options are available, including homemade soup of the day, fresh salads, and breads from La Brea Bakery Bread. What’s even more impressive than the food is discovering that the talented Severine is completely self-taught. That’s right: this french baker learned how to cook and bake.
Of course, Severine says she hit a bit of a stay closed on the weekend. The passion learning curve as bakeries in France are for food had always been there and so Severine taught herself how to cook and much different from America. bake. “We don’t do pumpkin or tarts in france. But Severine’s favorite part about we don’t do tarts, we don’t do a lot of owning Fashion Bistro isn’t the food or the things like in here America.” the stable hours. Instead, it’s her customers. Seeing the same people in and out Yet even still, Severine mastered the every day, learning their names, hearlearning gap and now delivers classic American-style homemade treats that are ing about their lives, that’s what makes owning the Fashion Bistro so important to making waves in Downtown. Severine. Ironically, Severine recounts how owning a restaurant was just about the Severine waits for the day when Downtown will fill back up with busy last thing she would have imagined for herself. Growing up, she swore she would commuters and workers so she can renever step foot in the restaurant industry turn to making people happy with her food and baking. as she watched her mom, who worked in restaurants, struggle to find work-life Join the buzz and help support this lobalance. “She was a single mother and cal business. The Fashion Bistro happily she was working in the restaurant and serves from Monday through Friday from I would almost never see her,” Severine 9am to 3pm. Catering Available. says. The Fashion Bistro Then Severine moved to Los Angeles and 908 Santee Street. saw that she could operate her own busi- Los Angeles, CA 90013 ness, keep the hours of a stable 9-5 and @TheFASHIONBISTRO
