Long-Awaited Petit Trois Treats Sherman Oaks Diners to French Classics

“It’s a beautiful morning in the Valley! We are open for breakfast, lunch & dinner.” With that Instagram call-to-action last Thursday, Chef Ludo Lefebvre and wife Krissy welcomed diners at Petit Trois in Sherman Oaks. The opening was years in the making and is the most eagerly anticipated culinary event along the Boulevard in memory.

Ludo vaulted to national prominence as the “father” of the pop-up concept with his roving restaurant, LudoBites. He and Krissy parlayed that success into a partnership with renowned chefs Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo. In a strip mall on Highland Avenue, they run the fine dining, prix fixe restaurant Trois Mec and the first Petit Trois. They also own and operate Trois Familia, a French-Mexican brunch spot in Silver Lake. With the new Sherman Oaks location, the partners now operate four restaurants in the L.A. region.

The new Petit Trois, at the corner of Ventura and Woodman, is larger and more ambitious than the first. The Lefevres, who live in the Valley, took out the lease on the space in 2016 but got delayed while grappling with a myriad of city requirements.

When asked about his approach to breakfast, Ludo says, “Eggs, bread, ham and butter. What people like to eat.” His omelette became famous for lunch and dinner at the original Petit Trois, and he is serving three versions in Sherman Oaks, including the classic loaded with Boursin pepper cheese and a variation dressed with avocado and feta.

New dishes (that I consider “hits”) include a crisp, buttery waffle with Parisian ham and Gruyere folded into the batter. Mec muffin is a fun play on the Egg McMuffin, featuring a sunny-side-up egg, ham, molten American cheese, aioli and fried sage on crispy house-made English muffin.

Pastry chef Rachel De Jong is the muffin-maker and the person behind the restaurant’s baguettes, pastries and desserts. She previously worked at the legendary Inn at Little Washington in Virginia and helped open 5^th & Taylor in Nashville.

Her patisserie already has the distinction of being some of the best in town. In the morning you’ll find canelés, Madeleines and buttery croissants sporting flaky, shattering crusts. She makes croissants with more ham and cheese, plus a version with twin batons of Valrhona dark chocolate. The key is rich Isigny butter from Normandy, France, according to Ludo. Well, that and technique.

What about the menu that runs uninterrupted from lunch through dinner? Ludo spotlights “things I like to eat from France.” Initially Petit Trois is serving a streamlined menu, but it’s “an evolution” that will undoubtedly yield even more dishes.

Fans of signature Petit Trois dishes like the Big Mec double cheeseburger showered in sticky foie gras Bordelaise sauce, and steak frites with Cognac pepper sauce will be thrilled to know these items made the cut on the Sherman Oaks menu. Newer entries include ham chablisienne pasta with chablis white wine sauce, and chicken cordon bleu with fondue cheese. The ham in both dishes, we’re told, comes from Paris.

Each table hosts a ramekin of Dijon mustard with a submerged wood wand, if you need extra spice.

Dishes are all pretty hearty, but you may still be tempted to end with something sweet. Some standouts: apple tart for two, profiteroles, and Paris-Brest with choux pastry, hazelnut cream and hazelnut praline.

Petit Trois secured a full liquor license, which allows for original cocktails like Beauty School Dropout, a mix of Grey Goose vodka, St. Germain, Aperol and lemon. The eatery also pours spirits and curates a small beer selection and extensive wine program.

The classic brasserie houses pastel green baguettes, a marble bar and seven prized stools at the open kitchen. Copper chandeliers with three bulbs apiece hang above a black-and-white checkered floor. Mirrors line the west wall, and windows face Ventura Boulevard. On the ground before the entrance, you’ll find a snail logo that beautifully represents France. Just like Petit Trois.

13705 Ventura Blvd, Sherman Oaks, CA 91423