THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Joe's

THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Joe's Restaurant Review:

Chef-owner Joe Miller is not your average Joe --- he doesn't tend to grab the spotlight like some of his celebrity chef peers, but he has clearly established himself as one of L.A.'s top toques. His quiet approach, insistence on high quality ingredients and innovation with a classical foundation has made him a local favorite. Red tones and modern paintings adorning the walls offer a laid-back yet casually elegant ambience. Miller excels with seafood, so it is sometimes difficult to choose between his meat preparations and the products from the sea. Appetizers might include char-grilled octopus with smoked chili and tomato vinaigrette served with fennel, radish and celery salad. Entrées range from New Zealand red snapper filet with potato scales, wild rice, salsify, spinach and red wine sauce to pork tenderloin crepinette with wild mushrooms, roasted garlic and potato purée, and roasted garlic jus. For dessert, there’s the chocolate crunch cake and house-made ice cream and sorbet. Prices have always been extremely reasonable --- four-course prix-fixe dinners ($52) are particular values --- for a restaurant of this caliber. The very nice wine list offers more than 300 choices. The busy brunch is also a good way to discover the restaurant. Miller was a pioneer in Venice and although the vibrant restaurant scene has exploded around him, Joe's remains one of the community's premier dining destinations.