After establishing his izakaya and sake bar in Echo Park, Chef Charles Namba set out to explore a new concept that reflected his early training in French cuisine. Drawing inspiration from his time in New York kitchens, his travels to Paris, and dining experiences in Tokyo, he envisioned a bistro where French technique meets Japanese tradition. “I wanted to serve everything with rice in a space with a raw bar and Japanese sashimi, but the entrées include more French sauces,” he explains. At Camélia, that vision comes to life with dishes like braised beef cheeks in red wine–wasabi sauce and a croque madame made with ham katsu.
The menu reflects Namba’s diverse culinary influences—as does the restaurant’s name. Camélia is the English translation of tsubaki (the name of Namba’s Echo Park izakaya), a flower with deep ties to both Japan and Los Angeles. It is also the French spelling of “camellia,” a nod to the bistro’s cultural duality.
The menu changes frequently, but every dish reflects Namba’s culinary intention. Some items draw directly from his upbringing—like the burger—while others pay tribute to formative restaurants from his career. The croque madame nods to his time at Bouchon, while the abalone pot pie recalls the now-shuttered Church & State, which once occupied the same space. “I have no problem serving traditional recipes in a restaurant that’s our version of it, but saying it has nothing to do with me—it’s bigger than me,” says Namba.
Among the most popular items on the menu is Namba’s bolognese, a dish he grew up eating. “If you go to Japan and visit old-school Japanese restaurants, they always have bolognese and clam sauce,” he says. “I didn’t put it on the menu because everyone else is doing it—I put it on because it has meaning.”
