A new lead.

I never open a restaurant review with a chef acknowledgement.

Today is a first.

I dined at Mr. T, a fabulous new Los Angeles restaurant with a young, creative, personable chef.

Alisa Vannah brings a lot to the table.

I was fortunate to sit at the chef’s counter, part of a long bar that overlooks an open kitchen. I was able to witness the magic that Chef Vannah personally creates and oversees.

Vannah brings her own imaginative dishes to Mr. T along with classic Mr. T dishes from the original Paris location, created by Parisian restauranteur Guillaume Guedj and Chef Tsuyoshi Miyazaki.

Vannah has cooked at a variety of restaurants including Republique in Los Angeles, and has trained under Mr. T co-owner, Tsuyoshi Miyazaki, in Paris.

In theory, Mr. T is a contemporary French cuisine restaurant inspired by upscale street food dishes, featuring fresh ingredients with masterful preparation.

Chef Vannah then reimagines a wide range of cuisines and creates phenomenal dishes. Vannah and Miyazaki also collaborated on dishes that are unique to the Los Angeles location

We started with a Chip N Dip. Initially, I pushed back. It seemed like such a pedestrian item to select from the unique menu.

Well, I was dead wrong. The homemade barbecue chips are amazing and the creamy, smooth Artichoke and Spinach with truffle cream is addictive and goes well with the clever cocktails and wine selections ($14). The wine selection changes monthly.  I was not enamored with most. I did find a fruit forward red that I thoroughly enjoyed

The Thai Yellowtail Crudo paired with pineapple and herbs is unbelievably fresh and tasty ($26).

Again, I was less than enthused about ordering a salad. My husband was so right. La Salade D’Automne was a delectable and refreshing citrus salad with candied walnuts and date vinaigrette ($22).

The uniquely creative and delicious Santa Barbara Uni on Koshihikari rice with confit egg yolk and ponzu sauce is off the charts fabulous ($32).

The unusual Branzino preparation features a sweet and savory theme with the Branzino resting on a bed of meringue ($42).

The desserts were generous and exceptional. The Apple Pithiviers with hot caramel apple in a fabulous pie crust and vanilla ice cream is beyond great ($14).

The original Mr. T, a small, understated spot in the Marais district of Paris, has morphed into a desirable Hollywood Mr. T.

The restaurant is located on what is becoming LA’s coolest street.

North Sycamore features Gigi’s (previously reviewed) Tartine, Mizlala, Supervinyl, Sightglass Coffee and Just One Eye, a 13,000 square foot store featuring unique clothing, jewelry, home goods, art and fragrances. The concept store is reminiscent of Paris’ late, great Colette.

Mr. T’s open-air space is minimalist, decorated with red neon signs that spell out the restaurant’s name. There is an attractive outdoor terrace.

Mr. T 953 North Sycamore Avenue Hollywood, California. Open Tuesday-Thursday 6-10pm, Saturday and Sunday 6-10:30pm. Reservations on OpenTable.com. Valet and street parking.