Restaurateur Jonah Freedman has taken over the nearly four-decade-old San Fernando ValleyFrench institution,Mistral. After a brief closure to refresh the menu and interior, Freedman will reopen the restaurant alongside business partner and culinary director
Josh Migdal on Monday, August 10.
Henri Abergel originally opened Mistral in 1988, and ran it until his retirement in 2025; Freedman and Migdal took over in late 2025 and kept the menu as-is until its temporary closure, while devising plans for the next iteration of the restaurant. “We really feel like this is an homage to the original Mistral rather than just an updated Mistral,” says Freedman, who also owns Silver Lake Greek restaurant Greekman’sand the now-closed Jewish deli Freedman’s.
Mistral’s new menu still hews closely to the bistro traditions that made the restaurant a Valley classic. Appetizers span chevre and honey cigars, crab cakes, and bluefin tuna tartare, while the Mistral Caesar gets crowned with baguette chips and acidic pickled onion punctuates an endive and pear salad. Comté grilled cheese tops a French onion soup, while mussels bathe in a broth of sungold tomatoes and gewurztraminer. Larger dishes include baked pappardelle in mushroom ragu, poached branzino paired with panzanella, and confit duck leg a l’orange. “Obviously, French food is very sauce-heavy,” Freedman says. “We wanted to add a little bit more nuance, so a lot of stuff is finished with various vinegars — a little bit more acid was sort of the intention and freshness, whether it’s lemon zest, lime zest, orange zest, or orange oil.” Four versions of steak frites are available: an 8-ounce hanger steak, an 8-ounce prime center-cut filet, a 14-ounce New York strip, and a 24-ounce cote de boeuf for two.
For dessert, find berries and cream, a chocolate souffle, and gianduja semifreddo. Sommelier Julia Djoui will guide the wine menu, while a full bar will offer cocktails such as the Mistral with gin and lemon and the Jaguar with tequila and amaro Montenegro. Martini options include a version with onion brine and an espresso martini, alongside a classic preparation.
Mistral’s updated interior will feature all-new custom-fabricated red leather booths and artwork by French American painter Guy Buffet. Intricate glass chandeliers hang overhead, while rich wood panels make the dim room feel warm. “It feels both totally preserved and totally fresh,” Freedman says. “And I think making something old feel new, but still old, is what we were going for. I feel fairly confident that we’ve done it.”
Later this fall, Freedman will open Henri’s, a raw bar named after Abergel, in the space attached to Mistral. Previously a private dining room, the jewel-box-sized restaurant will serve oysters and cocktails, alongside both raw and cooked seafood. “I love the idea of someone going and having a cocktail and some oysters over there and then coming next door for their reservation or vice versa,” Freedman says.
