Jonathan Gold reviews Spring

Chef Tony Esnault with his wife and business partner, Yassmin Sarmadi, at Spring in downtown Los Angeles.

Boeuf tartare, with grass-fed Strauss family farms beef, garlic and cured egg yolk, for $18, at Spring.

The kitchen at Spring gets a personal touch.

Myrtille with fresh blueberry, mint panna cotta, blueberry sorbet and pate sucre at Spring.

Yassmin Sarmadi at Spring in downtown Los Angeles.

Magret de Canard, maple leaf duck breast, salsify, pear, yam and sauce dolce forte at Spring.  (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

The What a Peach! cocktail is poured using a vintage shaker shaped like a bell.

The Oh Cherry cocktail at Spring.

Chef Tony Esnault looks over the day’s catch at Spring.

Bourride, a delicate fish stew with fennel, potato, leeks, garlic, saffron and aioli.   (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times )

Dave Lofstrom, left, and Nicolas Somers enjoy lunch at Spring.

Pâtes aux fruits de mer, with squid ink tagliatelle pasta, manila clams, mussels, calamari, cuttlefish and prawns at Spring.

Fighting roosters from France hang on the wall behind the bar at Spring.

Items from the personal collection of chef Tony Esnault and his wife and business partner, Yassmin Sarmadi, are seen throughout their restaurant Spring.