I like a restaurant with personality, so that when I think of that restaurant a particular dish comes to mind. Nowhere is that more true than at Le Saint Amour in Culver City.
The next stop on my culinary tour of Santa Monica Place is the first place I tried to enter but was rejected because it was “too close to closing time.
The next stop on my culinary tour of Santa Monica Place is the first place I tried to enter but was rejected because it was “too close to closing time.
GENERAL COMMENT: I usually won’t drive east of the 405 freeway or north of Malibu Colony for lunch, but sometimes I find a place worth the trip. Usually it’s for a particular dish, and so it is with the Fisherman’s House in Oxnard.
Loews hotel has a reputation of putting top chefs into their dining room, sometimes called “Ocean and Vine.” Remember Alain Giraud when he was there with his lavender ice cream? Well now it’s Keith Roberts, and he’s special.
It’s a bit of a drive, but a nice drive. And if it were really Cuban food, it would be worth it. Café Habana in Malibu has a dedicated following from its New York roots.
For me, the least interesting restaurant in the new Santa Monica Place is the Sonoma Wine Garden. Yet it’s one of the most popular, and it has the best views.
Continuing my adventures on the third floor of the new Santa Monica Place, I had lunch at La Sandía Mexican Kitchen and Tequila Bar (which means “watermelon” in Spanish).
When I walked into Pourtal I was immediately greeted with a “hello” and a big smile from an attractive young woman. As I approached the bar a handsome young man said “welcome.
Finally, a good Chinese restaurant in Santa Monica. When I first moved here there were lots of Chinese restaurants, many Cantonese, but a few Szechuan.
Some friends won’t dine with me at Le Saigon because they don’t serve beer or wine, but personally I find the fresh coconut juice a special treat. It’s a small, plain restaurant with a utilitarian look.
I guess almost everyone goes to Westwood Village from time to time. Years ago, we went to the Hamburger Hamlet, after its demise, we switched to its successor, the Hamlet Gardens.
