Buffalo Club 1520 Olympic Blvd., Santa Monica 310-450-8600 A sophisticated supper
club with luxurious leather chairs, generous booths and a magical garden
with Chinese lanterns strung overhead. The surprise is the excellent
American menu. Try the spicy buffalo wings, the classic crab cakes and, in
season, juicy soft-shell crabs.
Josie 2424 Pico Blvd., Santa Monica 310-581-9888 Josie isn't just another
neighborhood spot. Walk through the doors, and it could easily be San
Francisco or New York. First courses run from the classic (mushrooms in
puff pastry or a cherry tomato tartlet) to gutsy (grilled cuttlefish with
chorizo). Every night there are a handful of specials, many of them based
on game.
P.F. Chang's China Bistro 326 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica 310-395-1912 Here the idea is to eat
wok-style MSG-free Chinese food in an upscale setting with American.
Royal Star Seafood 3001 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica 310-828-8812 With this entry from
the owners of Monterey Park's acclaimed Ocean Star Seafood, Westsiders
don't have to trek eastward to experience a bustling Hong Kong-style
seafood restaurant.
The Beach House 100 W. Channel Road, Santa Monica 310-454-8299 This restaurant serves
up the kind of comfort food you need after a ride along the bike path or a
heated e-mail exchange with your agent.
Whist 1819 Ocean Ave., Santa Monica 310-451-8711 This hip restaurant inside
the new Viceroy Hotel is serious, but fun. The rather plain dining room is
trumped by the whimsical retro-glamour of the bar, which sprawls out into
a patio area with two postage stamp-sized pools surrounded by a series of
cabanas.
Yangtze 1333 Third Street Promenade, Santa Monica 310-260-1994 At Yangtze,
you'll find the flavor of the Pacific Rim right on Santa Monica's Third
Street Promenade.
Yankee Doodles 1410 3rd St., Santa Monica 310-394-4632 This oh-so-American chain of
sports bars has been described as Disneyland for adults. There are pool
tables, air hockey tables, foos-ball, shoot 'em up video games, a virtual
reality ski game and big- screen televisions covering the walls that play
every sports game worth watching.
Chinois on Main 2709 Main St., Santa Monica 310-392-9025 Wolfgang Puck's foray into
Franco-Asian cooking is a fusion that has dazzled for 19 years. Regulars
tend to ignore the specials in favor of classics such as the baby back
ribs in a dark, sticky sauce redolent of star anise, the rich Shanghai
lobster embellished with flash-fried spinach, or the meaty Mongolian lamb
chops with cilantro sauce.
P.F. Chang's China Bistro 326 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica 310-395-1912 Here the idea is to eat
wok-style MSG-free Chinese food in an upscale setting with American.
Royal Star Seafood 3001 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica 310-828-8812 With this entry from
the owners of Monterey Park's acclaimed Ocean Star Seafood, Westsiders
don't have to trek eastward to experience a bustling Hong Kong-style
seafood restaurant.
The Hump 3221 Donald Douglas Loop South, Santa Monica 310-313-0977 The
Hump--the nickname used by World War II pilots for Mt. Everest--is off to
a flying start.
Yangtze 1333 Third Street Promenade, Santa Monica 310-260-1994 At Yangtze,
you'll find the flavor of the Pacific Rim right on Santa Monica's Third
Street Promenade.
Bistro 31 2900 31st St., Santa Monica 310-314-6057 Bistro 31 is actually a
class being taken by culinary arts majors at the Art Institute of Los
Angeles.
Chez Mimi 246 26th St., Santa Monica 310-393-0558 With its inviting, slightly
bohemian ambience, Chez Mimi feels like a French country auberge. If the
food was less formulaic and every dish rang true, you would never be able
to get a table.
Chinois on Main 2709 Main St., Santa Monica 310-392-9025 Wolfgang Puck's foray into
Franco-Asian cooking is a fusion that has dazzled for 19 years. Regulars
tend to ignore the specials in favor of classics such as the baby back
ribs in a dark, sticky sauce redolent of star anise, the rich Shanghai
lobster embellished with flash-fried spinach, or the meaty Mongolian lamb
chops with cilantro sauce.
JiRaffe 502 Santa Monica Blvd., Santa Monica 310-917-6671 JiRaffe may be the
ideal Santa Monica restaurant. The food from home-grown surfer-chef
Raphael Lunetta is an amiable mix of California and country-style French.
He does wonderful things with foie gras, wild mushrooms and salads. And
he's especially strong on seafood.
Mélisse 1104 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica 310-395-0881 It's a thrill walking
into such a grown-up restaurant, where waiters are dressed in suits and
ties and the room is full of large, festive groups. Several of the best
dishes, such as the splendid côté de boeuf for two, are served table-side,
and the chef's tasting menu is always a treat.
Amici Mare 2424 Main St., Santa Monica 310-314-2119 A spin-off of the cozy,
celebrity hideout Trattoria Amici in Beverly Hills, Amici Mare offers the
same menu of flavorful Northern Italian cuisine.
Capo 1810 Ocean Ave., Santa Monica 310-394-5550 Marder has created another
appealing and intimate beachside hangout in the spirit of West Beach Cafe.
Drago 2628 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica 310-828-1585 Celestino Drago has
created a simple yet elegant restaurant that serves the rustic, rarely
seen dishes of his beloved Sicily
Il Ristorante di Giorgio Baldi 114 W. Channel Road, Santa Monica 310-573-1660 This modest place near
the beach feels as laid-back as a family restaurant along the Tuscan
coast. Signor Baldi cooks the food of his childhood: a smooth brown puree
of borlotti beans festooned with fettuccine, tiny sweet clams and fat
white beans, and spaghetti in an understated tomato sauce.
Valentino 3115 Pico Blvd., Santa Monica 310-829-4313 Mention any Italian wine,
no matter how obscure, and Valentino owner Piero Selvaggio can find it in
his 174,000-bottle cellar. Everything conspires to seduce you into
ordering what Valentino does best, the extravaganza menu, a series of
little courses that can be tailored to the night, the wines and the whims
of either the customer or the chef.
Ocean Avenue Seafood 1401 Ocean Ave., Santa Monica 310-394-5669 This upscale seafood
restaurant is one of the best in town.
One Pico at Shutters on the Beach 1 Pico Blvd., Santa Monica 310-587-1717 One Pico is a great place to
enjoy a classic California sunset and an inventive, relatively healthful
cuisine.
Rooke's 2460 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica 310-828-2217 Piano music every
evening; live bands/and or jazz singers/bands Thursdays-Mondays at 8 p.m.
Full.
Round Table Restaurant 2460 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica 310-828-2217 The popular Round
Table buffet is a good bet if you're starving and strapped for cash.
Royal Star Seafood 3001 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica 310-828-8812 With this entry from
the owners of Monterey Park's acclaimed Ocean Star Seafood, Westsiders
don't have to trek eastward to experience a bustling Hong Kong-style
seafood restaurant.
The Lobster 1602 Ocean Ave., Santa Monica 310-458-9294 Remember that scruffy
little seafood place that sat vacant at the end of Santa Monica Pier at
Ocean Avenue for so many years? Well, it's back. Ocean Avenue Seafood
The Lobster 1602 Ocean Ave., Santa Monica 310-458-9294 Remember that scruffy
little seafood place that sat vacant at the end of Santa Monica Pier at
Ocean Avenue for so many years? Well, it's back.
Kay & Dave's Cantina 262 26th St., Santa Monica 310-260-1355 Local residents swear by this
neighborhood Tex-Mex fixture in the heart of Brentwood, and it's
particularly popular with young families.
Lares Restaurant 2909 Pico Blvd., Santa Monica 310-829-4550 Lares' food is
assertive--big, meaty versions of Mexican dishes with boisterous sauces,
the plates loaded with bulky food. The Santa Monica restaurant can be
boisterous too, when margarita-happy customers join in with strolling
mariachis.
Lula Cucina Mexicana 2720 Main St., Santa Monica 310-392-5711 The menu features popular
Mexican dishes along with more unusual specialties, including squash
blossoms stuffed with cheese.
Mariasol Cocina Mexicana 401 Santa Monica Pier, Santa Monica 310-917-5050 This rustic, airy
Mexican restaurant makes the most of it's locale, offering outdoor dining
on two different patios. No matter where you sit, you are surrounded by
ocean waves.
Rebecca's 101 Broadway, Santa Monica 310-260-1100 With Border Grill, La
Serenata de Garibaldi and the new Rebecca's all within a few blocks of one
another in Santa Monica, now when you feel like Mexican food at the beach,
it's going to be tough to choose. Keep in mind, though, that Rebecca's is
open very late.
