Santa Monica Travel Guide

Chinois: Wolfgang Disappoints

We have been wanting to try Chinois on Main for a long time so we finally stopped in the other night. Our intention was just to have an appetizer and a cocktail and move on but once we saw at the menu everything looked so good that we were compelled to have an entire meal. Chinois is celebrity chef, Wolfgang Puck’s Asian themed chain. It’s pricy but the portions are huge. It’s intended to be served family style so keep that in mind when you’re ordering. But on the whole we were disappointed with our meal. A majority of the food was deep fried, which the waiter warned us about, but much of the menu featured fried foods so it was difficult to steer away from is. Overall the food was bland and uninspired. What sounded good on the menu didn’t deliver in execution. I wouldn’t go running back to Chinois. And the next time I do try it I will definitely come with a larger group it’s just too much food for two people.

Favorite Dish: Our favorite thing was the soft shell crab appetizer. It was a special that night so it’s not on the regular menu. The dish consisted of two HUGE fried soft shell crabs and a great sauce served along side. The duck fried rice and the duck with plum sauce were fine, but bland and nothing special. We also ordered the whole fried catfish, which I would definitely avoid in the future. It was over cooked and flavorless and the most disappointing dish we ordered.

Prices: US$31-40

Phone: 310-392-9025

Address: 2709 Main Street, Santa Monica, CA 90405

Directions: Main Street Santa Monica

Bar Pintxo: A Must Do!

The owners of Joe’s in Venice have created a new little gem in the heart of Santa Monica. Bar Pintxo is a little piece of Spain right by the Pacific Ocean. The space is incredibly small but they’ve done a great job of maximizing what they’ve got, but be prepared to get friendly with your neighbors and the waitstaff. The menu, partially in Spanish, is limited but features tasty tapas at reasonable prices. If you want a floor show, you can sit up at the bar and watch the cooks work their magic in the “open kitchen”. The staff is friendly and the wine list is plentiful. I highly recommend this new addition to the neighborhood. Run as fast as you can to try Bar Pintxo.

Favorite Dish: The Shrimps with Fried Pickled Garlic ($6 for 3 shrimp) were so amazing that we ordered it twice. I recommend asking for some bread on the side to soak up some of the extra sauce! And the Tapas of Chorizo and Fried Quail Eggs ($4 for 2 pieces) was definitely another highlight, although everything we tried was amazing!

Prices: US$11-20

Phone: 310.458.2012

Address: 109 Santa Monica Boulevard, Santa Monica, CA 90401

Website: http://www.barpintxo.com/