Dining

Santa Monica’s iconic and legacy seafood destination, The Lobster is thrilled to announce the 25th anniversary of the significant expansion to its stunning second-story location. The Lobster is also celebrating its milestone 100th anniversary in its original location, a rare feat for any restaurant! To mark this momentous occasion, the Michelin Plate-lauded restaurant hosted a special celebration which I was able to attend and indulge in their exciting cocktails and various delicious seafood appetizers prepared by acclaimed Chef Govind Armstrong. 

In honor of its milestone anniversary and National Seafood Month, The Lobster is offering a special $25 menu starting on September 25 and continuing throughout October. It showcases four of the restaurant’s signature dishes. Guests can savor favorites like the celebrated lobster roll paired with a glass of bubbly, beer, or wine. For those with a big appetite, order all four special dishes and enjoy a free dessert — a sweet ending to a delicious dining experience. Whether you’re indulging in one of the items on their special anniversary menu or soaking in the 190° panoramic views of the Santa Monica Bay and Malibu coastline, this will be a great time to partake! Lobster, fresh shucked oysters, fresh caught fish, and mesmerizing views! The Lobster now features a live Sunset Jazz Series on Thursdays from 6–8pm, daily Happy Hourfrom 3–6pm, and all-day Happy Hour on Fridays. What are you waiting for?

For reservations, click here.

With the sun, sea, and sand on its doorstep, the Little Beach House Malibu at Soho House is a private club right on the oceanfront at Billionaire’s Beach. The sunny terrace stretches along the shore and the interiors frame the sea perfectly with huge windows and a bright, airy vibe.

A breezy bar offers food and cocktails, while the oceanfront dining room doles out fresh Californian fare from its open-plan kitchen to keep members satiated. A couple of delicious dishes that satisfied my taste buds were the Hearts of Palm Ceviche with lychee, cumari chili, and crunchy sweet potato chips. My favorite of the day was the Hamachi Crudo, fermented citrus, avocado, lime, and cara cara oranges. A very nice selection of seafood and turf, and the wine list is amazing! 

Soho House is a club with a restaurant. It’s a beach club, so they have towels, stand-up paddle boards, an outdoor shower, and activities from sound baths to meditation, yoga on weekdays, movie screenings, and talks from major talent. The dress is always casual. Some folks walk around in bathing suits. I have seen dolphins and seals here, even under the full moon. In the summer, some folks pull up in yachts, anchor, swim in, grab a cocktail and lunch, and then depart. I love this place! It’s totally worth inquiring about membership!

For more, click here.

Attention all hipsters and foodies! Pine & Crane is a Taiwanese restaurant located in the heart of Silver Lake, bringing authentic, delicious fare. From the moment it opened its doors, this restaurant became an instant hit, attracting families and hipsters alike with its communal feel and simple design. For chef and owner Vivian Ku it was always a family affair, with ingredients sourced from her family’s organic farm and inspiration drawn from her grandparents. Traditional cold appetizers like bean curd or wood ear mushroom salad are just the place to start, before the umami-intensive dishes like three cup chicken and beef noodle soup. And don’t pass up the sautéed pea shoots if you spot them on the specials board.

But most delightful of all: crispy rice cakes served with toothsome, earthy mushrooms, steamed and pan-fried pork buns, Sha Gua noodles with fried shallots dressed simply in tangy vinegar and soy sauce, and a soupy-but-hearty eggplant and basil dish over rice. They were all excellent. I would have to say, though, that the smartest choices we made were the marinated cucumber appetizer and the outrageously fabulous forbidden rice pudding for dessert. Yum!

For more details, click here.

Tuscany il Ristorante in Westlake Village is the dream of chef/owner Tommaso Barletta who wanted to bring true upscale Italian cuisine to the west valley. The restaurant opened 20 years ago in the beautiful Plaza Center of Westlake Village. Barletta is from the small fishing village of Monopoli on the southeast coast of Italy. Starting at a young age, he had always dreamt of excelling within the culinary arts and inspiration was never in short supply, the greatest source of which came from his Aunt Rita and Uncle Giovanni who lived on a farm on the outskirts of his hometown. He enrolled in an Italian Culinary Institute and his journey began. 

I was lucky enough to meet Barletta and he added to our delightful lunch by suggesting what he thought we would enjoy. We followed his recommendations, and we waited for the meal while enjoying some fabulous Italian wine. We started with a fresh and tasty Gazpacho soup which was the best I have had. Then came the seared Ahi tuna in sesame crust with spicy slaw. I almost licked the plate!  Finally, the sweet crusted jumbo prawns arrived, sent to us directly from Barletta (and of which he was very proud)! Perfectly seasoned and tasting freshly caught! I am a fan and enthusiastically recommend Tuscany il Ristorante!

For reservations, click here.