I had driven past the restaurant many times before but had never been until this evening for a Yelp Elite event. I read on the invite it would be light bites so I had assumed nothing substantial would be served. I was quite wrong.

The evening started off with a glass of either white or red wine. I opted for the former and was told it was a very dry wine which is just perfect for me since I don’t gravitate towards sweet drinks. The first batch of food served were the mini empanadas. There were two different versions served, the beef with olives and the spinach with cheese. It was quite good, had a flaky crust and the proper ratio of meat to dough. Next were the cebiche amarillo which was yellowtail ceviche served in shot glasses. What was unique about this dish, besides the presentation, were the crispy yucca chips which added a depth of texture to the slightly spicy ceviche. The tagliata, or grilled skirt steak, was served next with a healthy portion of creamy mashed potatoes. There was a bit of peppercorn gravy on the side of the plate which added a layer of flavor and coating to the steak skewers. The rolled eggplant, or envuelto de berenjena, was an incredibly pleasant surprise. It was served piping hot with lots of cheesy goodness, reminiscent of a mini-lasagne. The last entree was the choripan which was a chorizo slider. The buns were a bit thick and I normally don’t eat bread anyways so I used the toothpick to pierce the meat in the middle. It was a thick slice of chorizo, not overly spicy but seasoned just right. There were several rounds of these heavy appetizers which were served before the finale of panqueques de dulce de leche. They were thin crepes filled with a bit of dulce de leche topped with bananas and strawberry. It was light, not overly sweet with a creamy filling.

This Yelp Elite members only event was a lovely way to spend a few hours and I met some great friendly and funny people. I can now officially recommend Malbec as a must try place in Santa Monica. Their food definitely had the perfect combo of flavor, texture and a bit of creativity.

Malbec Argentinian Cuisine

2628 Wilshire Blvd.

Santa Monica, CA 90403

http://malbeccuisine.com/santa-monica