Here’s my secret for finding the new restaurant eats: I subscribe to Eater and Infatuation and I regularly receive emails of openings and reviews. However, and no offense to my fellow foodies, but I have a different standard, and I don’t always agree with their recos. On the Xuntos front, I’m 100% “aligned” which by the way is ad agency/marketing speak, now that I’m professionally back in that sphere.
Xuntos is located in Downtown Santa Monica which, in my teens and 20s, was one of my favorite hangouts. Now part of the area has been surrendered to and relegated to the homeless encampments while the oceanside still caters to the elite. Walking to Xuntos with my Lady Dior from the public parking garage on 4th made me reevaluate my luxury bag choice for the night. However, upon arriving at the restaurant, I was very pleasantly surprised at the upscale environment.
My husband was already seated as I dropped him off to locate parking.
When I arrived, my husband’s wine choice for me was promptly served. It was their driest white wine offering which had a bit of zest and grapefruit tartness.
The complimentary olive starter served with the drinks had a bit of kick with a peppercini flavor.
We started off with the ham and grilled cheese sandwich. The “bikini jamon” was phenomenal! Cheesy, gooey, slightly sweet, with shaved sweet slices of jamon in the center. We ended up ordering two because it was that good!
Next up was the gazpacho which was delicious, refreshing, creamy, tart, a bit sour with hints of the freshness of cucumber, truly unique and perfect for a hot summer day.
Our first main dish was the garlic shrimp which was beautifully presented, steaming hot with sliced baguette on the side. The shrimp had a bit of heat and the oil from the pan served as a nice dipping sauce for the bread. The shrimp was small but plump and tender.
Next up was the squid ink pasta which was creamy, tart from the lemon juice and tomato purée.
The patatas bravas were served piping hot, crispy with a drizzle of sour cream, chives and tomato purée.
The finale was the steak which was lightly salted, tender and juicy, with a bit of chimichurri herbs, caper sauce and rock salt on top.
All the menu items from start to finish were exceptional. It’s been a while since all the notes, from the service to the quality of the food, hit all the right marks. As my childhood piano teacher would say after an excellent performance, three gold stars to Xuntos!
The Reunion at Neuehouse looked and felt like a little jewel box in the midst of the pseudo gentrified, partial homeless encampment area known as Venice Beach. Its location was one of the more polished areas of town, and upon arrival, we asked the doorman where to park and he pointed to the parking lot halfway down the block to the left. I honestly can’t recall if the parking was $20 or $40 as we were running late, and I couldn’t be bothered to look for a “safe” free or inexpensive lot which inevitably would have led to being subjected to the skunk smell of pot or the putrid smell of urine in some seedy alleyway of the city.
Once we entered the building, it felt like we had been transported to a lavish resort in the Mediterranean. Every individual we spoke with was polished and well-mannered. That’s when I remembered the Neuehouse was first and foremost a members only social club, and it definitely showed in the service we received. Even the restroom attendant was beyond apologetic for having to service the restroom while patrons were using the facilities. We were directed to check in with the front desk who escorted us to our outdoor patio table.
We were quite pleased with the clientele as everybody looked established and refined albeit dressed in California casual chic attire. The patio was covered and had heat lamps so we were shielded from the elements which was quite lovely and made for a very comfortable dining experience.
Our server greeted us and took our drink orders which frankly took a bit longer to receive than one would have anticipated and on arrival of my martini, I was disappointed at the diminutive portion I was served, akin to all my drinks in London or in Utah, though I’ve never been to the latter.
Fortunately, the rest of the meal was quite delightful.
The bread basket had an array of various bread options, from a crispy breadstick, pre-buttered and toasted sourdough slices and doughy warm focaccia.
We ordered the organic arugula salad which had a tart, lemony, cheesy layer which balanced out the arugula’s natural bitterness.
The chicken parmesan was served piping hot, lightly breaded with traditional breadcrumbs under a thin layer of tomato based sauce and melted cheese.
Our mushroom pasta was quite savory, earthy with a hint of worcestershire sauce mixed in and sprinkled with cheese.
The potatoes were crisp and cheesy, with a hint of smoke.
Overall, we enjoyed our evening at The Reunion and we would happily return and recommend it to friends. It’s a nice upscale pocket in the heart of an otherwise unsavory part of town.
As many have likely seen by now, there was a scathing review of Jordan Kahn’s newest offering, Meteora. Days before it was published, my husband, sister-in-law and I ran into the two Michelin starred chef at its helm and complimented him on a wonderful experience, thanking his wife for the delectable inspiration of the rice dish on Meteora’s menu.
In researching this particular writer’s past restaurant reviews, featured were casual restaurants with simple offerings which, in comparison to Meteora’s complex menu and earthy decor, is a rapid departure from the writer’s repertoire.
Jordan Kahn stopped by every table, including ours, and explained the ingredients in each of the dishes ordered and why he incorporated them in the dinner set.
Perhaps the writer did not have that benefit during his visit. One needs to have a wide range of culinary experience from extensive travels and have an appreciation and understanding of history, culture and traditions which are all celebrated and highlighted at Meteora.
Was Meteora expensive? Yes. Were unusual and unfamiliar pairings served? Yes. Was there a purpose and message for each of the offerings? Yes.
I have traveled to 31 countries, including 4 trips to the Yucatán Peninsula and sampled a wide range of of dishes at restaurants on every end of the budgetary spectrum. I can wholeheartedly recommend Meteora as a dining experience that should not be missed.
The dishes are beautifully and artfully presented, and the combination of flavors is just exquisite.
Admittedly, Meteora caters to those with cultured, diversified and upscale tastes. It is not for everybody, but if you are looking to experience simple dishes reimagined while sitting within a beautiful Tulum inspired setting, then Meteora should be your next fine dining destination.
Musso & Frank is a historic dining establishment in the heart of Hollywood.
I had been several times before, even during lunch, which apparently is no longer an option during these post pandemic times. We were there for our pre-theater meal and it did not disappoint. They opened promptly at 4 p.m. and sat each party at their pre-designated tables. Ours was table 227.
Our server came by immediately to take our drink order and as we waited, we observed as each table and party were swiftly seated. They had service down to a science with impeccable choreography and precision.
Our drinks arrived, our dinner orders were taken and we were immediately served our first course.
The caesar salad was crisp, lemony and perfectly dressed.
Next to arrive were the sand dabs, which had a bit of coating and with a squeeze of a lemon, had a nice tart flavor.
My husband’s legendary fettuccine alfredo was served with thinly sliced chicken breast. It was served al dente and had a rich creamy sauce.
Desserts arrived in the form of a light fluffy cheesecake and two scoops of nice, cold creamy ice cream, the perfect accompaniment for the current heatwave.
All in all, Musso & Frank was and still is a winner in my book. I’m happy to report that we’ll be returning in a month’s time for a friend’s special birthday so that we’ll have another opportunity to sample their delicious food.
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