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Plan for Plan Check 

Plan for Plan Check 

After many repeat visits to the original Sawtelle location, we finally ventured outside of our comfort zone and made a reservation for the Santa Monica location. The determining factor was our ability to make an actual reservation. At some point in the past, I was able to make a reservation on Resy for the Sawtelle branch but that’s not true anymore so Open Table was able to facilitate a movable reservation to the beachside location.
Despite the address being on Ocean Drive which is parallel to Pacific Ocean, the restaurant is actually located on Broadway behind Sushi Roku. In any case, it was still beachside with an exposed restaurant to the ocean breeze. We opted for a deuce on the patio right by the sidewalk so that we could people watch. 

Our server, Brayden seemed super nice and was as helpful as he could be. Our orders came out incredibly quick but there were a few hiccups. My vodka martini up no vermouth with a lemon twist had a strong vermouth aftertaste so I sent that back. Our water glasses weren’t refilled. I had to get up and pour myself a glass.

Our baby back ribs and cole slaw appetizer was quite tangy and savory. The ribs were doused in BBQ sauce. They were definitely very rich and we both realized that we needed to refrain from indulging if we wanted to eat our main courses.

My husband’s patty melt came out nicely. Everything was just as he ordered. However, my dish had some challenges. I ordered a salmon BLT with only lettuce, crispy bacon, salmon and mustard. The salmon, mustard and fries came out but no bacon. I kept trying to beckon our server who was at the bar but to no avail. I tried 4 times. I finally asked the hostess and though the strips came out quickly, they were not crispy.

Our server finally came back to check on us and I returned the unacceptable bacon. Round 2 brought 2 strips which also weren’t crispy but clearly had just come off the pan or griddle. *Note to all cooks: Stop frying your bacon. They are greasy, soggy and not crispy. No need to fry a bacon when you just need to crisp them up in the microwave. For each strip of bacon, get a layer of paper towels on the bottom and the top of a paper plate to cover. For example, 2 strips of bacon = 2 layers of paper towels on the bottom and 2 layers on the top, to soak up the grease and crisp them up. Microwave them 1 minute longer than the number of strips on the paper plate so 2 strips = 3 minutes in the microwave, maybe 3 1/2. I learned that from my Food teacher high school in 1993 so not new news. 

But I digress. Aside from that, our dining experience was fast, efficient and overall the food was delicious. Since Sawtelle and Santa Monica are equidistant to us, we both love being by the water and we’re able to make online reservations for Santa Monica, it will likely become our regular relatively inexpensive treat for a nice relaxing evening out. 

Plan Check & Bar

1401 Ocean Blvd., #104

Santa Monica, CA 90401

SANTA MONICA

Marvelous Meal at Margot

Marvelous Meal at Margot

For those in the know, this is not a write-up about a spinoff of the fantastically hilariously funny and witty Amazon series though just like the series it has a throwback, classic feel where you feel the lead character would fit right in with her chic outfits and witty charm. Rather, it is a celebration of a beautiful vibrant restaurant on the outskirts of downtown Culver City which manages to capture the mood and the vibe of the hippest, most popular restaurants and bars of Beverly Hills and West Hollywood with its retro vibe and its 180 view of the city’s skyline. 

Margot is where you go to see and be seen. It’s where pretty people eat and drink. Everything about it screams “notice me” but in that subtle nondescript Culver City way. There are people of all ages who come to eat and imbibe, all fashionably dressed but in a subtle, refined and understated manner. Nobody is looking to stand out too much but there are a few with their bare midriffs and teeny shorts who are the exception. 
The interior design of the restaurant, its outdoor patio and its indoor and outdoor bars is a nod to the years of yesteryear, evident in their choice of nostalgic Moroccan inspired patterns for table tiles, and retro rustic lighting and furnishings. 
It was quite packed when we arrived. Luckily, we had made reservations on Resy and were whisked to the last indoor half booth/table before the outdoor patio. It gave us ample opportunity to people watch.
Our server was fabulous. She was attentive as one would expect at a top notch venue. Our food came out in batches. First to arrive were the asparagus a la plancha and charred broccoli. Of all of our orders, the asparagus was likely the weakest offering as it didn’t offer as much diversity in texture or flavor. It was served with ajo blanco, Marconi almonds and grapes. Perhaps the goal was to have a more subtle subdued flavor and if that was the case, then the dish was a success. The broccoli however was quite exceptional. It had a slightly smoky taste and mixed with the tzatziki sauce and feta, it had a creamy aftertaste. The pastas came next and were the stars of the evening. We ordered the cappelini with truffle and the tagliarini with seafood sausage. Both were spectacular in their different but complementary ways. The truffle, well it goes without saying, that it was light but powerful and decadent. The pasta with seafood sausage made from shrimp was surprisingly robust, had a bit more tomato base and definitely stood toe to toe with the truffle pasta.

The main entrees of whole grilled sea bream and American wagyu zabuton with fingerling potatoes were definitely quite good as would be expected. The fish was amazingly tender, subtly covered in tarragon aioli and salsa verde. The steak was exceptionally juicy and cooked perfectly medium rare and the accompanying fingerling potatoes had a nice crisp toasted outer layer which had a dipping sauce combo of horseradish cream and paprika butter. 
For dessert, we ordered the tiramisu tres leches. It had a strong coffee flavor with a creamy filling and tasted quite light on the tongue. It was the perfect way to end a perfect evening. 
Margot is definitely someplace I would spend all my special moments as it’s close to home and has a bit of class and a sexy vibe beckoning you in to partake in the beauty that is the Mah-velous Margot. 
Margot 8820 Washington Blvd., Suite 301 
Culver City, CA 90232

Hillstone Santa Monica

We had originally planned on having a casual dinner at a newly opened ramen place in the area but on my drive home from work, I had an overwhelming hankering for baby back ribs. The only option was either Houstons’s in El Segundo or Hillstone in Santa Monica. To my chagrin, the Houston’s in the South Bay had no reservations available. The Santa Monica location appeared to have a 9:30 availability. However, when I arrived home, a unicorn reservation for 8 p.m. appeared on Resy which I immediately accepted. We arrived exactly on time and from entrance to exit, the entire dinner experience took 40 minutes.

Having frequented the establishment many times over in the past decade or so, we had our regular dishes in mind. We ordered our Titos martini and Titos Moscow mule to start. For our appetizer, we ordered the savory, crispy, cheese toasts which were absolutely divine. 

Then we had the Thai jungle salad with filet mignon. The noodles were al dente, the chunks of filet were tender and juicy. The portion size could have easily been an option for a main entree.

However, we had other plans for our actual meals. My husband ordered the half chicken with black rice and beans. It looked to be moist and perfectly prepared, juicy, not greasy, with the perfect concoction of seasonings and spices.

The reason for our trip was my entree: the full rack of baby back ribs. I omitted the cole slaw in favor of a double order of fries. The ribs were so moist, juicy, flavorful that I nearly ate the entire rack. Realizing my gluttony, I stopped short with two ribs left to go.

Houstons/Hillstone has been a love of mine for nearly two decades. Their recipes at every location has remained tried and true and consistent throughout. That cannot be said of even some of the more famous steakhouses like Mastros or Del Frisco’s. I could easily recommend this chain and not fear any inconsistency in service of quality. 

Hillstone

202 Wilshire Blvd.

Santa Monica, CA 90401

https://hillstonerestaurant.com/locations/santamonica/

Grace Gambin

A Travel Foodie

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