Local Kitchen + Wine Bar - Santa Monica

I may or may not be a bit behind on my blogging. All of Tulum was written up in a very timely manner of a month, but let's not talk about all the other stuff I've let pile up.  

This one goes way back to Restaurant Week, also known as my biennial excuse for indulgence. I tell my self that all these budget-ripping-but-worth-every-penny restaurants are affordable...except at Local Kitchen, it's true.

25 dollars won't even get you through the farmer's market in Santa Monica, and it's a steal for a 3-course lunch or brunch. But I was skeptical. Santa Monica is not my favorite part of LA, and any decent food will run you at least 50 bucks.

I eat my words as I eat my Burrata. I would have paid 20 dollars just for this. A soft, solid shell opens, and a creamy soft flood of stracciatella spills across a sweet, earthy red squash puree, butternut squash with a little extra attitude. The roasted pears add their juices, and some savory hazelnuts sit like heavenly pillows on soft slices of grilled bread.

The food here is straightforward in its simplicity, but what you get is so much more than you see. An easy-looking Lamb Meatball Sandwich has a dynamic ground lamb with a bouquet of Middle Eastern herbs, and the pickled fennel adds some spring to its step, as sliced radishes and creamy yogurt smooth it out and keep it casual. 

I love truffles, but truffle oil is rarely pleasing in any significant quantity. Still, I give credit where it's due, and the Truffle & Mushroom Pizza deserves all compliments. Fontina dances on a thin crust floor, a garlicky tango with so many soft and fleshy shrooms. 

A Gelato trio is, as the rest of the menu, simple and textbook, but it is a no less satisfying. Rich, creamy chocolate runs into smooth vanilla bean, as sea salt caramel asserts itself.

Sea salt caramel is my favorite flavor, tied with butterscotch for first. When I see that they offer a Butterscotch Budino, I am totally losing my mind. The butterscotch is a thick, rich pudding. As sweet as it gets, with a biscotti crumble for contrast. 

Restaurant week is usually a 50-50 for me, but Local Kitchen FTW. The menu is a great deal for high-end ingredients, and they really know how to put a great plate together. I still don't love Santa Monica, but places like Local Kitchen, with its casual-yet-classy ambiance and traditionally pretty decor, may convince me to keep coming back.