Wilshire (Santa Monica)

[moosnsqrl]

I'm intrigued by the organic, local nature of Wilshire and was very excited about eating there in a few weeks. Until I started reading that it's very glam and a "place to be seen" and other similar comments that strike fear into the heart of a serious diner. To be fair, I've heard the same about other places and still enjoyed a real meal there, so I don't want to abandon the whole idea just yet.

If you've been there I would appreciate a report on the food and also on the hype level. If I'm the only one in the dining room who is NOT trying to be 'discovered' I'll wait five minutes until 'they' all go somewhere else.

[Carolyn Tillie]

Actually, whenever I had houseguests, this was the place THEY wanted to eat so they could watch people. That is all it is about. I hated it because even when I was a paltry size 8 or 10, I still felt horrendously fat next to the size 0 and 2 plastic women who frequent the neighborhood.

It was all about what shoes you were wearing, what bag you were carrying, talking loud enough on your cell phone to be thought of as talking to your manager about your next film, and the tan you were sporting.

One part of SoCal I do not miss...

edited to add -- the food is entirely inconsequential; if you ordered anything other than a spa salad (if you aren't already beeing ignored), those around you will look down on you in a way that is most discomforting.

Edited February 16, 2006 by Carolyn Tillie (log)

[BouchonIntern]

I haven't ate there, but I have worked with Chistopher in the past and find his attention to detail, obsession with quality, and immaculate taste to be amazing. If he is in the kitchen, which he is every evening, you are going to have a great meal.

[rjwong]

In the 9 Nov. 2005 edition of the LA Times Food Section, LA Times critic S. Irene Virbila gave her review on Wilshire restaurant in Santa Monica: Where scene meets cuisine. In the article, it seems as though the restaurant is working on curbing the bar scene.

moosnsqrl, although I've never been there, I'd say give it try, especially if curiousity gets the best of you. You may want to go on a weeknight instead of a weekend.

Carolyn, I thought Santa Monica residents tend to go to the gym, while the Beverly Hills residents tend to do the "plastic" thing (Isn't that stereotypical?).

[Carolyn Tillie]

Carolyn, I thought Santa Monica residents tend to go to the gym, while the Beverly Hills residents tend to do the "plastic" thing (Isn't that stereotypical?). 

←

There is inbreeding between the two groups, so one is never sure...

[moosnsqrl]

In spite of the vibe-alert, we did venture to Wilshire on a [relatively] recent Saturday night. If, as the LA Times article RJW alludes to up-thread holds forth, the owners are trying to curb the bar scene, I’m afraid they are losing the battle. We arrived promptly for our 8pm res and it was hopping, to say the least. Fortunately our table was ready so we didn’t have time to concern ourselves with the scene or the ‘seen’.

We had a lovely table in the patio area which was at-capacity but not at all oppressive. The weather was uncharacteristically cool and there was some concern about rain earlier in the day, but it had cleared-off by our appointed hour and the ubiquitous patio heaters kept the temp pleasant.

We brought wine and it was promptly retrieved, our water order taken and the server had returned with both, to pour and ask if we had questions, while we were still in the early stages of negotiating the menu . The only question we had was how the appetites of our eyes, stomachs and wallets could be reconciled. As is generally the case, we threw caution to the wind and figured we would atone for our gluttony and extravagance some other time.

I never met a beet I didn’t like (outside of a school cafeteria) and we had just been rhapsodizing about roasted beets over cocktails before dinner so when we eyed a 3-beet salad on the menu, it was a must-have. This version had no problem living up to our expectations, with golden, chioggia and a ‘strawberry’ variety (with which I was not familiar); simply and lightly dressed with a honey vinaigrette and some roasted hazelnut ‘sprinkle’ for texture. Very straight-forward and delicious.

The crispy poached egg with local bacon, lentils and tiny purple artichokes was an epiphany. Really. How can such simple, simple stuff be so breath-takingly flavorful? Makes me wonder why I ever eat anything fussy or complicated at all.

Lobster served on a ‘shingle’ of brioche, with just a hint of cinnamon followed. We were both fairly swooning at this point, not from volume but sheer pleasure.

Next a lovely piece of fresh halibut (which apparently just started running the week of my visit) came almost directly from the boat to our table, stopping only briefly in the kitchen where it was napped with some buttery-rich cannelinis. Again, simple but stunning.

And last but not least, an Australian Kobe* ribeye with chanterelles, potato puree and jus. [*I’ve taken to calling that style of beef from outside of its home province “Wagyu” but it is listed on the menu as Australian Kobe so please address your letters to the restaurant.] Call it what you will, it was a treat. I have resumed omnivorism fairly recently and this was a personal “bon courage” reaffirmation from the food gods. I still have internal conflicts about it all but I would have hated being a mere spectator for this dish.

I’m afraid we were too far gone for dessert at this point, so those curious about such things will have to do their own research (and exercise more moderation on the earlier courses than we were able to muster).

I wasn’t surprised to read (after I returned) that the manager here, Harvey Friend, was at Water Grill when we visited there some time ago. Everything just clicked – we never wanted for anything but neither did we feel like we were hovered-over. And everyone we encountered seemed to genuinely like what they were doing; a nice change from the all-too-frequent “I’m just waiting tables until I’m discovered” coolness in upscale LA-area restaurants.

Chef Christopher Blobaum and partners seem to have a very good thing going here. I am glad I braved the beau monde vibe and gave it a try. With food this good, we saw no reason to concern ourselves with what was going on anywhere but on our palates and that’s what will keep Wilshire going long after the glam seekers have moved on to their ‘next big thing’.

[dfunghi]

I have eaten at Wilshire several times and have not had a bad meal yet. Nor have I been looked at or down on by anyone. The bar scene is there it is true but it is not a see and be seen place without merit. I do not begrudge any restaurant a bar scene as long as they do not neglect the kitchen. Wilshire has both going simultaneously. I would not hesitate to recommend Wilshire , in fact I do recommend it a lot. The only knock is the service was a bit rushed.

D