The Shore Hotel in Santa Monica, built on the site of two former motels, opened in 2011 as a modern boutique hotel. Granted there were a few hiccups in its initial development, but now it is a LEED Gold (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified property that has become a familiar sight when taking a scenic stroll along Ocean Avenue.
It consists of two, 4-story buildings connected by a three-story glass bridge with 164 luxury rooms and four levels of subterranean parking for 294 cars. High-end exterior finishes such as stainless steel panels, Trespa Meteon façade cladding, point-supported glass walls and integral color plaster accentuate the hotel’s unique architecture and ocean-front setting.
Unknown to many, which is a credit to CEO and Co-Owner Jon Farzam and his team, the hotel has been undergoing some significant upgrades over the past 12 months. Yes, it’s been impossible to not notice the construction crews working just beyond the front desk, but the actual extent of change is vastly understated.
The gym has been transformed into a conference room and business center. The Shore is now partnering with John Reed Fitness, currently at 1202 3rd Street Promenade, so that every guest has access to that facility.
The main corridor leading from the concierge has also been remodeled with a very tasteful, light wood look and feel, an aesthetic that continues into the main dining area. Then there’s a brand new bar that shares its space simultaneously inside and outside, on either side of a glass partition that continues the line of the exterior wall. The counter even features a touch charging function actually integrated into the marble, so you can charge your mobile devices just by having them next to you.
Then there’s the kitchen. And this is the part of the project that Executive Chef Todd Bohak, a graduate of the Art Institute of Los Angeles in Santa Monica, is particularly proud of. “It’s an all-electric kitchen now,” he said, adding. “We're running electric grills, electric flat tops and electric fryers.” All that plus electric induction cooking tops and a ventless, turbo hood fan too.
The truly remarkable thing is that until very recently, while this considerable challenge was being completed, the restaurant food was being cooked and prepared in a modified trailer at the back of the hotel.
The 76-cover restaurant will now feature closer to 120 covers, with more tables being added to the outside area and closer to the sidewalk to emulate a more lively, European-style street dining experience.
“We're going to be creating ‘cabana packages’ that will include food and drinks [and] bottles of wine or champagne as we see fit,” said Conrad Gass, Director of Food and Beverages. “We've just about doubled the number we used to have plus additional day beds that are going to be fitted [together with] this new, shiny, amazing bar. It's technically considered two, because it's split down the middle by a big sheet of glass.”
The menu will also be different and both Bohak and Farzam plan to keep it seasonal with changes being made every three months or so, but when it officially opens in just a few weeks the following will be on offer.
For an appetizer, diners can choose from the Burrata Ovoline or a Rainbow Beet Salad. The former consists of 4oz of BelGioioso burrata cheese, tri-color baby tomatoes, fresh herb salad, pine nuts, balsamic glaze and extra virgin olive oil. The latter is made up of heirloom baby beets, Persian cucumber, frisée, purple radish, pickled red onion, hazelnuts and creamy feta dressing.
It’s great to see burrata cheese becoming more mainstream and the characteristic zing provided by the balsamic glaze, together with the pine nuts, made this an instant favorite.
“We're using a lot of organic, sustainably sourced and locally sourced products as much as possible so we can craft delicious creations, perfect for each season,” Bohak said.
For the entree, guests can choose from the Wild Mushroom Truffled Risotto, Seared Pacific Sockeye Salmon or Domestic Lamb Chops. The vegetarian option includes farmer’s market mushrooms, parmigiano reggiano and fresh herbs. The fish offering includes forbidden black rice, grilled broccolini and lemon cream sauce and it’s cooked with coconut ginger and lemongrass. Finally, the Sonoma-sourced 8oz bone-in lamb chops are presented with scalloped potatoes, sauté spinach and rosemary demi.
The salmon was cooked to perfection and the lemon cream sauce left a pleasant zesty after-taste. The lamb was accompanied by a gentle drizzle of rosemary and cabernet bordelaise, which was a heavenly sensation, combining rich and savory flavors.
And to round off the menu, a choice of Grand Marnier Créme Chantilly and Mixed Berries or Affogato, an Italian dessert comprising a scoop of vanilla gelato, topped with hot espresso and a shot of liqueur.
Farzam said that there isn’t a hard opening date just yet, but it’s very close now. He’s very excited to see the modifications go live as business has suffered in 2025.
“We had a lot of cancellations in January. Shortly after the fires broke out, we went back down to Covid levels and a 10 or 15% occupancy level. It hurt us a lot,” Farzam said. But he’s optimistic and even plans a big opening party. With these timely improvements, it’s easy to see why and they will almost certainly pay dividends as we head at flank speed straight at tourist season.
The Shore Hotel is located at 1515 Ocean Ave. For more information, visit shorehotel.com and on Instagram at @shorehotelsm and @shoresidesantamonica.
scott.snowden@smdp.com
