Marina Andalon
This month The Albright will not just be celebrating the New Year but also their 40th anniversary and owners Greg and Yunnie Morena are taking pride in their title as the longest running restaurant on the Santa Monica Pier.
When the restaurant opened in 1977 it was named Santa Monica Pier Seafood, and owned and by Yunnie’s parents who emigrated to the U.S. from Korea.
Yunnie and Greg, both Santa Monica natives took over the family business in 2013 as Yunnie’s mother felt it was her time to retire and pass down the family business. Since then the couple modernized the look, but still able to preserve the original atmosphere. They felt the need for a new name and decided on, The Albright, referring to the nautical Albright Knot, which symbolizes two generations of a local family business.
Greg and Yunnie both learned a lot from her mother, Mrs. Kim. Greg mentions that the restaurant is going on 40 years because of the solid foundation she formed and because of the family and friends who helped the restaurant grow.
This month The Albright will be paying homage to the year of the original opening of the restaurant, by offering $19.77 specials throughout the month. They will be offering their famous Spicy Seafood Soup to Fish n’ Chips. Each dish has a unique take on the original recipe that was once on the menu in 1977.
“I recommend the Spicy Seafood Soup, it is a classic,” said Greg. “Mrs. Kim made this soup back in the day when the restaurant was fairly new, and she is known for making this dish delicious and spicy so we are bringing some of those flavors this classic soup.”
Yunnie and Greg both enjoy serving a delicious meal but also staying committed to sustainably caught seafood, and locally sourced ingredients. They serve daily caught fish as well as locally sourced and organic ingredients from the Santa Monica Farmers Market and Santa Monica Seafood.
“When I was at John Adams I remember the school putting in the blue trash cans. Obviously at first we joke around about the color of the trash cans but in reality it was the city’s leadership that began to teach me about being eco-conscious,” said Greg. “I grew up around the ocean and it has become instilled in me to be aware of what is happening to our ocean, and being able to serve people fresh and sustainable food.”
The Albright is the only business on the pier to achieve a Green Business Certification and he family’s commitment to sustainability extends beyond their own business. They are part of the Sustainable Committee working to make the entire Pier more eco-friendly.
“The 40 year anniversary is exciting and we are truly thankful for everyone’s support and we want to use this as a platform to not only serve delicious, and fresh food but also preach about sustainability,” said Greg.
For the future, the company looks to build on its current success. After securing the rights to use Popeye, also a Santa Monica native, in their marketing, the restaurant hopes to launch a new Popeye summer apparel collection and the family would like to expand the business beyond Santa Monica’s borders.
The Albright 40th Anniversary Throwback Menu:
Jan 1-10: Spicy Seafood Soup with fresh clams, mussels, cod, langoustine, squid, shrimp and jasmine rice $19.77
Jan 11- Jan 20: Calamari Appetizer with spicy chipotle aioli & New England Clam Chowder in our sourdough bread bowl $19.77
Jan 21- 31: A Cup of New England Clam Chowder, Fish n’ Chips Special, Small Fountain Soda, Fresh Homemade Cookie $19.77
For more information you can call The Albright (310) 394-9683 or visit http://thealbright.com.
