Yes, the times, they are a-changing. Some of my favorite restaurants in Pacific Palisades are gone, likely forever. The Draycott closed even before the devastating fire, but that was no surprise. Although it was one of the most beautiful restaurants in the area, with a great patio shielded from the ocean breeze, they never hired a truly exceptional chef. Once, I was served what can only be described as the worst dish imaginable, a mushroom stroganoff. Thankfully, the Caruso Center was saved, and I hope the Caruso team will find a truly top-tier restaurant for that space, complete with an excellent chef.
Many restaurants have vanished, but surprisingly, many new ones have opened in Santa Monica. The Muse in Santa Monica Canyon is a small, beautiful restaurant with a great bar, a top-notch sommelier, and an authentic French menu. I'll review it soon once I've had the chance to taste more of their dishes. So far, it seems to answer my dreams of a French restaurant in the Canyon. I still miss Les Ange, with its memorable Pernod-infused lobster.
One of the best new restaurants in Santa Monica is Fitoor, located on Ocean near Olympic. Parking is an issue, but there's a parking lot nearby for those willing to walk a block or so. In all other respects, the restaurant is superb. However, I wouldn't categorize it strictly as Indian; its food has a fleeting connection to traditional Indian cuisine and an equal affinity for top French cooking. An example is their "gulab jamun crème brûlée," which is like a standard French crème
brûlée but vastly improved with small Indian fruits and an Indian-flavored sauce, perhaps rose water?
The pizza and risotto at Fitoor are excellent, though the pizza is only Indian if you order one with Indian toppings. The risotto rivals that of most Italian restaurants. The lamb shank is one of the best dishes, its sauce incredibly delicious yet only slightly reminiscent of Indian flavors. The chicken tikka doesn’t come with chunks of chicken but some modification I can’t describe; however, like all the sauces I tried, it was spectacular in texture and flavor. The Maryland soft-shell fried crab is nothing special but delicious, served with a dollop of spicy red sauce on the side. I didn't like the bok choy with coconut on the side, though. We loved the scallops with peanut butter salad.
It’s tough to write a comprehensive review of the food because the menu is too extensive to try out with just our group of four over three visits. There's so much we haven't tried that sounds wonderful.
This is a beautiful restaurant with an elegant bar full of exotic drinks and spacious rooms with high ceilings, making it quieter than most restaurants. We expect to visit at least once a month.
Lamb Shank at Fitoor
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Merv Hecht, like many Harvard Law School graduates, went into the wine business after law. In 1988, he began writing restaurant reviews and books. His latest book “The Instant Wine Connoisseur, 3rd edition” is available on Amazon. He currently works for several companies that source and distribute food and wine products internationally.
Please send your comments to: mervynhecht@yahoo.com
