While rooftop pools seem to be all the rage, one Santa Monica hotel has dedicated its Penthouse space for a Hollywood-style supper club overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Designed by LA's Thomas Schoos, interior-architect of Koi and Tao Las Vegas, the space is an all-white playground mixing elements of '40s Hollywood with modern wood-block paneling and quartz votives. A persnickety receptionist in little black dress divides restaurant patrons between two back dining rooms and few tables scattered around the circular marble bar perfect those that like a bit of cruising during their meals. The room is lined in glass windows overlooking panoramic city and oceans views with circular booths and freestanding cabanas available for larger, or just better connected, parties. Weeknights are a quieter scene of happy hour revelers and hotel guests enjoying the hip upscale vibe, weekends are wilder with a mature set of local singles filling the dining room to standing room only.
The Food
Meals begin with a waiter making rotations through the dining room with selection of three different homemade breads. A lengthy wine list is combined with a decent cocktail menu of fruit beach drinks. Appetizers mix Japanese elements like Yellowtail sashimi with jalapeno and more traditional tuna-tartare served in a hallowed-out avocado. Traditional salads like the Cobb and Caesar are better than the white tomato gazpacho served in a watery lime broth. Entrees are more steakhouse than we’d expect, with sizeable New York strip steak, fillet mignon and pork chop attracting the most attention. A bevy of sides are hard to overlook especially the Parmesan chips, onion rings and chili-lime corn that are perhaps the best thing on the menu.
Last Word
From the designer of NYC’s Tao and Koi, Thomas Schoos creates a Hollywood-inspired eatery located in on the rooftop of a Santa Monica design hotel.
