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Review content:
When I first heard about this restaurant, I was skeptical. Almost all of the reviews were quite favorable, so I had to try it out for myself. Finding this restaurant was a ""mini adventure"" in itself, it's on a busy Santa Monica Blvd and located in a mini-mall. The restaurant is tucked away in the corner, the big arrow indicates where the restaurant is. Upon entering the restaurant, you will be pleasantly surprised by it's decor, the interior looks like it should belong inside a boutique hotel or restaurant row in Beverly Hills. There are not a lot of tables, so the restaurant gets filled up quickly. When we got there all the tables were occupied, so we ate at the bar, which was fine. In addition to it's unlikely location, what makes this ""hole in a wall"" such a gem is the great food. My wife ordered the Caesar Salad and a side of sauteed brown rice, and I ordered from the ""Small"" section of the menu: Crispy Fried Calamari (w/ wasabi aioli), Kurobota Pork Belly and a side of fries. The fries came with garlic aioli, and it's not too crispy (which I like), it's seasoned with salt and parsley, one of the best fries I've ever had. The Fried Calamari was crispy and quite delectable, and my entree, the Pork Belly was in a word, superb. Dont be fooled by the ""Small"" label, the portions are quite the opposite. To finish the meal, my wife and I shared the Chocolate De Creme (infused with Brandy), which was quite good, not too overpowering. Overall, I cannot say enough good things about this place. This is officially one of my favorite restaurants in LA. I told my wife: ""We should definitely add this to our rotation"". Oh, and by the way, the service was great too. If you read a negative review, dont listen to them...I'm picky about restaurants...you wont be disappointed.
Pros: Delicious food, great and unassuming service, not expensive
Cons: Gets easily packed on the weekends (being nit picky)
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