Oct. 08--If you're attempting to keep up with the restaurant scene in L.A., lately you may have found yourself eating a lot of dinners west of the 405 Freeway. That's because more and more of the ciy's restaurants are opening in Santa Monica, where the board shorts are plentiful and so is the avocado toast. From Main Street to Montana Avenue, there's been an influx of new restaurants -- toast, yes, but also a place that puts squid ink in your cocktail and a farm-to-table diner. Here's a look at 10 of this year's new and notable openings.
Ashland Hill: This is a casual but trendy, order-at-the-counter-then-find-a-table restaurant by the crew behind Ox Son, Art's Table and the OP Cafe. The gorgeous patio makes for some prime people watching, and there's charred shishito mac-and-cheese and falafel with sesame labneh on the menu. And the plating is as Instagram-worthy as food gets. 2807 Main St., Santa Monica, (310) 392-3300, www.ashlandhill.com
Aestus: At the base of the Arezzo residential building, this is where chef Alex Ageneau, formerly of the Royce at the Langham Hotel in Pasadena, is making skate wing schnitzel for lunch and grilled lamb chops with polenta and plums for dinner. Aestus is one of those restaurants that's perfect for multiple occasions, including a first date, business meeting or anniversary dinner. 507 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica, (424) 268-4433, www.aestusrestaurant.com
Belcampo Meat Co.: If you're craving a cheeseburger, one of the best sherry cocktails in the city and a package of lamb chops to cook the next day, this is the place. There's no shortage of red meat on the menu, cocktail whiz Josh Goldman is mixing the drinks and there's a full-service butcher shop in front. 1026 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica, (424) 744-8008, www.belcampomeatco.com
Cassia: At Bryant Ng's new restaurant, the flatbread comes with garlic and lemongrass snails, you can order a bowl of laksa and Times restaurant critic Jonathan Gold is a fan of the pot-au-feu. And the charcuterie board is the most unusual in town, with house-made Vietnamese herb-spiked salami, lamb and whipped fatback. 1314 7th St., Santa Monica, (310) 393-6699, cassiala.com
Esters: This is the neighborhood's new go-to wine shop, the place to stop in for a glass of wine and a light snack on a comfy patio. It's one of the newest Rustic Canyon Group restaurants, with food by Jeremy Fox -- think melted raclette with Weiser Family Farms potatoes -- and about 250 wines, chosen by Kathryn Weil Coker. 1314 7th St., Santa Monica, (310) 899-6900, www.esterswineshop.com
Estate: The Parlor has been transformed into Estate, a swanky restaurant with white brick walls and plush leather booths. On the menu? Seemingly almost everything, including Japanese ramen, pad Thai, fried rice, a burger and roasted jalapend piquillo hummus with queso fresco. There's also a cocktail called Estate of Mind, made with gin, squid ink, dry vermouth and grenadine. 1519 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica, (310) 394-7722, www.estate1519.com
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Herringbone: This seafood-forward restaurant has nautical rope hanging from the light fixtures and a whole fish ceviche on the menu, served with the head and tail on the plate. The bar makes for a lively happy-hour spot at sunset, and the Grow a Pear cocktail, made with cucumber-infused gin and jalapewill have your lips tingling in between oysters. 1755 Ocean Ave., Santa Monica, (310) 971-4460, www.herringboneeats.com
Hinterland: You may or may not pass this restaurant a couple of times before realizing that the open dining room with little signage -- the one full of attractive, well-dressed couples sipping wine -- is the right place. Here, the shrimp and grits comes with shishito peppers, the avocado toast is topped with house-smoked salmon and ex-boy band member Joe Jonas is one of the investors. 2917 Main St., Santa Monica, (310) 399-0805, www.hinterland.la
Ingo's Tasty Diner: This is not your average diner but a farm-to-table diner in the former Callahan's space on Wilshire Boulevard. Because it's a farm-to-table diner (by the folks who brought you La Grande Orange and the Luggage Room), the burgers are made with Strauss grass-fed beef and the BLT comes with Maine lobster and Nueske's bacon. On the cocktail menu? All the classics. 1213 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica, (310) 395-4646, www.ingostastydiner.com
Ox Son: Sure, there's beef tartare, Brussels sprouts and avocado toast on the menu, but chef and partner Brad Miller is doing things his way. The tartare is served with truffled egg, soy, apple, onion and sesame (think bulgogi); the avocado toast comes with radish and nutty Pecorino; and the Brussels sprouts are crispy and tart, with an apple cider gastrique. Make sure you save room for the house-made coffee cake. 1534 Montana Ave., Santa Monica, (310) 829-3990, www.oxandson.com.
jenn.harris@latimes.com
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