IDG (Innovative Dining Group) borrowed a concept developed by Nobu Masuhisa and whittled down the prices and came up with Sushi Roku, which opened up in West Hollywood in the late nineties. They then expanded by opening BOA Steakhouse, Katana and other venues. BOA Steakhouse is a California vision of a New York Steakhouse, which means it is more feminine and more casual.

Market Hours: Mon thru Sat: 9-9, Sun: 9-8
Café Hours: Mon thru Sat: 11-9, Sun: 11-8

Since 1939 Santa Monica Seafood has operated a retail store in Santa Monica, California to service the needs of residents and restaurants in the West Los Angeles and South Bay areas. They started retailing on the Santa Monica pier more than 70 years ago. About 30 years ago they were asked to relocate off the pier and now are situated in their newest location at the southeast corner of Wilshire Boulevard and 10th Street in Santa Monica. Aside from the cashier’s more pleasant and relaxed attitude, the new store and cafe boasts some outstanding features:

• More than 60 linear feet of state of the art seafood refrigerated cases, which maintain the seafood at optimum temperatures and allow customers to get a close-up look at all of the seafood available
• A full service café offering a wide selection of fresh seafood dishes for lunch and dinner. You can take away or feel free to sit down and join us for great grilled fresh seafood, soups, sandwiches, salads, beer, wine and more
• An Oyster Bar featuring fresh raw oysters and clams, steamed lobsters and crabs and many other seafood favorites
• A greatly expanded wine selection offering some of the best wines from around the world, and cheeses from some of the best producers in the world

R&D Kitchen is a very popular cafe and bar, with a no reservations policy. the large bar is chock-a-block at night with an animated crowd waiting for tables. The reasons for this are:  it is the only establishment on Montana Avenue with a full liquor license, and has an abbreviated food menu with classic American comfort food which is always fresh and well executed, and a more than adequate wine/wine by glass list.

“Rubenesque” sandwichChinese Chicken SaladR&D HamburgerGreek Chicken

225 Santa Monica Blvd., Santa Monica,
(310) 395-3200;
www.anisettebrasserie.com

CLOSED!

Anisette has just opened its doors! I hope that finally, Los Angeles will have an authentic French Brasserie. I am holding my judgment and holding my breath until more news comes out, or when I can arrange to go there personally after it has settled down and is up to speed. I am excited, although if it is swayed by the California beach set and winds up to be another American watered down version of the real thing, my excitement will wane quickly. We have Alain Giraud at the helm, and he should certainly know what is expected of a true Alsatian Brasserie however, partners and beach people can have a defining influence to sway it in another direction. It might stand a better chance of acceptance, of pulling-off the real thing, if it were located in the West Hollywood/Hollywood area where the clientèle are a bit more savy about knowing and appreciating true authenticity.
I suppose we must just wait and see
what the final result of this brasserie will be
and certainly the result will not emerge immediately . . . what a shame, it is now closed