Tags
Ad Hoc, Addendum, Bouchon, Bouchon Bakery, Bruce Kalman, burgers, cocktails, Food Network, French Laundry, Grass Fed, Happy Hour, James Beard, LGO, LGO Hospitality, Meatloaf, Mick Magsino, Paso Prime, Per Se, Santa Monica, Santa Monica Patch, The Misfit, Thomas Keller
How Santa Monica’s “Speakeasy” Eatery Inspires Me To Eat My Veggies
The other night, I unexpectedly popped into The Misfit Restaurant + Bar in Santa Monica – and felt like I fit in right away.
To start, I ordered “The Misfit Dip Plate” which was a “not-your-father’s” hummus and Turkish muhammara (a pepper dip) along with very fresh Santa Monica Farmers Market veggies. The veggies were so fresh and crazy good that I’m newly inspired to “eat my veggies.” Meantime, the dips were also spectactularly delish.
With just this small sampling of the menu, I knew it was something special. I asked the waitress if the restaurant was on Twitter … she checked and came back with a card which had The Misfit’s Twitter handle on it (@TheMisfitSaMo). She said the Chef wanted to stop by to say hello. Wow – my first time at his place and I already felt like Norm from Cheers!
Chef Bruce then stopped by and cheerily greeted us. He gave me his card with his Twitter (@ChefBKalman) and explained why the veggies are so incredible there … that he frequently shops the SM Farmers Market. He told us he had worked as a chef in NYC and Chicago previously but didn’t tell us some of the other interesting highlights (which I saw on the website):
- Prior to becoming a chef, he played in a metal band in the ’80s and opened for … wait for it … Meatloaf!
- He’s been featured on the Food Network
- He was nominated for a James Beard Award for “Up & Coming Chef in the Midwest”
After chatting with Chef Bruce, “The Misfit burger” arrived. In my opinion, it’s one of the best in LA. Its secret may be the grass fed “Paso Prime” beef which The Misfit grinds themselves. As they say on their menu, “Paso Prime beef is tasty, organic, grass fed, and really good for you.”
This is the kind of experience that sneaks up on you … one by one, each menu item screams out, “Hey! Are you taking notes? Taking pics? Because you are going to want to blog about me!!”
Beyond the food, I think its secret is the warm hospitality – perhaps beginning with the General Manager, Kate Houser, who spent 5 years at Thomas Keller‘s Bouchon in Napa prior to her current role. As a foodie who’s followed Chef Keller and his bastion of first-in-class restaurants (The French Laundry, Per Se, Bouchon Bistro, Bouchon Bakery, Ad Hoc – and, most recently, Addendum which is set to open June 30th), I can tell you that food, wine, and hospitality training from one of his establishments is second-to-none.
LGO Hospitality launched The Misfit on April 28th of this year. It’s open every day, noon through “late”. Clearly, they’re welcoming the value conscious as they have Happy Hour every day from 12 noon – 7:00pm! Definitely the best Happy Hour hours in town. Pricing is solid too … I really enjoyed the $5 glass of the Happy Hour white wine they offered. Blogger Mick Magsino (SantaMonicaPatch) agrees about the value saying it’s a great menu at reasonable prices.
Overall, I consider The Misfit to be a perfect fit for the Santa Monica dining scene – and me. Follow them on Twitter (@TheMisfitSaMo and @ChefBKalman) … or better yet, visit them in person sometime soon (near 2nd & Santa Monica Blvd. in the former Anisette location).