Restaurant: Wilshire
Location: 2454 Wilshire Boulevard Santa Monica, CA 90403-5823. (310) 586-1707
Date: July 23, 2011
Cuisine: New Californian
Rating: Solid
Wilshire is a New American in the heart of inland Santa Monica. They belong to the approachable ingredient driven California style popular in recent years (the older LA styles being “asian fusion” and “80s eclectic”).
The unassuming frontage (really sideage) conceals a rather extensive interior with a big bar space and a lovely outside patio. Their website has an up to to date menu.
“Art basil. kanon organic vodka, muddled grapes, basil, lime, ginger ale.” Pretty tasty.
A beet, burrata, and tomato salad with a bit of pesto and balsamic.
“Bacon and eggs. speck, housemade ricotta, poached egg, frisee.” This was a tasty combo, although the egg was just a touch underdone. This is a tricky balance as I like the yolk totally liquid but the white pretty well cooked.
“Scottish salmon. salsify, sprouting broccolini, king trumpet mushrooms, meyer lemon.”
“Braised shortrib. mascarpone polenta, swiss chard, romesco.” A classic short rib combo, as this kind of heavy meat is usually paired with a starch like mashed potatoes, polenta, or risotto. In this case it was the beef gravy that made the polenta, as it often does.
Part of the patio.
The patio bar.
One of the two interior rooms.
I haven’t sampled Wilshire in enough depth to form a really solid opinion. I like the patio area and the food I had was quite tasty, although it didn’t blow me away. Perhaps it seems just a tad too typical New Cal Cuisine. It’s also a hair over priced, but we certainly had a good meal here.