Eclectic Kim Review: Chelsea

Dinner at Chelsea was a delicious affair of well designed Californian cuisine in an alluring atmosphere - in Santa Monica, California

The beauty about having a diverse network of friends from different backgrounds is that there is always something interesting to discuss and learn from our conversations. For dinner with Matt, I knew that the ensuring conversations about our respective summer travels, ceramics and photography needed the perfect backdrop of aesthetics and delicious food.

Since Ted had previously visited Chelsea with his partner and had raved about how they both loved it, it was essentially an uncomplicated “Yes, let’s try here!” Alongside Chelsea’s awesome DineLA menu? Yes, please!

Walking through the doors of the restaurant, I was absolutely delighted. The rich tones of golds, blues and neutral whites bathed my eyes of beauty. The plan was to enjoy happy hour at the bar and then move to a table for the DineLA menu. And I must say, the bar was very easy on the eyes.

All of my favorite liquors were aesthetically lined up before me. Now, you can truly tell the quality of a place by their selection of sourced items for libations. From High West Distillery’s Double Rye, Rendezvous and Bourbon to Monkey 47, their drink selection was perfect for someone with discerning tastes.

After an exchange of hellos and hugs, Matt and I took comfort at our seats at the bar. When Matt’s FENNEL WITHOUT A CAUSE (fords gin, fennel, bitter bianco, sparkling wine) arrived. I was blown away with how beautiful it was. When he let me taste a sip, I savored the pleasure on my tongue.

When my RYE ME A RIVER (Michters rye, chamomile ginger syrup, lemon, lo fi dry, rhubarb bitters) was presented before me, I delighted in the single flower bud, floating on the surface. Sure enough, my expertly crafted cocktail tasted even better than it looked.

Next out were the 1/2 DOZEN OYSTERS (lemon ginger mignonette). These Misty Point Oysters – from Lower Chesapeake Bay, Virginia – were small, easy to eat and had a delightful cucumber finish on the tongue. They reminded me of my favorite oyster, the Kumamoto.

The AHI TARTARE TACOS (sesame, chili oil, sriracha, crispy wonton shells, avocado) tasted fresh and delicious.

Now, I will admit, when Matt suggested the KIMCHI & PEACH GRILLED CHEESE (double cream brie, smoked gouda, kimchi, peach) I was skeptical. But, after the first bite, I wanted to order another round. It was a perfect combination of sweet and savory flavors.

Before I knew it, happy hour was over and it was time for us to move to our table for our dinner service.

Now, there are some smoked cocktail presentation experiences that are just phenomenal. I thought supplementing my CHELSEA “MANHATTAN” (bourbon, amaro, carpano antica, black walnut bitters, house brandied cherry, smoked cherry wood) with High West Distillery’s Bourbon was the main highlight of my cocktail.

Nope.

When my smoked drink arrived and the top was removed, the aura of the smoked cherry wood filled my nostrils with a guttural pleasure. It was perfect. So perfect that Matt ordered the same thing – so I could take a video.

Now, with the DineLA menus, I usually try and get the best bang for what I’m paying. So, I ordered the ALBACORE CEVICHE (com, coconut milk, chilis, mango, chips) to start. With this dish, I absolutely loved the mango with the large bites of albacore.

Since our waitress raved about the NEW ZEALAND SEABASS (baby bok choy, white rice, coconut lemongrass broth), I was extremely pleased to order it. It was a delicious.