Taberna Arroz y Vi in Santa Monica: Fantastic Seafood Paella and Meatballs Washed Down with Red Pepper Sangria but Avoid the Flan

It seems like I've been on a tapas-ramen kick these days. If I'm not posting on the virtues of a tonkotsu ramen broth, I'm raving about a paella. It's tapas time again at Taberna Arroz y Vi in Santa Monica! I liked the seafood paella and had mixed reviews of the tapas. The croquetas were fried to perfection into perfect round balls. What I didn't love were the potatoes with chorizo bits in them. The flavors and textures didn't meld well for me. I love potatoes and chorizo individually but paired this way it didn't work.

My favorite tapa was the meatballs. I usually don't like meatballs because they are often dry and too dense but the caramelized onions in these little numbers made them very moist and soft. 

The seafood paella was excellent. It had giant mussels on steroids, shrimp, calamari and a first, crab. The mussels were delicious and crab meat gave the dish a slightly sweet I'd never tasted before in a paella. I would definitely return for this. My dining partner and I ended up scraping the last bits of toasted rice left on the pan, guarding it closely whenever our server tried to clear it. 

I liked their sangria varieties although the drinks were too watered down with ice. The red pepper sangria was surprisingly refreshing and delicious made out of chardonnay but props for creativity. 

The octopus carpaccio had an interesting presentation reminiscent of some kind of octopus terrine. It was light but not sure how Spanish or flavorful it was. Behold this cooking magazine-worthy money shot by our very own CTG. 

The least memorable tapa was the piquillo peppers stuffed with tuna. I love me some piquillo peppers but they were just boring and not anything to write home about. Will have to pimp it up when I have the single leftover pepper at home. 

Perhaps the biggest disappointment and slap in the face was the flan dessert. It was far too dense and overly sweet. All wrong once again. The berries on top weren't even fresh. I could go on. 

It is owned by the same owner as Lazy Ox Canteen, which I love. Overall a decent place to go if you find yourself by the beach but not sure I'd go out of my way to go. Maybe for that paella... 

Pono Burger in Santa Monica: Sweet Potato Chips and Pickled Ginger in Your Burger, What? It Works.

After hearing raves about Pono Burger, this burger fiend couldn't resist trekking over there to see for myself. It was billed as a Hawaiian or Asian take on burgers. The re-purposed barn space and eclectic rustic farm decor were very cool if it weren't for the fact that the chairs were somewhat uncomfortable and it was cold. The burger was excellent, which is saying a lot because I had a specialty burger called Sassy Wahine.

The best thing about it was the patty, which was moist and flavorful and cooked perfectly medium rare. I so appreciate that since I've had to take back numerous overcooked burgers the past few times I ordered them elsewhere. The bun was fresh, soft and warm, just the way it should be. The works were interesting and included Okinawan sweet potato chips, pea shoots, pickled ginger (you know, the delightfully vinegar-y thinly sliced kind you get with your sushi), avocado and wasabi mayo, all drizzled with a sesame ponzu dressing.

Whatever happened to the basic cheeseburger, you ask? I'm with you. I normally don't like complicated burgers with mile-long descriptions. However, for all its descriptors, this burger worked. The crunch from the chips gave it another interesting dimension and the ginger didn't overpower despite some initial concerns. Then we had the creamy avocado and the freshness from the pea shoots. I thought there could have been fewer pea shoots but I won't hold it against this otherwise stellar burger.

I could barely taste the wasabi mayo or sesame ponzu sauce but I didn't necessarily miss them. Better than having them overpower other parts of the burger. There were some complaints online about small portions but I thought it was just right. Now, the fries were a tad disappointing. We got both the sweet potato and regular potatoes that came out with garlic aioli dipping sauces. I just wanted the fries to match the caliber of the burger. They could have been crispier and hotter.

We treated ourselves with some seriously decadent shakes for semi-dessert, including the salted caramel (is there a restaurant that doesn't have this trendy item on the menu these days? I'm not complaining) sprinkled with bacon bits (another trend that's old but extremely tolerable -- oh, and they're from Niman Ranch) and strawberry.

They were both very good but not sure I could have finished one by myself. The salted caramel got too sweet for its own good after a few scoops even after being tempered by the salty bacon bits. The strawberry was good but again, too filling for one person.

Free parking is a good service. I would definitely return to try the other burgers or create my own and check out their wine and beer selection. This is a winner.

Stella Barra Pizza Bar: Solid Margherita Pizza, Salad and Service

It's been hard finding a good pizza joint in LA so I was happy to run into Stella Barra Pizza Bar in Santa Monica. It wasn't hard to find a table like at Pizzeria Mozza, which is good but I don't like to go through so much hassle for a simple slice of Margherita Pizza. And the slice was far more satisfying than that at Olio Pizzeria, which wasn't half bad but somehow I haven't returned for its pies and I suspect it's because I'm still in my quest for a slice reminiscent of those thin, super light beauties I had in Naples and as a matter fact, any old pizzeria in Bologna.

I've always confused the name of this place as Stella Rossa, which is a cheap winery that plasters its name on freeway billboards. Apparently I'm not alone because some message boards still called it Stella Rossa -- further compounding the confusion. We sat at the bar as we didn't have reservations.

The Margherita pizza was thin and light with just the right amount of cheese and tomato s it wasn't too heavy. What I liked most was the crust -- crunchy and soft at the same time with the right amount of saltiness upon every bite and bubbles formed on the edges. I usually leave the edges of crust on my plate but I ended up eating all of it (albeit there being another reason for it -- more on that later).

We started with the spinach and purple kale salad that came with Pecorino Romano cheese, dates and radishes in a light dressing. It was just what we needed before diving into the less healthy main course. My only complaint is that I wish the greens had been cut smaller so we wouldn't have to open our mouths as wide as when we visit the dentist. It was unwieldy, as refreshing as it was.

For our second pie, we got the prosciutto with three different cheeses (Mozarella, Pecorino Romano and Gruyere) and an egg. Needless to say, this pizza had me at egg. I can never resist having an egg oozing out of anything, especially pizzas. We tried it in thin crust and immediately regretted it when we took a bite. It was beyond thin crust. It wasn't a pizza anymore. It was a flat bread. And when the egg yolk didn't complement the ham and cheeses, the entire pie was far too salty. That's where the crust from the other pizza came in and helped to temper the sodium overload. I wouldn't get it extra thin again.

It's my dream breakfast -- just add a nice cappuccino and I'm set.

Service was good. We later moved to a table when the room had somewhat cleared. Our server was  attentive and friendly. She was all great except for the fact that she gave us the check before we asked for it. We first thought it was because she had to leave but in fact she didn't as she was around when we walked out.

Parking is a bit tight. You have to park at the very limited retail spots in the lot below as most of them are reserved for apartment dwellers that's part of the same complex.

I was stoked to see a Hollywood one recently opened. Will have to try that out soon.