Located inside the Santa Monica Fairmont Chef Ray Garcia and Fig Restaurant are serving up a killer local twist on Mediterranean cooking in a very chill, tropically existential atmosphere. An array of microbrews, signature cocktails and great noshes are only a few of the reasons to choose Fig. The staff is extremely helpful; the waiters are attentive, the cheese guy knowledgeable, the sommelier loves to drink and the chefs take pride in the fact that the food is straight from local farms and ocean which you can see through the wide glass windows that slide open to let in the cool sea air.

One of the highlights is the happy hour. It comes fast and if you cant keep up you might just get wiped out and pushed aside. Weeknights from 5:00PM – 6:00PM they offer 50% menu items and signature cocktails; Cucumber Lemonade with Vodka, a Beet Root Margarita that will have you coming back from more and the signature Fig Mojito with house made fig preserves. The drinks are only tiny pillars in the epic adventure of Fig however. Fig is a popular night spot down in Santa Monica where people come to get loose and inhibit those good decision makers!

The menu is packed with so many appy’s it will make you think your seeing double (which you probably are after the hour you spent drinking with that girl at the bar)! It contains incredible dishes like the signature “Bacon Wrapped Bacon” which is a delicious pan seared pork belly wrapped with thick applewood smoked bacon, it is served with sliced local heirloom tomatoes and lettuce much like a deconstructed BLT. Other menu staples include Chicken and Prosciutto Cakes, Bleu Cheese Stuffed Honey Dates, and Pacific Mussels with Tomato and Tarragon broth that is so good you have to soak up every last drop with the house baked rolls they pump out.

One of their specialties are the cheese platters they offer a variety of exotic cheese like bleu, goat and Camambert that they import from Scotland and Ireland to local dairies around California. You can order cheeses by themselves or you could do flights categorized as Progressive, Local, Blue Veined, Challenging and Rare.

Star entrees include the Beet Risotto which is a remarkable red color and has the perfect balance of salty and sweet. The hand Harvested Scallops are meaty and delicious, cooked with ham hock which adds a really nice smoky aroma. The pasta dish is a Pumpkin Tortellini with Sage that is out of this word! The hearty winter time flavors are great on a cool Santa Monica night. They also offer thick pieces of New York Strip and Filet Mignon accompanied by bleu cheese butter and the crispiest potato frittes I have ever had.

For dessert try the FIG Bar, a literal adaptation of a Fig Newton but made with fresh locally grown figs and a fresh baked crust. Topped with Greek Yogurt Ice Cream that is made in house and adds a great cool creamy component to the warm Fig Bar without being overwhelmingly sweet. If you are craving something a little harder the Chocolate Pot au Creme is warm and gooey, much like if a chocolate cake and a hot chocolate had a threesome with a scoop of chocolate ice cream!

Hope that is enough to get you excited to go try Fig! The breakfast menu is outstanding as well, but that is a whole other article. So go enjoy some delicious food in a really chill atmosphere and get down on some good times because Fig is one place where the bar is always wet and the food is always fresh.

Reservations and read more at www.figsantamonica.com.

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