We stopped by without looking into the reviews on our visit to the pier - and wow, am I glad we did!The atmosphere is cozy and it wasn't busy or crowded at all (around 7pm on a weekday). The server was friendly and attentive, and the owner (I think he was the owner at least) also stopped by to check in on us, and was clearly involved with the everyday running of the restaurant.The menu was unique without being too over the top, and everything we ordered was delicious. I ordered a kids meal PBJ to get a smaller portion size and it was perfect for me and only $9, and they cut the crust off which I thought was adorable. The full size portions are reasonable (not too much and not too little) and the prices are more than fair for how tasty everything was. The kids meal comes with standard heinz ketchup, but if you order the "adult" meal they give you ketchup that they make in-house. I was offered the homemade ketchup to swap if I wanted, since I am not a kid, which was nice of them to consider.I got a blackberry basil spritzer, which was a bit on the pricey side (I think $4 or $5) but it was delicious and a good non-alcoholic drink choice, which is often hard to find.Attached a few photos of my dinner (Blackberry PBJ kids meal and Blackberry Basil Spritzer) so you can get an idea of the portions.
The Curious Palate easily takes our top spot for best food in Santa Monica. It's located at a sunny, breezy spot at the top of the Santa Monica Place shopping center - and the restaurant's open design makes you feel like you're in a summer villa by the beach.The staff from the servers to the chefs to the owners are all extremely friendly and knowledgeable - you can feel how tight-knit and passionate they are about the food they serve.Now, about the food. It's hard to put a single label on what cusine they serve, spanning from the safe veggie wrap the the southern shrimp po'boy to the east Asian Banh Mi, the menu at once has it all and yet is quite short, with each item clearly crafted by an expert chef with love. I'm told that every ingredient is locally sourced and then made in-house, which would be an incredible feat.We ourselves started with the "nachos," and I can say that, for the first time, I can honestly say I found nachos "tasty." House-made chips were light with a satisfying crunch, incredibly fresh pico de gallo and guac lighten up the pork chili, and the combination of havarti and aged-cheddar just wrapped everything together perfectly (needless to say, we finished every bite).We then moved on to the entree, where we had the baja style fish tacos and the squash blossom. The fish tacos were, as you would expect, fresh and perfectly fried. However, the squash blossoms were particularly interesting. This consisted of light, flavorful goat cheese stuffed into squash blossoms (something I've never had before), lightly breaded, and fried. The result is this decadent, fun, and a little messy taco that we won't soon forget.For dessert, they have a variety of ice creams that they make in-house every day with fresh ingredients.We also got to try a number of their beers, hard ciders, and hard/soft kombuchas on tap. These were all locally sourced from California and amazing complements to the meal. We particularly liked the Local Roots hard kombucha, made from organic strawberry mint mojito, which had a light and refreshing body with only a small sour aftertaste from the fermentation.There is so much more we wish we could have tried at the Curious Palate, but, alas, our stomaches could only fit so much (we considered extending our trip an extra day just to eat here more!) If you've read to this point, what are you waiting for? Make your way over to The Curious Palate - you won't be disappointed.
The third floor of the Santa Monica Mall houses a unique culinary spot that features interesting and healthy fare at reasonable prices. My fat asparagus salad was a big hit due to both its size and flavor. It was so difficult to formulate a menu decision, and I regret not getting the peanut butter & jelly option that they offered (as a snack for the drive home). From a restaurant this remarkable, it might have been the best that I ever consumed.
This place is a hidden gem!! The food was ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS!! I went with my daughter randomly after reading some reviews and I am so glad we had dinner there!! First of all, everything is scratch made in house including the pasta and even the ICE CREAM....both were AMAZING! Secondly, the staff is very friendly and thoughtful. The restaurant is around the corner from The Cheesecake Factory and somewhat hidden...... but so worth those extra few steps!!!!
This place can be a little difficult to find - it's on the third floor of the Santa Monica Place Mall - but it's definitely worth the effort. Very tasty food made with quality ingredients and great service. You are likely to meet the owner personally!
Such an incredible find. Delicious and healthy with scrumptious and refined palate. We happened upon this but well worth seeking out. Great atmosphere and best meal we had in LA!
Our meal was delicious recommeded
We didn't know anything about this place, but it was one of the best restaurants in the area! The owner spent 8 years in France in another live and the menu reflects it! We ordered mac n cheese, brussels sprout, satay for starters...they were all excellent. We had Kale salad, steak frites, Salmon, pasta as main courses. Everything was so delicious and the produce was soo good! Almost everything was made at the restaurant and the owner goes to the framer's market everyday to shop! Highly recommended for a restaurant in a mall next to cheese cake factory, the curious palate is soo much better!!!
Hidden gem. Stumbled upon this place after Cheesecake Factory had a long wait. Food was very unique with lots of flavor. Will definitely visit again. Service could be improved.
Me and and my dad enjoy eating The Curious Palate Food because it is really good. The first time I tried Curious Palate meal was Banh Mi Sandwich which is good and healthy because you can choose which meat for your Banh Mi, The Second time I came there was I have the Tonkotsu Grass-Fed Beef Burger which is good, and now for my third time I have the Fried Shrimp Po’ Boy Sandwich which is really good. You can choose which side you want for Sandwich and Burgers only like French Fries, Spicy Kale Caesar, Almond Kale Salad, or Miso Slaw. I usually choose the Miso Slaw because it is Good and Healthy. They used to have the Veggie Burger but they don’t have it anymore because I saw a menu outside that said they have a Veggie Burger but that an Old Menu. So this is a good place for lunch.