Lovin’ this….oysters on the westside!
A downtown institution for seafood comes to Santa Monica
Long before a fascination with retro seafood dishes rolled over the city like a salty wave, Downtown’s Water Grill was the hands-down favorite for elegant surf-and-turf: chilled shrimp Louie salad ($26), bowls of garlicky cioppino ($32) brimming with shellfish and an impeccably fried plate of fish and chips ($26).
It’s no coincidence that L.A.’s two most prominent seafood chefs, Michael Cimarusti and David LeFevre, both spent time running Water Grill’s kitchen over the years before opening their own projects (Damon Gordon is currently at the helm).
Twenty-four years after its original debut, Water Grill has added a ritzy second location along Santa Monica’s Ocean Avenue, complete with panoramic seaside views, a burnished copper raw bar, puffy leather booths and schooner-inspired wall hangings.