Can You Fig It

My fiancée, Cassie and I had the great pleasure of trying out Fig, the new restaurant in the Fairmont Hotel and Bungalows on Wilshire in Santa Monica. Upon entering Fig’s space, there was an immediate sense of calm and relaxation. The decor is simple and cozy. The tables aren’t cluttered with extraneous glass or tableware. The sea-striped banquette along one wall evoked a Paris bistro, and the well-attired waitstaff was attentive but not fussy. Our waiter, Alain, came over to our semiprivate, curtained booth promptly to inform us of the specials and get us drinks. He immediately began an evening of unexpected but well-informed suggestions when he brought over two glasses of a sparkling shiraz aperitif. As we looked through the menu, we could see that chef Ray Garcia indeed would cook anything he felt was the freshest and best available, as I looked over dishes ranging from Jidori chicken and Muscovy duck leg to braised tongue and Kurobuta tenderloin. Alain recommended the tongue for me, and a chicken-liver parfait for Cassie, a surprising choice with such crowd pleasers as New York strip and Maine diver scallops on offer as well.

Alain’s gut instinct was spot-on. The first course was a well-portioned opening act to our meal. Cassie’s parfait was light, earthy and was well contrasted by crisp toast points and large-grain artisan salt. The tongue was a less familiar dish to me though, from what I tasted, was cooked perfectly.  Braised slowly, the meat was fork-tender and succulent. Its decadent flavor was well cut by the acidity of the tomatillo salsa on top. For our main courses Cassie and I played it a little safer. She went with the John Dory while I had the venison.  The fish was cooked to perfection, with a well-crisped outer skin sealing in the moist meat. The venison was cooked equally well, and a touch of juniper added a lovely bitter note to the sweetness of the meat. For dessert, we enjoyed a chocolate pot-au-crème and the restaurant’s signature fig bars. All in all, the food kept us on our toes, the conversation with Alain was welcome and entertaining, and the experience as a whole was very enjoyable. Fig is a fresh and happy addition to Santa Monica’s beachfront offerings. Because Chef Garcia scours the local farmers’ market every weekend and uses only the freshest ingredients, some items mentioned in this piece may not be offered on the menu when you visit. (310.319.3111, www.figsantamonica.com)