“I wonder if I look weird to everyone else in this restaurant.”

That was the thought that ran through my mind as I sat alone, by myself, with no one at my table in Margo’s in Santa Monica. To the left of me was a table of women gabbing, to my right was a couple on their second date that looked like it would lead to a third, and in front of me was a family enjoying their dinner. All around me were tables full of people and I was alone. Was I sad? Definitely not; sitting alone meant I had all the table space a food blogger could ask for. However, I did wonder if I looked sad to others. That’s one of the problems when you’re dining by yourself in a beautiful restaurant—you always look like the early years of a spinster.

As much as I didn’t care about being alone, it gave me the chance to scope the restaurant uninterrupted. It was so nice. Large windows, beautiful dim lighting, and an elegant bar were just a few parts of the new restaurant in Santa Monica that made me happy to be here. It didn’t take long for the waitress to come to my table and walk me through Margo’s menu. While she pointed out a few key dishes, she let me know that the chef would be sending out a few things he thought I would like most. She then asked if there was anything I didn’t like. I shook my head no, but I would later regret that. She smiled and walked away from the table to prepare the chef. It didn’t take long for her to come back with a drink in hand for me to try.

I ordered the Crane’s Demise ($13). It was made of rum, organic pumpkin, a whole egg, and sprinkled with nutmeg. The ingredients and description positioned the cocktail as a wonderful drink inspired by the holiday and the change in weather. With the first sips I liked how it carried a level of depth thanks to the rum. The liquor quickly evened out as the spice from the pumpkin and nutmeg along with the fluffiness of the egg became more apparent. The combination within the drink made me feel like I was sitting in front of a fireplace wrapped in the arms of a significant other. But since I’m single sitting solo at a dinner in a room full of people, I let the cocktail take hold of my imagination until the first plate arrived.

The first dish was the  Butternut Squash Soup ($10). I loved seeing the waitress slowly pour the vibrant colored butternut squash soup. Once she finished and I was able to try it, the soup felt moderate in its weight. I’ve had some bowls where the soup feels too dense and heavy or too light and thin; but at Margo’s, the chef has the Three Little Bears method down and their soup is just right. As well, I appreciated that they didn’t mix in an excess amount of seasonings into it. It’s was just enough so that I was able to get the full taste of the squash alongside the vegetables and croutons without being distracted.

The next dish was a plate of Beets ($14). As I saw this plate come to the table, I realized I made a mistake. Since I was fine with the chef sending out any dishes, I didn’t think of telling him what I didn’t like. If you’re wondering what dish or type of food I don’t like, its beets. I dislike them because they’re usually too bitter and remind me of old reruns of Matlock that my grandmother forced me to watch. Although I only have bad memories attached to beets, I decided to take this misstep and see if my preference could be changed. I grabbed my fork and took it to the dark baby beets, whipped goat cheese, mustard greens, pumpernickel, and Asian pear. It turns out, these weren’t so bad. I give a majority of the credit to the goat cheese, pumpernickel, and Asian pear as they were pleasant companions so the beets didn’t taste so bitter. The tartness in the whipped goat cheese also helped to alleviate the flavor of the beet. Add to that, I really liked how airy and salted it was to the point that I didn’t mind the beets at all.

After the beets came the Scallops ($19). Two day boat scallops sat atop rye, truffle emulsion, lemon, and a Thai chili. As the waiter placed the plate in front of me, she warned me that they may be spicy. Thanks for the disclaimer. Even as a self-proclaimed wuss when it comes to spice, these weren’t too bad. I found that the exterior was where the bulk of the heat came from and once I got past that the scallops opened up to offer the smooth texture that you hope to have with scallops.

After the scallops disappeared, the Halibut ($29) took its place. A small portion of lemon crusted halibut sat on top of buttered cauliflower, and black truffle. As my fork dove into the halibut, the fish separated from itself with little effort. Grabbing a forkful along with the cauliflower sent my taste-buds into a whirlwind. It had to be the most buttery and silky cauliflower and fish I have ever had. It was borderline mesmerizing. I cleared this dish quickly.

The final entrée of the evening was the Steak ($34). A plate of tenderloin came with a yogurt mash, sherry glaze, and wilted kale. The steak was such a rich and tender cut that slicing into it with my knife and fork made my mouth water. That intensified, as I tasted the meat covered in the sherry glaze. It was the best sauce that could have been on the entrée as it accented the flavor significantly. Although I loved the meat, I was not a fan of the mash or the kale. The yogurt made the potatoes taste too tart with a semi-sour taste. While I understand putting a unique twist on an otherwise ordinary dish, I didn’t care for it here. As well, the kale was on the saltier side, which made it difficult for me to finish it. Maybe this was an isolated incident? Hopefully. Even though I didn’t care for the mash or kale, the steak was nowhere to be seen on my plate.

To end the dinner, I had the Chocolate Bar ($12) for dessert. A small slice of chocolate was served with a pretzel crust, candied pistachios, toasted marshmallow, and salted caramel ice cream. The dessert was delicious on its own, but was incredible when my spoon held a little bit of everything! The moment I combined all of it, it became a beautiful combination of flavors and textures. When the ice cream became liquid, it was like a perfect drizzle over the candied pistachios. The chocolate was so rich, deep, and dark but the toasted marshmallow gave it a cloudlike fluffiness. The best part is the audible crunch from the pistachios. It tasted the way an expert violinist plays a song. Each bite felt like Laurent Korcia was playing so gently in your ear to offer a soundtrack to the delightful taste of the dish. Even though I knew it was coming, I was so sad when it ended.

I may have dined alone and sure I may have looked like Forrest Gump trying to spark conversation with anyone next to me, but this dinner was great. I enjoyed trying out a few plates that the chef felt best showcased the restaurant and I appreciate the richness in the dishes. From the single cocktail to the dessert, I was able to get a delicious perspective of one of Santa Monica’s new restaurants and I can’t wait to go back and do it again!

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Address: 1534 Montana Ave, Santa Monica, CA 90403
Phone: (310) 829-3990
Hours: Monday through Thursday – 11:00am to 10:00pm, Friday – 11:00am to 11:00pm, Saturday – 9:00am to 11:00pm, Sunday – 9:00am to 10:00pm
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