Wilshire Restaurant is a little piece of Hollywood right in the middle of Santa Monica, and yes, it is on Wilshire Blvd. You might not notice this plain, white building while driving by, but don’t be fooled; inside it is a huge space with eclectic taste. Sleekly-designed by Thomas Schoos, who has previously designed Koi Restaurant, there are many different rooms that make up this massive site, including an inside lounge and bar, outside dining area & bar, upstairs section, & private rooms. Natural lighting plays a huge role with rich amber & mahogany tones spread throughout the furnishings, hundreds of candles, fireplaces, and of course the moonlight overhead. The style is contemporary, as is the food. Chef Christopher Blobaum, also a partner, brings his exposure to agriculture & organic farming to the forefront. His American cuisine is seasonal, fresh, & all from local, organic growers. He truly believes in the quality of the product, and I could taste the difference. My dining experience was killer, but I do think I got the best items on the menu, or so say the staff. I started with handmade Tagliatelle pasta with lobster, morel mushrooms, and (wait for it…) shaved truffles. Yum! Not too heavy & the flavors were spot on and quite delectable. Then I went with the Pork Chop prepared medium-rare, as the kitchen likes it, & served with Swiss chard (my fave), apple chutney, & a warm corncake. I could have done without the corncake, but my knife cut into the pork like it was butter & the Swiss chard and chutney were the perfect balance of bittersweet. The grand finale was the Warm Chocolate Pudding which was dangerously orgasmic. I actually had total strangers try it because it’s just something you have to share. Spread the love I say! The wine list had me drooling as well. Matt Straus, the wine director, really put together a thoughtful, sophisticated, & appropriate selection for the cuisine. My wine picks: Best white wine by the glass has to be the Seresin Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand…..and for the best red wine by the glass, definitely go with the Amarone from Italy; it will make everything taste better. Some fun things to look out for: Special Events include their 2nd Annual Winemaker Series which allows you to meet various winemakers, such as Mike Benziger & Robert Sinskey, socialize, & sip on great wine. Each event is only $60 a person which covers food, wine, & gratuity. They also have Sundae Tuesdays where they actually bring in their own Ice Cream Shoppe and feature the Banana Split, Root Beer Float, & the Wilshire Milkshake (vanilla & coffee ice cream, bananas, malted milk, & crunchy chocolate). Overall, I was really impressed with this new hotspot (it lived up to the hype). The service was great (they have enough staff to accommodate triple their size) and the ambience was warm & sensual. I would definitely go for a special occasion because the menu is quite pricey, but in the meantime they have an after-hours scene that’s slowly becoming the place to be and be seen on the Westside. By: Erin Landsberg Wilshire Restaurant 2454 Wilshire Blvd (near corner of 25th Street) Santa Monica, CA 90403 Tel 310.586.1707 Fax 310.586.1742