The Penthouse

This rooftop restaurant at the Huntley Hotel in Santa Monica is the epitome of elegance, creativity, and taste.

Presentation, presentation, presentation. Pictured above is the Avocado Toast served with goat cheese, almonds, pickled cauliflower and radishes, and cilantro atop activated charcoal bread. So chic!

The Penthouse is very close to my heart. Every year we celebrate my mother's birthday with brunch at this fabulous restaurant. She happens to share her birthday with her best friend, who is also the mother of my best friend! For such a special occasion, we simply must have the most special brunch in LA.

The Penthouse itself is absolutely stunning. The white walls, white furniture, and minimalist decor set the tone for a very upscale and welcoming dining experience. Not to mention, you have a full ocean view from the table. To begin the meal, we have a basket of the Fresh Baked Pastries. Pictured above are the Croissant, Chocolatine, and Blueberry Muffin. This was surely the softest and most flavorful blueberry muffin I have ever had. So yummy!

We then continue the magnificent meal with the Avocado Toast, as seen at the top of this post, as well as the Yellow Fin Tuna Poke Bowl. Below the fresh fish is wakame seaweed salad, wild rice, pineapple, and scallions, and it is topped with coconut shavings and sesame seeds. So incredibly delicious, light, and refreshing.

For my entrée, I always get the Charcoal Grilled Wagyu Burger with smoked gouda, caramelized onions, bacon, and butter lettuce on a brioche bun. Who knew a burger could be so fancy? And don't get me started on how good this tastes.

Finally, we end the meal with an array of desserts, for how could we pick just one? This past year we decided to order the house-made Mango Sorbet and the Churros. Though we barely had room left in our stomachs, we definitely found a way to finish off these treats.

$$$

This meal is certainly expensive, but for a once-a-year experience, The Penthouse is more than worth it. To give some perspective, the avocado toast is $14, the poke is $25, and the burger is $21. These are some high prices, but I assure you that you can't find dishes this elegant, uniquely prepared, or flavorful anywhere else in LA!