The Misfit

The Misfit just opened up in the beautiful historic clock tower building in Santa Monica on 2nd & Santa Monica Blvd. Even though the restaurant has only been open for a week, they don't have any of those "new restaurant" glitches that I've come to expect from dining out in new places.

The Misfit kept the historic art-deco feel inside the building as well as out. The high vaulted ceilings make the restaurant seem much bigger than it is. Ceiling height bookshelves line the wall behind the bar filled with books and various bottles of alcohol. The red stools accent the bar and the frosted glass makes for different corner's in the restaurant. The whole place reminds me of the similarly architectural wonder of a restaurant--the 410 club in Chicago's Wrigley building.

The staff is very friendly and attentive. I was seated immediately at a slightly hidden corner table. My waitress came by almost instantly for drink orders. And when she returned she still offered just the right amount of time for me to decide on a menu choice before coming back again.

The waiters use an electronic ordering pad so they don't have to re-type your order into the computer which I think helps speed up the entire process. I read only a few pages of my magazine before my food was delivered to my table, still piping hot.

I had the green chili mac & cheese. The pasta is made of brown rice so that it works for a number of dietary concerns and is also a little bit healthier. This was a baked mac & cheese, so the melty cheese combined with the sweet-spicy peppers giving the dish an interesting flavor. The pasta part was a little bit undercooked I thought--but it was still good enough to eat! I liked it but I think I would order something else in the future--if not only to try something new. I also ordered the leek, fennel & tomato vegetable side. The restaurant serves different vegetable sides each day depending on what ingredients are fresh. My vegetable side was sauteed so that all the ingredients were soft. I enjoyed it but felt that both my entrée and the side were a little small for a filling lunch. This restaurant has a small-plates feel at large-plate prices.

This is a good place to go with a medium-sized group--say 4, so that you can try lots of things and fill up with appetizers and sides. The other plus is the full bar. The bar and restaurant isn't filled with TVs like other restaurants seem to always have these days, so it is a good place to go for a drink with people you want to talk to. Perfect for a business lunch, a slightly celebratory dinner, or just a drink after work with friends.

The Misfit

225 Santa Monica Blvd

Santa Monica, CA 90401

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