This is a great little spot. I had the tiradito ceviche & the roasted chicken. They deliver or if you call for a pickup they will bring out your food to you since parking is tough there. I hope people find this hidden place.

The new italian place 041Bacaro in Culver City has a deep fried calzone on the menu but not sure if it's finished in the oven like montanara

I agree portions are small for the prices. If they charged a little less I wouldn't have a problem with the portion size.

Other great veggie burgers are at 26 Beach, Alcove, La Grande Orage, HealthyCa, BLD, Plan Check (they don't always have it), Akasha

It's not like the filet o fish at all but my favorite seafood burger is the salmon burger at Westside Tavern. It's not a deep fried patty but a ground salmon burger one. The flavor and texture is perfect. It comes with a side (soup, salad, fries) for $13.

Blue Plate Oysterette, Bar Pintxo, Tar & Roses, Fig, Barnyard

Alma, Baco Mercat and The Parish would be my top recommendations. You will need a reservation for any of these as they are very popular.

I tried it last week as well. They told me no substitutions or deletions at the time as well - no dressing on the side, etc. The pizza is in the doughy style as it is cooked briefly at 900 degrees. If you like that style, then you may like this.

Bar Ama & Baco Mercat in Downtown both have a large selection of vegetable dishes.

Second the vote for AKASHA & K-ZO.

I've eaten at RIVABELLA and BEDFORD & BURNS.

Rivabella - I dined there for lunch. It's a large, space, nice decor. It was seemingly a high-end clientele. I had an asparagus soup to start which was delicious. I had the special - a sea bass with oven roasted tomatoes in a lobster sauce. It was even better than the soup. I wanted to try their pizza as well, but I spotted it on another table and it looked like a typical cheese pizza (orange on the top as opposed to gobs of great mozzerella) and it was huge.
While the food was delicious, I did think it was overpriced.

BEDFORD & BURNS - I popped in and ordered the cioppino to go. I LOVED the decor in the restaurant. The cioppino was just ok. Nothing worth ordering again but not bad.

Doma is on my list to try. What is Home?

Thanks for the write-up on Doma. What was the crowd like? Was it full for dinner service or on the empty side?

One epic post. Thank you for sharing!

Tender Greens, Fresh Corn Grill, Take A Bao & Al Votre Sante come to mind

where would you recommend getting crab cakes that are broiled (not fried) with minimum filler (breadcrumbs)?
thank you!

All About the Bread
Pitfire
Tender Greens
Fresh Corn Grill
Baby Blues BBQ
Zeke's
Mendocino Farms

nature's way cafe in westwood

The Churchill fits the bill
www.the-churchiil.com

Thanks so much for reporting on your trip. Glad to hear you had some good eats!

They have it at Santa Monica Seafood & Co.

Akasha in Culver City has many vegan items on the menu and can make many of their dishes vegan upon request. Plus, it's a nice-looking restaurant so you feel like you are going out for the night.

Lemon ricotta pancakes at BLD and the ricotta hotcakes with blueberry compote at Cecconi's

I loved the vibe at The Parish. I don't eat but do eat seafood and my options were limited. The two seafood dishes I did try were simple but tasty. I didn't care for my cocktail and they were nice to not charge me and I got wine instead. It's definitely no Tasting Kitchen but it is a lot more affordable.

Rose Cafe or 26 Beach Cafe should fit your needs.

Culina at the Four Seasons, Bouchon Bistro, Craft, Mr. Chow,, E. Baldi

Freddy Smalls, Upper West, Father's Office Steingarten and Bar Food fit the bill.

Sandwiches from Sandwich Spot on Ocean Park and a great salad bar at Mrs Winstons on October Park

There is also Ray's and Stark Bar. Great food, atmosphere & cocktails.

I tried it on Friday as well. It was tasty but soooo tiny. It's definitely not a meal on its own. Cousins Maine Lobster truck wasn't at First Fridays as originally reported. They lost their spot so there was no food war on Abbot Kinney!

The Tasting Kitchen, The Eveleigh, Picca and Playa all offer great cuisine, lively atmospheres with strong cocktail programs.