Late last year, chef Ricardo Zarate was very publicly ousted from the restaurants that put him on LA's culinary map: Mo-Chica, Paiche and Picca. There was a lot of drama (his former partner called him "a child," among other things), and with only one restaurant still remaining—Picca—it was unclear where Zarate would show up next.
Turns out, it's at a Peruvian pop-up in Santa Monica. His new concept, called Once (on-seh, a nod to his place as the eleventh child in his family), debuted on August 6 at Santino's Santa Monica, and will continue every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night for an undisclosed period of time. Seating is booked exclusively through Table 8.
I had a chance to preview the pop-up before it opened, and really enjoyed the food that Zarate is working on. The menu features 11 dishes that will change weekly. The plates are all shareable, and we started with a causa jar ($10) comprised of eggplant stew, causa potato, avocado and botija aioli, a fantastic layered dip that we spread on grilled bread. Paella is a high note for Zarate, and his version at Once is rich and addictive, made from Peruvian fried rice paella, amarillo aioli, black tiger prawns, Hokkaido scallops and lachang sausage ($32). Everyone seemed to be ordering it, and I wouldn't be surprised if it became a signature dish on Once's menu.
Other highlights include the lomo saltado ($28), with perfectly cooked filet mignon, roasted tomatoes, braised cipollini and a sunny side egg; and ceviche criollo crocante ($22)—if you miss Mo-Chica's ceviche, this version with crispy calamari will bring you back.
Hinoki & the Bird's Feisser Stone has crafted low-proof cocktails, like Mint to Be (sherry, lime, cucumber and mint), and I tried a fantastic Rioja Alavesa from the wine list. From the dining room, Zarate could be seen darting around the kitchen, stopping to talk to his friends who had popped in for dinner. He looked happy—and with a temporary gig at smoke.oil.salt and rumors of his own new restaurant taking shape in the near future, he has every reason to be.
Santino's Santa Monica is located 3021 Lincoln Blvd, Santa Monica, 90405. Reservation can be made here.