Michael's Restaurant

this well-established restaurant just north of third street promenade in santa monica is classy and elegant but with a socal vibe to it. just steps away from the beach, the servers were wearing suits, michael (of michael's restaurant) actually made his rounds and greeted patrons, a sommalier walked around asking for your drinks. with all the formality, they were actually very friendly and laid back.

the outdoor patio was also quite nice - plants all around, nice lighting. if you can, seat outdoors. heat lamps will keep you warm.

on to the food:
1. we started off with an amuse bouche of tuna and a dollop of pureed avocado on a spoon. the presentation is nice and i did enjoy the fresh tuna.

2. the foie gras was so yummy. it was perfectly fatty and sweet and nicely seared.

3. the kurobuta pork chop - although it was good and enjoyable, i did not love it. i did enjoy the brussel sprouts though...

4. chocolate fondant cake, which i did not love. i thought the cake was on the dry side. and the earl grey ice cream did not really complement it.

this is a nice restaurant to go to for a nice evening out. however, the food is probably more of a 3.5 stars (it is above average). also, it is a bit pricey -- i think without tip, the bill came out to about $160. but because i liked the service and the unpretentiousness in a potentially pretentious place, i bumped it up to a 4.