An Elevated Experience at Santa Monica's Secret Backyard Patio Garden
Santa Monica has a secret backyard patio garden that has created the new definition of perfection for me. I’ve had my eye on Fia for a few months now, around the time COVID hit and all restaurants were forced to close indoor and outdoor dining. It’s restaurant experiences like Fia that really remind me of the joys that dining out offers and the elements you just cannot replace at home. Every detail of this spot had me floored, from the incredible decor inside (a quick trip to the bathroom afforded me a glance of the stunning details inside) to the magical ambience in their backyard patio, to the menu, to the incredible service. Even on a Sunday night, historically slower nights in the restaurant industry, the restaurant was packed (while also remaining safe and social distanced) and the service never missed a beat.
Every section of the backyard patio is gorgeous, but there is something really magical about sitting in the sunken in bar level. The bar glows with the most prestige ambience, lighting up the wide variety of excellent spirits they have on display. Tuscan gravel underfoot, string lights above, and 3 fireplaces make the patio feel just homey yet expensive enough to feel like you’ve landed in some celebrity’s backyard. In our recent experience, we were sat in a loft type dining area above the bar. There isn’t a bad seat in the place, but after expressing our desire to sit on the ground level, we were quickly moved as soon as a table became available.
Watching the restaurant function throughout the night felt like I was truly experiencing a piece of art at work. You never know what’s happening behind the kitchen doors, but out on the floor, the service team made it look flawless. The timing all of our dishes came to us was perfect and the presentation was superb. Here’s a rundown of the dishes we ordered:
Burrata with charred corn, farmer’s market peaches and polenta gaufrette
The flavor combination in this was incredible. Everything included in the dish, the ‘jiggle’ of the buratta, the sweet and soft peach, and the almost crispy gaufrette made it fully balanced in flavor and texture
Chicken Liver Mousse with toasted brioche and marmalade
I’ve got a thing with Chicken Liver Mousse. Because my first and only experience with it was at Alimento, I knew I loved it there, but I wasn’t sure if it was because of a special way of preparing it there. It was plated differently at Fia but it was just as perfectly executed. Some sweet marmalade with sprinkled sea salt, spread over the toasted brioche was the perfect balance of flavors.
Seared Diver Scallops with squid ink risotto, leeks, and nasturtium
I’ve ALSO got a thing for scallops. You really need to love them to order them because it’s never a huge portion but worth every buttery bite. However, paired with the squid ink risotto, the dish felt completely filling. Simple but delicious.
Mary’s Organic Chicken ‘Parmesan’ with mozzerella di bufala and pomodoro
A classic take on a parmesan dish, the flavors were up to par with what you would imagine an Italian style dish would taste like, with chicken.
We finished the night with an off menu tiramisu as a birthday gift from the restaurant and a couple of cocktails also a gift from the restaurant. The tiramisu was delightful but the one small ‘lesser than’ component of Fia is sadly the cocktails. If you like a weaker, more subtle alcohol flavor in your cocktails then you will actually love them. If you’re into a more alcohol-forward cocktail, skip them here and go for the wine. They’ve got an excellent selection.
The interior was filled with leather tufted couches in the style of a sprawled out ‘library bar’ lounge feel, making it yet another discovery in this multi-facet spot. It really is a shame we can’t get back in for the indoor dining experience but the patio experience is one of epic proportions that you do NOT want to miss out on. Pro-tip* the place is quickly being discovered more and more so make your reservations well in advance, the spot unsurprisingly books up fast.