First it was Catch at Casa del Mar. Now One Pico next door at Shutters on the Beach has received a menu overhaul, thanks to Managing Chef Sven Mede.
With the property dubbed “Where Pico Boulevard meets Ocean Way,” Mede’s new seasonal menu draws ingredients and inspiration from the nearby Santa Monica Farmers Markets.
Mede introduced One Pico’s new menus to guests on May 8.
“We pretty much wanted to show the reinforced and stronger focus on seasonality and our increased commitment to the Farmers Markets ingredients and things like that,” Mede said. “We are using a lot of local purveyors and we showcase what One Pico is all about – a California style fresh seasonal restaurant.”
A quick look at the dinner menu’s “market plates” selection is a good example of the fresh ingredients Mede talks about.
The selection includes Red Russian Kale salad with toasted almonds and blood orange vinaigrette; Market Greens salad with English peas, avocado, hazelnuts, and shaved asparagus; Roasted Beets with capers, heirloom apple, burrata, and organic Watercress; Cucumber Gazpacho with avocado, radish, and croutons; and English Pea Soup with shaved fennel and green onions.
Mede said he didn’t carry over any of the existing menu’s dishes, but some of the styles and ingredients were kept similar.
“We always had a beet salad and a market salad, for example, but we didn’t really keep any of the dishes the same,” he said. “We used some similar products before like sea bass and scallops, but with new setups and combinations.”
All of the entrée seafood dishes are reasonably priced for the quality of the product and the location of the beach front restaurant.
The most expensive seafood dish is the Grilled Mediterranean Sea Bass ($34) served with glazed market carrots, tangerines, chives, and a grilled lemon. The roasted Maine Diver Scallops (four) are served with a vibrant side of tomato risotto, arugula, and parmesan crostini ($33). While the miso broth is a little salty, the Steamed Shellfish Hot Pot comes with a generous serving of mussels, clams, shrimp, and smoked bacon ($28).
The Griddled Halibut dish has a little spice with its pairing of Andouille sausage, caper berries, snap peas, and roasted shitake ($29).
One Pico is part of the By the Blue Sea restaurant group housed inside Hotel Casa del Mar and Shutters on the Beach. The restaurants include Catch American Seafood, the Lobby Lounge at Casa, and Coast Beach Cafe & Bar, and Living Room (the lounge at Shutters on the Beach) – all come under the culinary guidance of Mede.
Mede said he decided to include a selection of non-seafood dishes on the menu. It includes steak, pasta, and other meat dishes like Short Rib, Pork Chop, and Chicken.
“We wanted One Pico to be different from Catch, which is more of an up tempo fish and American seafood restaurant,” he said. “We wanted to make sure One Pico wasn’t just another seafood restaurant. What we have is a great combination of local seafood, but also local farm produce and meat.”
All steaks (Filet of Angus Steak, Creekstone Farm New York Strip, and Prime Dry-Aged Bone-In Rib Eye) are served with watercress salad, salsa verde and choice of horseradish mashed potatoes, French fries, or roasted fingerling potatoes.
The three pasta options are the least expensive dishes on the menu. The Ricotta Tortellini with roasted tomatoes and basil is $18, the Braised Oxtail Maltagliati with broccolini and parmesan is $20, and the Fettuccine “Scampi” with ruby shrimp, garlic, parsley, and tomato is $21.
With a stronger focus on seasonal products, Mede said guests can expect an always changing and evolving menu.
“I go to the Farmers Markets every week to see what’s out there,” he said. “I’m always going to be running some kind of special. We will keep changing constantly.”
One Pico is open for dinner nightly from 6 pm to 10 pm. Lunch is served Monday through Saturday from 11:30 am to 2:30 pm. Sunday brunch is from 11 am to 3 pm.
Shutters on the Beach is located at 1 Pico Boulevard, Santa Monica.
For reservations or more information, call 310.587.1717 or visit www.shuttersonthebeach.com.
