RESTAURANT REVIEW: Blue Plate Oysterette

1355 Ocean Avenue | Santa Monica, CA 90401 | 310-576-3474 | blueplatesantamonica.com | Price: $$$

By MICHAEL AUSHENKER | Contributing Writer

Full disclosure: I’ve eaten at Blue Plate Oysterette before and I’ve loved it.

The seafood here is outstanding. The Lobster Roll ($26) is a must for the uninitiated. And then there are those Palisades Park-framed ocean views.

What can beat enjoying some oysters and a cocktail on the patio as the sun touches down on the Pacific, closing out a perfect Westside day?

However, my initial visit was a while ago and, you know, life gets busy, new restaurants come (and go) and, before you know it, it’s been a few years, right?

Because a restaurant can be an organic enterprise that doesn’t stay in one place, it’s good to return to an old favorite because sometimes managers change, owners change, the décor can change and, most likely, the menu may change. All of these factors can reshape a restaurant right under your eyes.

Recently, I got to reconnect with Blue Plate’s culinary delights while attending Planned Parenthood L.A.’s annual Food Fare benefit at Santa Monica Airport (see the March 10 review in our archives at palipost.com), where founding owner Jennifer Rush Morton, a longtime Palisadian and Kehillat Israel member, was deservingly honored as Restaurateur of the Year.

Just for Food Fare, Blue Plate created what turned out to be my personal highlight: short-rib beef tacos. The eatery also turned out a ceviche and that most memorable sandwich, their signature Lobster Roll ($26).

Yes, thought I, it is time for a revisit!

We arrived as the sun set and grabbed a seat on the enclosed front patio. Sure, the interior—old-fashioned and refined like an American brasserie—is as classy and elegant as you’d like a mariner restaurant to appear. However, the magic hour is a great time to dine at the Ocean Avenue location (not to be confused with the original Blue Plate on Montana). And so we delved into BPO’s decadent menu.

First came a bowl of New England Clam Chowder ($6/$9). You gotta start with the chowder, often a good indicator of how the rest of your sea-faring meal will be. I’m happy to report that the chowder here—a smooth blend of clams and potatoes in a nice, light broth—is not only delicious but also uniquely slightly spicy.

Another spot-on appetizer: Tuna Tartar ($16), a beautiful little brick of raw fish with Vidalia onion dressing, cucumber, tomato and onions that is flanked by crackers and is as visual a treat as it is for the palate. BPO’s Raw Bar also offers Ceviche ($16), Oysters on the Half (market value) and a Seafood Tower ($85) comprised of a half Maine lobster, half a pound of mussels, six oysters, four clams, four prawns, king crab and accompanying sauces and mignonettes.

Alcohol-wise, there is no shortage of top-notch beer (go local with Santa Monica Brew Works at $7) and wine, but I opted for one of BPO’s cold sake options.

The carafe of Tozai Typhoon ($14) was eight ounces of sweet joy that rounded out our plate of oysters—a mix of large Eld Inlet half-shells and smaller, sweeter and lighter Kusshi delicacies (all from the Pacific Northwest).

The Small Plates section is vast and diverse, offering everything from Crab Cake ($18) (with arugula, pickled onion and tartar sauce) to whitefish Fish Tacos ($16) and Seared Ahi Tacos ($16) to Fried Clams ($16) and Fried Calamari ($25).

As we are suckers for a good fromage-covered macaroni side, we opted for the Lobster Mac & Cheese ($23), a sumptuous, sublime mélange of pasta with extremely generous chunks of lobster meat, gloriously wallowing in a bath of Parmesan, jack and cheddar.

Yes, it was mouth-watering to behold. Yes, it was ultra-decadent and rich. Yes, it was unabashedly the highlight of our meal.

Large Plates at BPO include Steamed Maine Lobster (market price), fresh Atlantic Cod-forged Fish & Chips ($18), Linguini with Clams ($18) and that famed Lobster Roll plus a Jonah Crab Roll ($24), too.

For $27, BPO serves a hearty Bouillabaisse filled with shellfish and brioche croutons and accompanied by a saffron rouille.

Seafood-wise, a signature dish is the Whole Roasted Branzino ($34), a popular sea bass covered in roasted fingerling potatoes, grilled pearl onion bulbs and poblano cream to outstanding effect. Its crunchy, crispy skin and fluffy white meat are a real treat.

Trying something non-seafood, we opted for a medium-cooked Blue Plate Burger ($16), a hulking slab of Angus blanketed in melt-y Tillamook cheddar, which arrived with a side of thin Old Bay fries—adequate but, truth be told, a tad salty for my taste.

An oceanic restaurant might not be the obvious place if you’re just looking for dessert and coffee but do consider Blue Plate’s array of sweet plates ($7-$9). At $9, Key Lime Pie here is tasty, colorful and light, encased in a graham cracker crust shell and topped with a crème fraîche; the perfect note after a heavy, symphonic meal.

At the Food Fare, I learned that Morton’s Blue Plate empire now includes a newer outlet in the Fairfax District. It’s nice to see her success expanding while the Ocean Avenue spot remains as scenic, attractive and reliable as ever.