RESTAURANT REVIEW: The Hungry Cat

106 W. Channel Road | Santa Monica, CA 90402 | 310-459-3337 | thehungrycat.com | Price: $$$

By MICHAEL AUSHENKER | Contributing Writer

Photos by RICH SCHMITT | Staff Photographer

Visit this El Gato en la Playa—the summer-long pop-up concept at The Hungry Cat—and you’ll stumble upon what may well be the best hang in Santa Monica Canyon.

Since this West Channel Road location opened five years ago, Chef Kris Longley has helmed the seaside eatery’s transparent kitchen. Previously, he worked with Chef/Owner David Lentz at the original The Hungry Cat, a now 11-year-old Hollywood destination at Sunset and Vine. (A third Hungry Cat exists on Chapala in Santa Barbara.)

Knee-deep in its Baja Pop-Up summer menu (subject to changes, come September), The Hungry Cat specializes in seafood delicacies but also offers quite formidable fare in other areas. Individually, the menu’s Crudo section features Snapper Ceviche ($15.50), Oysters on the Half Shell ($18.50), Green Lip Mussels ($12), Chilled White Prawns ($22) and Chilled Maine Lobster ($30/$60). For $92.50, you can order the all-encompassing Crudo Platter—which feeds about three people—and sample the entire Crudo section of the menu. Well, almost all of the section, except for Harry’s Uni Shooter ($9.50). This vast platter (all of it fresh and bright and accompanied by three house-made sauces, including an aioli) contains one-half dozen of the oysters, four clams, one-quarter pound of mussels, one-quarter pound of white prawns, half a lobster and a bowl of snapper ceviche—arguably the highlight of all appetizers and one of the best things to be had at Hungry Cat. Snapper Ceviche comes loaded with morsels of fish, necatarine aquachile, lime, jalapeno and radish.

Under the Botanas section, Mexican Street Corn ($7.50) proves quite a treat: succinct cobs of lime aioli, a house-made chili salt and queso fresco, charred to great effect.

Another section—Tacos Y Mas (Tacos and More)—includes carne asada, carnitas and pescado plates, such as Albacore Tuna Tostada ($12.50), a veritable pizza of aji amarillo, avocado and lime-pickled cucumber on a crispy, light tortilla shell that melts in your mouth with each greedy bite.

Basically a pair of glorified tacos, Duck Carnitas ($14.50), topped with charred pineapple and habanero salsa, indeed tastes glorious; the pineapple’s sweet nicely counterbalancing the crispy skinned, succulently braised duck flesh without dominating it. Another winning entrée, Maine Lobster Roll ($27), stuffs a buttered, toasted challah roll with prime, fluffy crustacean meat, lemon aioli and herbs.

One of Chef Longley’s most interesting creations, Spicy Chorizo Stew ($25), is a tantalizing bowl of manila clams, mussels, hominy, cabbage, cilantro and guajillo broth. This mélange proves a combination of crisscrossing accents to the palate.

For those who like to play it safe, you can’t go wrong with a hearty gourmet hamburger. Hungry Cat delights in delivering its twist on an American classic with El Pug Burger ($17), a plump slab of chuck beef layered with hulking strips of bacon and rungs of bleu cheese and avocado. For $18, El Pug comes with charred jalapeno; for $19, a sunny-side-up egg on top. Nothing wrong in going with the plain, unadulterated version though, which is actually far from plain; the saltiness of its bacon and fromage toppings nearly threatening to overwhelm a thick, juicy patty already tumescent with flavor.

Postres means desserts ($8.50), and while the choices here are slim, they’re also formidable, i.e. Mexican Chocolate Custard (vanilla ice cream with salted peanuts) and Fried Ice Cream (scoops of dulce de leche tossed with cinnamon and sugar). We opted for Crème Caramel, topped with market fruit (sliced nectarines), which arrives resembling a flan but actually packs way more depth and subtlety while not taking the sickeningly sweet route. (Perfect when matched with a cappuccino, which Hungry Cat makes large, steamy and creamy.)

Hungry Cat serves all manner of wines and cervezas. The beverage menu also offers a tight little island of cocktail options. El Gato Margarita ($12)—replete with reposado tequila, lime and simple syrup—can be ordered liquid or frozen. Do not pass up the opportunity to try La Luchadora ($13.50), mixologist Dona Bridges’ combo of white tequila, watermelon, cilantro and habanero, which gives this potion a fierce little burn. (You’ll feel every sip go down along the back of your throat.)

Chef Longley’s sublime cuisine notwithstanding, Hungry Cat’s charms extend to the warm hospitality of its staff and the clean, contemporary designs of its ample restaurant and bar spaces. Not to mention the friendly patrons, as customers are easy to chat up in this intimate, Pacific Coast Highway-hugging fish house.

Make a beeline for this feline. Go in hungry, come out with cat-like curiosity fully sated.