Tar & Roses is a small-plate restaurant where much of the food is cooked in a wood-burning oven. (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)
The large wood-burning oven at Tar & Roses. (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)
Dining tables are close together in the main room of the Santa Monica restaurant. (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)
Charred octopus with garbanzo, fennel, piquillos and citrus. (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)
A different take on a crostada: strawberry and blood orange. (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)
Bar area at Tar & Roses. (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)
Wood roasted English peas. (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)
Waitress Sarah Williams serving a wood fired goat at Tar & Roses. (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)
Chef and owner Andrew Kirschner cooking with the wood oven. (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)
Wood-roasted half chicken with heirloom tomato bread salad. (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)
Bone marrow with pickled onion marmalade, sea salt and sourdough bread. (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)
