Casual Chic of Santa Monica’s Fennel

How could you possibly get tired of Fennel, 1535 Ocean Ave., Santa Monica, (213) 394-2079? You might like the food of chef Michel Rostang so much that you’d fin yourself eating at the restaurant over and over.

This is, in fact, a distinct possibility. Rostang has a couple of restaurants in Paris, and he cooks with the authority of a man who has spent the better part of his life in the kitchen. But if you want to try his roast chicken in two courses, his bacon-wrapped John Dory in red wine sauce or his savory artichoke and anchovy tarts, better hurry. Rostang goes back to France on Wednesday.

His toque will be taken by equally noted French chef Michel Chabran. But before you have time to tire of his cooking, Chabran will be replaced by Yann Jacquot. Jacquot will stay for a few weeks before ceding the stove to Andre Jenin, who will fly in for a few weeks. After that Rostang reappears and the cycle starts all over. It is probably fair to say that there has never been a restaurant quite like it anywhere.

I don’t know how they can afford to do all that traveling at these prices. There is a five-course degustation menu at $45; entrees generally run in the high teens and the impressive desserts (try the warm chocolate cake in pistachio sauce) are $6.

The kitchen may be French, but the restaurant, which opened just last weekend, is pure California casual. It’s spare and noisy and the waiters look so comfortable here at the beach that it is a shock when they open their mouths and French accents come pouring out.