Launching an Upscale Boathouse

Remi looks loved.

This is not surprising. Remi, 1451 3rd St. Promenade, Santa Monica, (213) 393-6545, was designed by architect Adam Tihany, who has already given us Bice and Pomodoro. But this time Tihany has done more than merely design a beautiful new restaurant; this time around, he’s also the owner.

That’s him over there, walking worriedly around the room checking details. “Do you like your seat? How’s the service? Is the pasta prepared the way you want it?”

The answers are yes, very good, absolutely. The seats-- like everything else in this charmingly upscale boathouse--are designed for both comfort and beauty. They cradle you.

The service is solicitous: When the waiter arrives with your food, the captain is right behind him making sure that all is as you ordered it.

And the food is--for the most part--good. Best dish of the evening: creamy polenta with squid in its own ink. Penne piccante was truly piquant, salads (especially one with arugula, Parmesan and walnuts) were superb. A veal chop was big, juicy and came with a comfortingly large mound of mashed potatoes. And the rest of the menu looks equally enticing.

L.A. already has so many Italian restaurants, it’s easy to wonder whether we really need another. But when the new one’s this lovely, the answer is obvious.