Cassia in Santa Monica

The spacious interior includes a raw bar and a distinct brasserie feel.

A charcuterie platter includes Singaporean candied pork, lamb ham, Vietnamese meatloaf and smoked red sausage.

The chopped escargot is cooked in lemongrass butter and herbs.

la-fo-cassia-20150806-pg-009  (Michael Robinson Chavez / Los Angeles Times )

A bowl of laksa, a spicy coconut-seafood soup, is one of the more straightforward Asian dishes on the menu.

There is a varied assortment of oysters and shellfish at the restaurant’s sit-down raw seafood bar.

There is an open grill adjacent to the dining room where diners can watch crab legs, fish, meats and other items being cooked.

Ng brought over the birdcage lamps from the Spice Table as part of the decoration.

Cassia has a spacious dining room and a bar that is popular and features rare and top-notch spirits and cocktails.

The mixologists behind the bar have a plethora of ingredients with which to garnish their creations.

House sodas, like this one made from watermelon, are a specialty at Cassia.

Ng brings a lifetime of experience to his kitchen.