LAReview
photo credit: Jakob Layman
Cobi’s
Included In
Generally speaking, eating in Santa Monica can get a little snoozy. That’s not a knock, it’s just that we can only get excited about so many hyper-seasonal “New American” places with muted dining rooms and menus filled with crudo, pasta, and chicken that wants you to know it’s from Petaluma.
But then there’s Cobi’s, a Southeast Asian spot where the two themes are maximalism and curry. Soul and reggae are on full blast. The dining room and two patios are packed well into the night, even on Mondays. And the menu—refreshingly all over the place—is energetic, loaded with Thai, Indonesian, and Indian dishes. Cobi’s is like a shot of espresso for the whole neighborhood.
photo credit: Jakob Layman
The restaurant sits in the old Dhaba space on Main Street, in close vicinity to a community garden plot, a jacuzzi store with a soothing “California Hot Tubs” sign in the window, and lots of almost charming but decidedly underwhelming shops and cafes. In other words, this is not the “Promenade part" of Santa Monica. Except for maybe the French tourists who have unanimously descended on Venice and Ocean Park, Cobi’s attracts locals.
During weekend brunch, Cobi's is quiet and cutesy. The floral plates, wallpaper, and chandeliers evoke a sense of innocence. This would, in fact, be a lovely setting for a Sweet 16 luncheon. Or at the very least, a good place to drink coffee and eat a banh mi in a sunny, secret garden.
But at night, this place is loud, and by Santa Monica standards, it’s also happening. By candlelight the kitschy flower stuff feels less "tea time" and more "who's who." Friend groups fight for airtime, techy types talk shop, and couples have proper date night. This wouldn't be a bad place to seal a deal or finally say "I love you." If only the lifesize rose sculptures looming in the garden's shadows could talk.
photo credit: Jakob Layman
As for the food, the menu is flooded with curry, which figures because the chef ran a curry pop-up before settling beachside. There’s crispy branzino in a puddle of yellow curry, deep-fried split pea and potato curry puffs, fork-tender beef rendang, and so many more curry-based dishes. A strategic order is the name of the game. The kanpachi crudo, for example, is a must: buttery slices of fish bathe in coconut milk, topped with pearls of finger lime that burst in your mouth. We got quiet and grumpy once when tihs was sold out for the evening. Consult the Rundown below for the rest of the hits, and just know that some of the dishes could use a little more oomph, curry and otherwise. The devil’s chicken curry doesn’t live up to its three-chili-pepper warning, and the perfectly cooked prawn skewers bathe in a sauce where the most discernible flavor is salt.
For the neighborhood that can be stuck in its ways, Cobi’s is a big deal. The mix of dishes from various regions in South and Southeast Asia is a nice change of pace from the over-abundance of French and Italian options in the neighborhood. But most importantly, it's a good time. Next time you're looking for a fun dinner spot on the Westside, keep Cobi's in mind.
Food Rundown
Kanpachi
photo credit: Jakob Layman
Grilled Prawns
Curry Puffs
Chicken Larb
photo credit: Jakob Layman
Beef Rendang
Devil Chicken Curry
photo credit: Jakob Layman
Nasi Goreng
Mister Dal
photo credit: Jakob Layman
Dry Aged Branzino
photo credit: Jakob Layman