Élephante

So I went to Élephante… Here are my thoughts:

Now that I am old and can’t hang at Bungalow, I need somewhere to sit, sip my cocktail, and be social.

That is why I would go and refer people to Élephante.

• • The view is incredible.
  • Drinks were elegantly put together.
  • The restaurant itself is beautifully decorated and gives you Soho Malibu vibes.
  • The food is edible, but when focused on (which we had to because it was a dark abyss) was v disappointing.

We arrived on a gloomy Saturday at around 1:00pm thinking that it would be a slow day due to the darkness.

We were greeted by two people at the door:

Girl in chair, and vest man (he looked like he had just played a round of golf).

Not sure why vest man was there, but he stood in the doorway so people like me would not get in.  They were rude (surprise) and very direct with the fact that despite you attempting to get a drink at 1pm on an overcast Saturday in Santa Monica, there was no room at the inn.

Giggles has no tolerance for foolishness, especially when hungry.

After hassling them for a drink at the bar, they informed us they would be able to get us a reservation at 2:30pm. K.

As soon as they deemed us acceptable for drinks, we ran in like animals from Jumanji were chasing us, fearing they would revoke the invitation.

After you ride up the elevator and are approved by vest man and chair girl, the staff is incredibly welcoming, friendly, and wants to accommodate you. In fact a Bachelor contestant works there!

We were guided through an all white oasis (Las Ventanas-esque), which I will define as the elderly cactus room, as the only people who were sat there were over the age of 50.

We sat at the bar for over an hour and enjoyed some pretty delicious cocktails while enjoying the décor of Elephante.

Our 2:30pm reservation disappeared (classic) but it was fine, because the spritz hit, and we could view the fireplace.

This will be a restaurant that will be utilized all year long and for every occasion.

Here’s what I tried:

Spritz

A rosemary lemon treat with champagne. Recco: Order 1 at max and request a petite amount of elderflower.

Oro Bianco Oaxacan

Mezcal lavender business. I could have had 4. *No picture included because I drank it so fast.

Brussels Sprout Salad

The brussels sprout salad lacked a sweetness and could use an apple/pear/cranberry in the mix. We had two bites and were over it.

Arancini

Costco would probably have a better version, but we inhaled because it was cold.

Soppresata

Spicy sweet pizza with a hint of grease. I would order this again, and would recommend everyone stick to the classic carbs of pasta and pizza.

Giggles take: I would go back for the ambiance, drinks, and adult bungalow vibes.

Xo,

Giggles