Asian Fusion Dishes in a Cozy Eatery
Among the many restaurants in Santa Monica, I visited a place called interstellar, which is owned by a Korean-American. The owner mentioned that there were many situations during their upbringing where they had to understand two cultures, and thus, at interstellar, they aimed to create an environment where diners could momentarily set aside those thoughts and focus on their meals.
We first ordered the Orange+Maple and Aerocano from the Signature/Seasonal Drinks menu. The Orange+Maple consists of Espresso + Almond milk + Maple syrup + Orange Extract + cocoa powder, creating a refreshing and sweet taste with a subtle espresso flavor, and this drink is only available iced. The Aerocano is described as a steamed iced Americano with a velvety froth, which can be simply described as an iced Americano with a velvety foam. It is made by putting espresso, water, and ice in a pitcher and steaming it to mix in air. The steaming process creates fine bubbles that give it a velvety texture, and the combination of acidity and smooth foam was incredibly delicious.
For the main dishes, we ordered the Breakfast Club Croissant, Shakshuka, and Garlic Parmesan Fries. The Club Croissant sandwich includes Ham, Arugula & Citrus Honey Vinaigrette, Cheddar Scrambled Eggs, and Aioli as standard ingredients. The croissant, filled with the aroma of butter, combined with ham, scrambled eggs, tomatoes, and vegetables, offered a very nutty and smooth flavor. The Garlic Parmesan Fries had a subtle garlic flavor and were incredibly crispy and delicious. In fact, the dish I was most curious about was the Shakshuka. It comes with Harissa Marinara, 3 eggs, Mozzarella, Jalapeno Sauce, and Toast (4 pieces), and is said to be a traditional dish popular for breakfast or brunch in the Middle East and North Africa. The taste of the tomato sauce was prominent, and dipping the bread into it was very tasty. When you break the eggs inside and eat them with the yolk, you can experience the refreshing taste of the tomato sauce along with the smooth and nutty flavor of the yolk.
interstellar
If you are planning to visit Santa Monica, I highly recommend visiting interstellar to enjoy Asian fusion dishes.
