LAReview

Cassia

Southeast Asian

Santa Monica

$$$$Perfect For:BirthdaysImpressing Out of TownersOutdoor/Patio SituationPeople WatchingPrivate DiningSee And Be SeenSpecial Occasions
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We all want our own clubhouse. Whether it’s the bar down the street, the treehouse you begged for as a kid, or the Malibu Soho House membership you’re probably never going to have, everyone needs a spot where they can reliably bump into someone they know, and maybe stick a “No Boys Allowed” sign out front. Cassia in Santa Monica doesn’t have one of those signs, but it has become an unofficial Westside clubhouse.

That’s mostly because on any given night, you’ll find a sample size of the area’s population scattered throughout this big, loud Southeast Asian restaurant. There will be double-dating couples talking about their dogs in a booth inside, a family celebrating a birthday on the quieter string-lit patio, and a celebrity pretending he doesn’t notice you taking photos of him at the raw bar.

Cassia is upscale in that very specifically Westside way. Yes, you could bring someone you’re trying to impress here - the servers wear starched white shirts, and the cocktails are in the $16 range. But we’ve also seen people show up in flip flops with sandy feet. The result is a place that feels like a social club, where eating lobster and drinking a bottle of obscure German riesling seem like everyday activities.

Cassia image

photo credit: Jakob Layman

But you’re not just here for the slight chance you might see Andrew Garfield, or to observe fancy Westsiders in their natural habitat. You’re here for the fantastic food that ranges from seafood platters to noodles to Vietnamese charcuterie to a whole lobster. The pricey and slightly confusing menu can be a little hard to navigate, with dishes hiding in sidebars and headers, but choosing your own ordering adventure is part of the fun here. Worst case, you get too much - but that leftover beef rendang you’ll eat for lunch the next day tastes maybe even better than it did at dinner.

This isn’t to say that Cassia is perfect. It’s busy and loud, so you’ll probably have to shout to communicate and your server will forget you exist at some point. But a lot of that fades into the background once actually-spicy spicy wontons, addictive fried cauliflower, and a big bowl of laksa hit the table. While you’d be hard-pressed to find a restaurant in LA that doesn’t want you to order everything, Cassia is a place where that makes a lot of sense. You’re going to want to try a lot of this excellent food - so you absolutely need to bring your friends.

They’ll like this place even more than the treehouse.

Food Rundown

Cassia image

photo credit: Jakob Layman

Vietnamese “Sunbathing” Prawns

They’re “sunbathing” because they turn red from hanging out in hot sauce for so long. We didn’t notice the color because we ate these peel-your-own shrimp way too fast.

Cassia image

photo credit: Jakob Layman

Kaya Toast

If you’d like to feel like you’re eating dessert for dinner, order this buttery coconut jam sandwich. It’s sweet, but it comes with a slow-cooked egg for dipping. If you must, order this for dessert. Whatever it takes.

Cassia image

photo credit: Jakob Layman

Spicy Wontons

They don’t hold back on the spice with these, and for that we are very grateful.

Fried Cauliflower

Somehow, this fried cauliflower tastes like fried fish. In case you’re confused: this is a good thing.

Cassia image

photo credit: Jakob Layman

Beef Rendang

A classic Cassia dish for a reason - this is a great, hearty curry that we can’t not order every time we’re here.

Spicy Minced Duck Dan Dan Noodles

A spin on the classic that involves a truly fantastic sesame-leek sauce that we were quickly spooning directly into our mouths

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FOOD RUNDOWN

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