JiRaffe

Critic's rating

2.5 of 4 stars

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Neighborhood: Santa Monica
502 Santa Monica Blvd., Santa Monica, CA 90401
310-917-6671
http://www.jirafferestaurant.com

Hours:
Mon.-Sat. opens 6 p.m.;
Sun. 5:30 p.m. Closing varies based on reservations.
Price Range: $$$$$ ($30 & up)
Cuisine: Soups, New American, Game, Pizza, Desserts, French, Ice Cream / Frozen Yogurt, Seafood

» Get directions
» Make a Reservation

Parking: Street
Signature Dishes, Catering Laid Back Casual, Cozy, Bustling, Upscale Bustling

Chef/owner Raphael Lunetta calls it rustic American French cusine—French in its technique, American in its oversized presentation. Bathed in sauces 10 to 18 hours in the making, inventive signature dishes include roasted rabbit with herb polenta and fava beans, seasonal sea scallops and roasted rack of lamb with curried vegetable mousaka. Steaks here are known not only for flavor but also for their perfectly calibrated sides like twice-baked gouda potatoes, herbed pesto and port wine shallots. A jazzy soundtrack, fresh flowers on each table and crystal chandeliers class the place up, but this is Santa Monica, so wear whatever you’re wearing.