Somni (West Hollywood, CA) [3]
Somni Restaurant
9045 Nemo St, West Hollywood, CA 90069
www.somnirestaurant.com
Thu 05/14/2026, 07:30p-11:30p
"I could even envision this place as our first Michelin three-star somewhere down the line."
That's what I wrote as part of my previous report on Aitor Zabala's Somni, posted not too long after the place opened at the end of November 2024. And sure enough, when Michelin revealed their updated rankings last June, the restaurant was indeed handed tres estrellas for the Chef's unique vision of avant garde Spanish cuisine. Thus, given Somni's now-heightened level of fame and acclaim, I felt it was appropriate to revisit and see how things were going.
Pictured above is the numbered (#005449) menu that I was given at the end of the night, replete with a cover made from maple, ostensibly the same wood that the dining room counters are crafted out of. I do also appreciate how it lists each staff member, a thoughtful nod to the considerable teamwork required to run this restaurant (notably, CdC Ismael Parra was replaced by Fernando Baena at the end of November '25). The menu has a base price of $595, which doesn't include tip, tax, or a mandatory spend on beverage (though valet parking is included), and a $600 deposit is required. Click for larger versions.
Speaking of that mandatory beverage spend, you can choose between five preset options. To begin with, there's a $150 non-alcoholic pairing that, from what I understand, is quite popular and rather interesting. In terms of wine pairings, we have the Maridatge at $190 (mixed wine and NA), the Arrels at $225 (a core offering of Spanish and Californian wines), the Calafia at $415 (older vintages, international focus), and the Seny i Rauxa at $1000 (rarer, more prestigious offerings). Diners can also order from a Spain-, California-, and France-leaning wine list curated by Caroline Costarella, while the corkage fee is $150 per bottle/$300 per magnum.
I arrived right on time, and was soon led into Somni's cozy patio-terrace area, where I took the first part of my dinner.
Not long after I was seated, a chilled, wetted hand towel (shall we call it an oshibori?) was presented, which was much appreciated given the hands-on nature of the nibbles to follow.
1: Tokyo Fizz
Next came my welcome beverage, a concoction comprising yuzu, ginger beer, and sake, with a carbonated grape plopped in. It served as an apposite apéritif, demonstrating an almost piney characteristic that punctuated the drink's generally tangy, refreshing nature. I got a nice bit of fizziness from that grape, too.
2: Fried almond
The first of the small bites brought an unexpectedly sturdy, yet shattery almond praline shell, filled with lemon curd. I was told to consider eating this last (which I did), as it tends towards the sweeter side, and indeed, I found a very familiar nuttiness alongside this almost amaretto-like sugariness that lingered long.
3: Tarragon tart
Conversely, I was instructed to eat this first (which I did). What we had was an airy tarragon meringue studded with dehydrated raspberry and crowned with tarragon butter. The key here was the back-and-forth between the tart fruit and the tarragon's savory, grassy, botanical notes.
4: Sardine
I'm generally a fan of Japanese iwashi, so it's no surprise that I thoroughly enjoyed how the sardine's salinity and subtle smoke was presented, married with both a tomato sofrito and the fish's palpable underpinning of sweetness, all while that coca-inspired cracker mixed things up texturally.
5: "Tigre"
A riff on a classic Spanish pinxto (mejillones tigres) was arguably my favorite of the starters, bringing together mussel béchamel and a squid ink bread shell to make for a wonderfully herbaceous, creamy, briny bite, with a lovely crunch to boot.
6: Trufflcini
A porcini mushroom and truffle sandwich featured a crisp, delicate pastry recalling feuilles de brick, along with a bevy of woodsy, musky, and creamy nuances, all underpinned by a marked sweetness.
7: Parmesan feather
We concluded with an ultra-light rice cracker, topped with a pleasingly salty-savory Parmesan cream punctuated by countering elements of coffee and lemon.
After roughly 40 minutes, I was led into Somni's dining room, which seats a mere 14, split between eight-seater and six-seater counters. As you can see from the photo above, I was placed at very end of the eight-seater.
8: "Pizza Margherita"
In our first preparation of tomàquet, tomato water was emulsified, turned into a meringue, dried for 12 hours, the scorched. This "pizza dough" was then topped with tomato powder, burrata cream, burrata cheese, ibérico pancetta, caviar, basil, oregano, and olive oil. Flavors were delectably classic, and the crux here really was that "crust," with its impossibly light, fluffy, subtly chewy texture that definitely delighted.
Wine-wise, I wanted to start with a Spanish sparkler, hence the 2009 Mestres Clos Damiana, Gran Reserva, Brut Nature [$240], a blend of 60% Xarel·lo, 20% Macabeo, and 20% Parellada that was barrel-matured for a year, bottled, and late-disgorged in November 2023.
9: Gazpacho "blanco"
Our second preparation of tomate made use of the smaller fruits that the kitchen receives, and was designed as a fusion of two iconic Spanish soups: gazpacho and ajoblanco. Tomatoes were compressed, served with smoked eel, cucumber, olive oil, and various aromatics (including nasturtium), then finished with tomato essence infused with lemongrass and kaffir lime. I was impressed by the familiar savor of the tomato-eel duo, and how that played with the dish's utterly bright, herbaceous, and vegetal components. This was all about depth and refreshment, in harmony. Interestingly, outside of the plate were tomato vines, and we were encouraged to rub them in order to release the fragrance of tomatoes prior to eating.
10: Coco crab
Dungeness was combined with ginger oil, finger lime, pomelo, and kohlrabi purée, then finished tableside with a froth made from crab shells, coconut, and ras el hanout. This was definitely a standout for me, as I found the interplay between the crab's intrinsic sweet-salinity and the dish's sundry sour 'n' spicy elements super smart, and super effective.
11: Shiso puff tartare
One of Somni's most well-known dishes, this was shiso leaf, deep-fried in tempura batter, covered with beef tartare (tenderloin seasoned with steak sauce and fried capers), then capped with blue borage flowers. The tartare itself was as satisfyingly savory as I was hoping for, but what made this unique was the "puffed up" shiso, which worked to counteract the sheer heft of the meat.
12: Tuna & spruce tip
A reimagined mar y montaña (Spain's take on surf and turf) consisted of chutoro mixed with roasted bone marrow, crowned with kaluga hybrid caviar, and dressed tableside with chicken escabeche sauce. The lush, fatty nature of both the tuna belly and the marrow melded better than I'd anticipated, with the latter augmenting but never overshadowing the former. The caviar and escabeche added further power to the equation without getting in the way, while all those deliberately placed flowers offered a bit of a zippy counterpoint. We were also given a nori chip on the side, which provided some much-appreciated textural variation.
13: Mussels
Mussels now made another appearance, and this was even better than the last, being one of my favorite courses in fact. Mussel parfait was joined by springy, spongey mussel lips and surrounded by basil flowers and milk bread croutons, while poured tableside was saffron sauce and a foam made from mussel shells and dashi. Here, I thoroughly enjoyed how the character of the musclo was conveyed in multiple manners, bolstered by its various accoutrements, the earthy bittersweetness of saffron in particular.
14: Spanish turbot
Dry-aged turbot was cooked confit, then plated with butifarra purée, parsnip purée, a sauce of peas, and a sauce made from the bones of the fish. I was a big fan of the texture on the loin, which managed to be both finespun and substantial, while contrasting elements of bright peas and savory-spicy blood sausage really sang together when taken in concert with the turbot.
This year, I'm focusing on drinking 20-year-old bottles in celebration of the blog's twentieth anniversary, and tonight's selection was the 2006 Dominio de Pingus. A 100% Tempranillo hailing from Spain's Ribera del Duero appellation in Castile and León, Pingus was created by winemaker Peter Sisseck using old vine fruit, and saw its first vintage in 1995.
15: Engawa
In the context of sushi, engawa refers to the fin of a fish, in tonight's case the same turbot from above. The "rib" of the flatfish was seared and glazed with a housemade teriyaki sauce, then finished with shiso leaves and shiso blossoms. We're talking about savory-sweet, dark-toned flavors all over the place, rendered in an unabashedly sticky, gelatinous package.
Due to the somewhat messy nature of the preceding course, a moistened hand towel was provided at this point.
16: Iberico pork
Ibérico secreto was paralleled by a line of caramelized onion purée, on top of which sat artichoke, jamón ibérico, a "jelly bean" made from ibérico stock, and a stuffed morel. The pork was finished tableside with a chanterelle-black trumpet sauce, an ibérico rib jus, and a Roncal espuma. I first tried the secreto alone, and enjoyed its consistency--supple, well-marbled, yet with a bit of chew--and focused, sophisticated porkiness, one further bolstered by that aforementioned jus. In terms of other accompaniments, I was a fan of the woodiness imparted by the morel, while the artichoke lightened the mood, and I didn't mind that kick of salt from the cheese, either.
17: "Sheep and her milk"
The evening's composed cheese course comprised creamed Idiazabal, apple, vanilla, hazelnut, and dulce de leche (made from almonds I believe), all topped with a sheep-shaped cracker. Everything came together beautifully, with the fruit and nuts perfectly playing foil to the plethora of savory, salty, lactic, and funky forces in the dish.
18: Silenci d'hivern
Our main dessert course showcased the time-tested interaction between citrus and vanilla, but crafted in a novel fashion: white chocolate, yuzu, yuzu air, vanilla ice cream, and what I believe was toasted rice. What struck me here was how vibrantly the sweet-sourness of yuzu was conveyed, set against creamy, milky nuances and the fragrance of vanilla.
A complimentary double espresso seemed fruitier than most.
19: Sweet little things
Last up was what you might call the mignardises course, which was made up of five separate sweet treats.
An uncommonly dense, super juicy cut of mango (shaped suspiciously like a Michelin star) was infused with yuzu and ginger, then successfully juxtaposed with a dollop of coconut cream, some herby aromatics, and what I think was white chocolate.
Held in a wooden spoon was an unexpectedly floral strawberry cream encased in a delicate cocoa butter shell, set atop whipped cream for good measure.
A duet of "gummies" consisted of jellied raspberry juice with lingonberries along with jellied blackberries with amaretto, both of which showed off their fruitiness in a rather distilled manner.
Vanilla whipped cream surrounded in a white chocolate shell constituted this fun, faux madeleine.
Last up was a liquidy-centered dark chocolate donut topped with rainbow sprinkles. A light-hearted final bite.
I'm glad to report that the team at Somni appears to be firing on all cylinders. The whimsy, the imagination, the personality and the intention I witnessed on my last visit were all still there, but seemingly rendered in even sharper focus. Meanwhile, the service remains some of the best in Southern California. Certainly then, Somni represents a singular experience in LA dining, and I'm not surprised that it was awarded the trío.
9045 Nemo St, West Hollywood, CA 90069
www.somnirestaurant.com
Thu 05/14/2026, 07:30p-11:30p
"I could even envision this place as our first Michelin three-star somewhere down the line."
That's what I wrote as part of my previous report on Aitor Zabala's Somni, posted not too long after the place opened at the end of November 2024. And sure enough, when Michelin revealed their updated rankings last June, the restaurant was indeed handed tres estrellas for the Chef's unique vision of avant garde Spanish cuisine. Thus, given Somni's now-heightened level of fame and acclaim, I felt it was appropriate to revisit and see how things were going.
Pictured above is the numbered (#005449) menu that I was given at the end of the night, replete with a cover made from maple, ostensibly the same wood that the dining room counters are crafted out of. I do also appreciate how it lists each staff member, a thoughtful nod to the considerable teamwork required to run this restaurant (notably, CdC Ismael Parra was replaced by Fernando Baena at the end of November '25). The menu has a base price of $595, which doesn't include tip, tax, or a mandatory spend on beverage (though valet parking is included), and a $600 deposit is required. Click for larger versions.
Speaking of that mandatory beverage spend, you can choose between five preset options. To begin with, there's a $150 non-alcoholic pairing that, from what I understand, is quite popular and rather interesting. In terms of wine pairings, we have the Maridatge at $190 (mixed wine and NA), the Arrels at $225 (a core offering of Spanish and Californian wines), the Calafia at $415 (older vintages, international focus), and the Seny i Rauxa at $1000 (rarer, more prestigious offerings). Diners can also order from a Spain-, California-, and France-leaning wine list curated by Caroline Costarella, while the corkage fee is $150 per bottle/$300 per magnum.
I arrived right on time, and was soon led into Somni's cozy patio-terrace area, where I took the first part of my dinner.
Not long after I was seated, a chilled, wetted hand towel (shall we call it an oshibori?) was presented, which was much appreciated given the hands-on nature of the nibbles to follow.
1: Tokyo Fizz
Next came my welcome beverage, a concoction comprising yuzu, ginger beer, and sake, with a carbonated grape plopped in. It served as an apposite apéritif, demonstrating an almost piney characteristic that punctuated the drink's generally tangy, refreshing nature. I got a nice bit of fizziness from that grape, too.
2: Fried almond
The first of the small bites brought an unexpectedly sturdy, yet shattery almond praline shell, filled with lemon curd. I was told to consider eating this last (which I did), as it tends towards the sweeter side, and indeed, I found a very familiar nuttiness alongside this almost amaretto-like sugariness that lingered long.
3: Tarragon tart
Conversely, I was instructed to eat this first (which I did). What we had was an airy tarragon meringue studded with dehydrated raspberry and crowned with tarragon butter. The key here was the back-and-forth between the tart fruit and the tarragon's savory, grassy, botanical notes.
4: Sardine
I'm generally a fan of Japanese iwashi, so it's no surprise that I thoroughly enjoyed how the sardine's salinity and subtle smoke was presented, married with both a tomato sofrito and the fish's palpable underpinning of sweetness, all while that coca-inspired cracker mixed things up texturally.
5: "Tigre"
A riff on a classic Spanish pinxto (mejillones tigres) was arguably my favorite of the starters, bringing together mussel béchamel and a squid ink bread shell to make for a wonderfully herbaceous, creamy, briny bite, with a lovely crunch to boot.
6: Trufflcini
A porcini mushroom and truffle sandwich featured a crisp, delicate pastry recalling feuilles de brick, along with a bevy of woodsy, musky, and creamy nuances, all underpinned by a marked sweetness.
7: Parmesan feather
We concluded with an ultra-light rice cracker, topped with a pleasingly salty-savory Parmesan cream punctuated by countering elements of coffee and lemon.
After roughly 40 minutes, I was led into Somni's dining room, which seats a mere 14, split between eight-seater and six-seater counters. As you can see from the photo above, I was placed at very end of the eight-seater.
8: "Pizza Margherita"
In our first preparation of tomàquet, tomato water was emulsified, turned into a meringue, dried for 12 hours, the scorched. This "pizza dough" was then topped with tomato powder, burrata cream, burrata cheese, ibérico pancetta, caviar, basil, oregano, and olive oil. Flavors were delectably classic, and the crux here really was that "crust," with its impossibly light, fluffy, subtly chewy texture that definitely delighted.
Wine-wise, I wanted to start with a Spanish sparkler, hence the 2009 Mestres Clos Damiana, Gran Reserva, Brut Nature [$240], a blend of 60% Xarel·lo, 20% Macabeo, and 20% Parellada that was barrel-matured for a year, bottled, and late-disgorged in November 2023.
- Initial Impressions: Concentrated bouquet of Mott's apple juice and yeasty sensations. On the palate, I found fine bubbles and rich flavors of pome fruit, earth, and almonds.
- After 10 Minutes: The nose was even weightier, offering its apple-y notes in a more baked manner. In the mouth: loads of yellow fruit and a more apparent salinity, which I didn't mind at all.
- After 40 Minutes: The aroma became noticeably more mineral-driven, with those aforementioned apples taking on a bit more of a nutty, herby quality. Palate-wise, think even richer, even lusher, but quite a bit more oxidative in presentation, with hints of savory spice.
9: Gazpacho "blanco"
Our second preparation of tomate made use of the smaller fruits that the kitchen receives, and was designed as a fusion of two iconic Spanish soups: gazpacho and ajoblanco. Tomatoes were compressed, served with smoked eel, cucumber, olive oil, and various aromatics (including nasturtium), then finished with tomato essence infused with lemongrass and kaffir lime. I was impressed by the familiar savor of the tomato-eel duo, and how that played with the dish's utterly bright, herbaceous, and vegetal components. This was all about depth and refreshment, in harmony. Interestingly, outside of the plate were tomato vines, and we were encouraged to rub them in order to release the fragrance of tomatoes prior to eating.
10: Coco crab
Dungeness was combined with ginger oil, finger lime, pomelo, and kohlrabi purée, then finished tableside with a froth made from crab shells, coconut, and ras el hanout. This was definitely a standout for me, as I found the interplay between the crab's intrinsic sweet-salinity and the dish's sundry sour 'n' spicy elements super smart, and super effective.
11: Shiso puff tartare
One of Somni's most well-known dishes, this was shiso leaf, deep-fried in tempura batter, covered with beef tartare (tenderloin seasoned with steak sauce and fried capers), then capped with blue borage flowers. The tartare itself was as satisfyingly savory as I was hoping for, but what made this unique was the "puffed up" shiso, which worked to counteract the sheer heft of the meat.
12: Tuna & spruce tip
A reimagined mar y montaña (Spain's take on surf and turf) consisted of chutoro mixed with roasted bone marrow, crowned with kaluga hybrid caviar, and dressed tableside with chicken escabeche sauce. The lush, fatty nature of both the tuna belly and the marrow melded better than I'd anticipated, with the latter augmenting but never overshadowing the former. The caviar and escabeche added further power to the equation without getting in the way, while all those deliberately placed flowers offered a bit of a zippy counterpoint. We were also given a nori chip on the side, which provided some much-appreciated textural variation.
13: Mussels
Mussels now made another appearance, and this was even better than the last, being one of my favorite courses in fact. Mussel parfait was joined by springy, spongey mussel lips and surrounded by basil flowers and milk bread croutons, while poured tableside was saffron sauce and a foam made from mussel shells and dashi. Here, I thoroughly enjoyed how the character of the musclo was conveyed in multiple manners, bolstered by its various accoutrements, the earthy bittersweetness of saffron in particular.
14: Spanish turbot
Dry-aged turbot was cooked confit, then plated with butifarra purée, parsnip purée, a sauce of peas, and a sauce made from the bones of the fish. I was a big fan of the texture on the loin, which managed to be both finespun and substantial, while contrasting elements of bright peas and savory-spicy blood sausage really sang together when taken in concert with the turbot.
This year, I'm focusing on drinking 20-year-old bottles in celebration of the blog's twentieth anniversary, and tonight's selection was the 2006 Dominio de Pingus. A 100% Tempranillo hailing from Spain's Ribera del Duero appellation in Castile and León, Pingus was created by winemaker Peter Sisseck using old vine fruit, and saw its first vintage in 1995.
- Initial Impressions: First whiffs were intense, filled with cacao nibs, sous bois, barnyard, and leather. Taking a sip, I found plush tannins and a core of ripe black plum accented by smoke and earth.
- After 30 Minutes: At this point, the nose had changed quite markedly, and emphasized loads of luscious purple fruit. On the palate, the tannins were even finer, and those plummy flavors from before were joined by heightened amounts of mineral and forest floor.
- After 90 Minutes: Aromas became more brazenly earthen and leathery, with additional notes of roasted meat that I quite enjoyed. On the tongue, I got more pronounced tannins and distinct herbal-minty qualities, all undergirded by more of that omnipresent dark stone fruit.
15: Engawa
In the context of sushi, engawa refers to the fin of a fish, in tonight's case the same turbot from above. The "rib" of the flatfish was seared and glazed with a housemade teriyaki sauce, then finished with shiso leaves and shiso blossoms. We're talking about savory-sweet, dark-toned flavors all over the place, rendered in an unabashedly sticky, gelatinous package.
Due to the somewhat messy nature of the preceding course, a moistened hand towel was provided at this point.
16: Iberico pork
Ibérico secreto was paralleled by a line of caramelized onion purée, on top of which sat artichoke, jamón ibérico, a "jelly bean" made from ibérico stock, and a stuffed morel. The pork was finished tableside with a chanterelle-black trumpet sauce, an ibérico rib jus, and a Roncal espuma. I first tried the secreto alone, and enjoyed its consistency--supple, well-marbled, yet with a bit of chew--and focused, sophisticated porkiness, one further bolstered by that aforementioned jus. In terms of other accompaniments, I was a fan of the woodiness imparted by the morel, while the artichoke lightened the mood, and I didn't mind that kick of salt from the cheese, either.
17: "Sheep and her milk"
The evening's composed cheese course comprised creamed Idiazabal, apple, vanilla, hazelnut, and dulce de leche (made from almonds I believe), all topped with a sheep-shaped cracker. Everything came together beautifully, with the fruit and nuts perfectly playing foil to the plethora of savory, salty, lactic, and funky forces in the dish.
18: Silenci d'hivern
Our main dessert course showcased the time-tested interaction between citrus and vanilla, but crafted in a novel fashion: white chocolate, yuzu, yuzu air, vanilla ice cream, and what I believe was toasted rice. What struck me here was how vibrantly the sweet-sourness of yuzu was conveyed, set against creamy, milky nuances and the fragrance of vanilla.
A complimentary double espresso seemed fruitier than most.
19: Sweet little things
Last up was what you might call the mignardises course, which was made up of five separate sweet treats.
An uncommonly dense, super juicy cut of mango (shaped suspiciously like a Michelin star) was infused with yuzu and ginger, then successfully juxtaposed with a dollop of coconut cream, some herby aromatics, and what I think was white chocolate.
Held in a wooden spoon was an unexpectedly floral strawberry cream encased in a delicate cocoa butter shell, set atop whipped cream for good measure.
A duet of "gummies" consisted of jellied raspberry juice with lingonberries along with jellied blackberries with amaretto, both of which showed off their fruitiness in a rather distilled manner.
Vanilla whipped cream surrounded in a white chocolate shell constituted this fun, faux madeleine.
Last up was a liquidy-centered dark chocolate donut topped with rainbow sprinkles. A light-hearted final bite.
I'm glad to report that the team at Somni appears to be firing on all cylinders. The whimsy, the imagination, the personality and the intention I witnessed on my last visit were all still there, but seemingly rendered in even sharper focus. Meanwhile, the service remains some of the best in Southern California. Certainly then, Somni represents a singular experience in LA dining, and I'm not surprised that it was awarded the trío.
posted by kevinEats at
7:30 PM
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