Santuari

Los Angeles isn't short of impressive locales: be it the beauty of nature, fantastic architecture, impressive art or gorgeous restaurants - we have it all! When it comes to the 'gorgeous restaurants' part of that list; there are certainly many to choose from whether for a hot date, celebrating a birthday or professional achievement or simply treating yourself for being alive. One of these places is Santurai in the Hollywood Hills/Burbank cusp. Named LA's "Most Transporting Restaurant"; Santurai deserves the accolade so let's be transported together...Santurai is located on Forest Lawn in the back lot area of Warner Bros and Universal studios near Griffith Park making it an unexpected retreat especially as it is connected to a tennis/racket club with a parking lot populated with people with gym bags. But this brief discomfort is worth it when you feast your eyes on the beautiful mansion/almost castle-like exterior of Santurai. The lobby which boasts high ceilings, tile, and a grand piano immediately drops jaws but trust me - this is just the beginning! If you aren't already impressed, you will be once you see the dining area. Santurai has both a patio area and various indoor rooms (the outdoor patio is adjacent to the tennis courts so I would suggest interior for full ambiance) and is so gorgeous that I can't choose the proper verbiage to do it justice. Mediterranean arches, neutral colors, a fire place, booths, tables with rattan seating, French doors, windows galore, exposed beams and bricks... it is an interior design HEAVEN! Sadly, the waiter informed me that Santurai is being remodeled soon from head to toe. What?! WHY?! IT IS MAGNIFICANT! I don't see why you would change something so stunningly appealing but maybe it is becoming even MORE glam? We shall see...The menu at Santurai is Mediterranean-inspired and isn't overly extensive (one page, front only) and is admittedly high-end so be prepared to spend moolah. The wine/cocktail/spirits list offers much more in terms of selections if that's your thing. Everything on Santurai's menu sounds elegant but the only bummer for this Celiac gal is that there are few dishes that are gluten-free. BOO!Despite this, my dining partner and I were able to make some choices. For our wine we chose a bottle of Paitin Barbesco from Italy ($120) but we were sadly informed that they were out. However, they suggested an equal in substitution with a discount. The "It isn't available" theme continued as a couple items on the menu weren't available either (and for the record, we were the very first guests and arrived to an empty restaurant so it wasn't at the end of the evening). What is going on here?! For our meal, we chose Steak Tartare as a starter (grilled sour dough crostini w/ gruyere cheese, filet mignon, chives, shallots - $26) while my dining partner went with the Diver Scallops (applewood smoked bacon, little potatoes, lemon - $24) for his main dish. As for me, I went with the Whole Grilled Branzino (Melted leeks, fennel & dill emulsion, charred lemon - $43).To begin, the wine substitution was fantastic and a wonderful choice: I didn't even miss our initial selection. But it is the food that was pure art. Honey, these dishes belong in a museum! And the flavors? Good lord, they were perfection! The Steak Tartare was served in a bowl with no skimping on portion size and topped with edible flower petals. It was divine! I could eat this every day and not grow tired of it. I even took a bite of the cheesy crostini as I couldn't refrain from its gooey-goodness despite my Celiac. The Diver Scallops (two jumbo scallops) came in a hot skillet surrounded by flowers and four little potatoes. I could say the portion is small but this is expected at these high-end places. The scallops were buttery-soft and even the potatoes were heavenly. But my Whole Grilled Branzino is where it's at! Don't worry the head isn't present (although the tail is) and was some of the best fish I've ever consumed. The leeks were tasty and caramelized and the emulsion was a great pairing. Exquisite! Every single staff member at Santurai is at the top of their game being both friendly and chic but not stuck-up. This place genuinely has great service. Extra shout out to Sam (I think his name was) because he's a cutie! Although Santurai is not perfect (very expensive, unavailable items, hardly any gluten free choices); it is a MUST-TRY as it is more than dining; and is an entire experience (which is why I still give it 5 starts). Go right now to see it for what it is or wait until after the remodel but either way: GO!

One of the best dining experiences I've had in California. The menu is great I love that they source from the farmers market. My cocktail was remarkable! My friend and I had such a memorable experience. Everyone on the staff was so personable and enthusiastic. The food was top tier. I will be back sooner than later.

Absolute must try! Ordered the shrimp beignets and the tuna tartare to start. Shrimp beignets were crispy but the batter lacked flavor, the delicious white dipping sauce made up for it. The tuna tartare tasted very fresh and it had the most delicate hint of sesame seed oil and soy sauce. We shared the bone in rib eye steak (requested a medium, but it was slightly overcooked). The steak was well seasoned and came with grilled asparagus and 2 freshly baked pieces of bread and it was garnished with a rosemary stalk. The sides of chimichurri sauce and the spicy horseradish dressing gave more depth and flavor to the steak. Added a side of carrots to complement our dinner. The carrots were unbelievably delicious: caramelized and served on a creamy base. The pieces of bread tasted similar to a dutch pannenkoeken, light and fluffy with a subtle buttery taste. Amazing. The service from all the staff was very attentive. Sean checked on us a few times and made sure we were having an enjoyable evening. He also went over some of the chefs methods and how they select consciously sourced ingredients. The ambience was wonderful, soft music in the background, uplifting vibe and dimmed lighting.

Came here for a Tequila Tasting night and I thoroughly enjoyed my evening! The restaurant was very generous with their pours and the kitchen staff did an amazing job with presentation and with the pairings for each type of tequila. The dining area and the green room are elegant and luxe - so gorgeous!! My friend and I did a self-guided tour and had a lot of fun exploring. They have an elevator for those with mobility issues. Parking is easily available on-site. Very positive experience and would definitely return!

We absolutely love this restaurant so much, that my husband and I have thought about getting a membership so we can get to see everything the property has to offer!Let's start with the aesthetic... GORGEOUS! You feel high class just stepping foot inside the restaurant. We have come several nights and sometimes they have live music! It really is such an elegant place.Next up, the food. There hasn't been anything that I've tried that I wasn't in love with. My favorite are the seafood items on the menu because they come out so fresh and crisp. Don't skip out on the ceviche, but literally all items are delish.Up next, the drinks! Wow wow wow! I don't even know what to order anymore because all of their drinks are top tier. I sometimes ask my favorite bartender, Chris C, to make me whatever he wants to make because his drinks never miss! He knows I like tequila so I trust him 100% to whip up something for me and I've never been disappointed. There's also a Mezcal drink that he makes that I get every time! There's a bar area right at the front that you can also order food at and most of the time we sit there because we LOVE Chris!Lastly, the service. From the fabulous male host at the front to all other employees that make each time a memorable experience, I THANK YOU ALL! You make us keep wanting to come back and that makes a great establishment!

We are back and we love this restaurant. The food is great and Sean the manager is definitely the hottest man I've seen in a long time and so is one of the waiters Maybe they are related? It's a great vibe with the tennis courts outside. I highly recommend this place!! A++ for cute boy watching. lolMartha is an amazing waitress!!! Did I mention how delicious the salmon was? It was perfectly medium rare with the perfect amount of seasoning. I also recommend the albacore crudo!!

Came back with some friends after a couple years hiatus and thoroughly enjoyed our meal! The mezze platter was large and fun to share among 3 people. We also ordered the carrots, crab fettuccini, and half chicken. The carrots and chicken were incredible. I'd order them again. The crab fettuccini was good but I would opt to try something else. The churros and chocolate sauce for dessert were divine!

This location isn't open to the public anymore. It's only open for private events. Which is a shame because it was an amazing restaurant with consistently excellent food, drinks, and service. Why this business decided to change everything and not let anyone know is frustrating to say the least.

This place is beautiful. The details are stunning. Every corner is pretty. Love the room in the back. What a nice space for a small event celebration. I made reservations Sunday evening for two on Open Table. The restaurant called an hour before to confirm my reservation. Once my friend and I arrived we were greeted by the hostess immediately. We were seated at one of the booths which we appreciated a lot. Very comfortable and nice. Even though they had a few nice cocktails on the menu we chose a bottle of rose. Which was served chilled in a bucket of ice. The food we ordered was good. The mezze for starters was flavorful, the farmers market salad had a great tarragon dressing that we both loved, the short ribs was not the best and the salmon was perfectly cooked. The portions are very small so you have to order sides with main dishes and probably a starter too. Otherwise you will leave hungry. Service was ok, great ambiance.

We can back during the week to celebrate a birthday. It was nice, not crowded. I ordered Mary's chicken and I noticed they changed it a little. I do like the new recipe. Still great service and friendly atmosphere.