By Sydney Delaney
3rd Street Promenade Santa Monica
An fun and easy dinner visit the SHOP HOUSE on the 3rd Street Promenade in Santa Monica left us feeling inspired and full of comforting, healthy and delicious food.
Cuisine: A Delicious Exchange of Thai, Vietnamese and South Asian foods
Concept: Affordable, Authentic dining that’s unique, straightforward & healthy
From the outside: Convenient, Easy to order, Simple Appeal
On the inside: Sleek, Bright and Earthy décor with wooden tables and benches,bustling with happy diners.
The Shop House standards: With an eye on quality and happy customers, options range from local to organic, seasonal to vegan, a house selection of dish combinations or customized made-to-order requests for under $8.00.
Who’s eating: We spotted hungry people sitting for a quick bite while shopping, a comforting late lunch, a group dinner, business folks picking up fast, healthy take out for the office or newcomers in just to enjoy something different and delicious.
The Eats: Pair delicate jasmine rice, hearty brown rice, chilled rice noodles or fresh greens with amazing vegetables Thai-style green beans, tender sweet charred corn or seasonal vegetable of the day, (garlic broccoli green for us)plus the grand finale: creamy green or red curries, rich tangy peanut sauce or sweet tamarind vinaigrette. Since there were numerous options, even for my vegetarian bowl, (which can also be 100% vegan) I opted to try both curries for just $1 extra. Warm brown rice was loaded with charred sweet corn, tender broccoli, savory wok-style tofu (similar to sweet-savory chicken with garlic),beautiful green papaya slaw, pickled vegetables, crispy garlic and a touch ofthe famously spicy Thai chilies. The Shop Menu warmly indicates heat levels o fall spicy foods according to ingredients, for an authentic culinary experience.
The Shop House mass appeal: Real food, well priced with generous servings and approachable in presentation and selection. With easy-to-eat bowl concept, proper with chopsticks or fast with a fork, some people finished their meals with a crisp Singha beer or dessert of creamy mango parfait & coconut ricepudding. Catering to the vegetarian to vegan spectrum yet at home with richness of meats that is authentic in ingredients and preparation, customers equally enjoyed their meals at group tables or on the go. Playing full out with a rainbow of delicately rich sauces and Thai curries that makes the tongue dance,with sweet-savory flavors and spicy heat to satisfy cravings for homey Thai dishes in one easy bowl. According to preference, have your bowl finished with refreshing pickled vegetables, herb salad or classic green papaya slaw, and then top it off with crispy garlic, finely toasted rice, crushed peanuts or vibrant Thai chilies. An amazing hybrid of traditional, authentic and complex flavors served up in a simple, singular way for an easy dining experience.
What we loved about it: Wonderful energy from restaurant staff and servers who offered first timers genuine responses about each dish option, spice-range,sourcing of ingredients and their personal favorites. Whether grabbing lunch or sitting for a casual dinner, The Shop House is unique in its array of mouthwatering Southern Asian flavors and comfortable in its approach to serving quality culinary experience for a great price. (Think of the speedy, simple and eco-friendly approach served up at Chipotle but with way more flavor). My bowl was 60% vegetables, loaded with natural protein and dazzling mouthfuls of Asian-inspired deliciousness.
