Rick Bayless Opens Red O in Santa Monica
by guest blogger @btsunoda
Celebrity chef Rick Bayless, recently extended his LA base of operations to include another Red O. Located on picturesque Ocean Avenue in Santa Monica, it’s just a hop skip and a jump from the iconic Santa Monica Pier.
A pre-grand opening party was recently held there.
The menu is similar to their original location on Melrose: appetizers, ceviche and raw bar, soups and salads, steak and seafood, other entrees and sides. Thanks to corn being the staple starch in Mexican food, almost everything on their menu is gluten free.
The interior is modern chic. Premium tequila and mezcal bottles attractively line the walls.
During the party, an impressive “Red O” tower of seafood commanded the interior.
It was surrounded by two different types of Mexican ceviche, oysters on the half shell and crab legs.
One of my favorites that evening was the Shrimp & Calamari Ceviche.