Offering a wide range of Southeast Asian dishes, Cobi’s is one of Santa Monica’s most precious hidden gems. Cobi’s botanical garden restaurant lends the area a feeling of nostalgia that is hard to find. A unique homey atmosphere combined with some of the best food Santa Monica has to offer should bring Cobi’s to the top of anyone’s list.
At first sight, Cobi’s immediately stands out on Main Street with its pink walls and green-framed windows. The restaurant itself is incredibly beautiful with three different areas for dining but what makes it unique is the botanical garden bordering the entire premise. The main dining room is decorated with Cobi’s pink and green color scheme while the bar at its entrance looks up to a ceiling covered in flowers. The outdoor area next to the restaurant entrance is an actual small garden with four to five tables. The other outdoor section is equally gorgeous embellished with vintage chandeliers and bamboo walls. As Gen Z says nowadays, the vibes at Cobi’s are always immaculate no matter where you choose to sit.
Cobi’s opens for dinner Sunday through Wednesday from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. Thursday through Saturday. Brunch is offered on the weekend from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The dinner menu is very diverse with a raw bar, snacks, vegetables, stir-fry, curries, wood-grilled protein and desserts. Cobi’s brunch menu carries no fewer options with cocktails, a variety of shared dishes, sandwiches, rice dishes and sweets. Not stopping at the food menus, Cobi’s drinks menu includes everything from sparkling, white and skin contact, rose and coferment, red, beer and cider, draft cocktails to non-alcoholic, tea and coffee.
I have visited Cobi’s twice and every time was an absolute treat. My friend and I started off both times with the kanpachi in coconut dressing from their raw bar and it is hands down one of the best items on the menu. We also tried their signature beef rendang, shrimp nasi goreng and braised beef short rib with a side of roti. The beef rendang was perfectly savory as it was paired with chili oil and recommended to enjoy with roti. Nasi goreng, basically fried rice topped with a fried egg, can be ordered with added shrimp or pork belly and we opted for the shrimp option. The rice was cooked to perfection and the fried egg was crispy with a runny yolk. The beef short rib with chili and tamarind dressing was amazingly tender and every single bite melted in our mouths. Everything was a culinary dream.
Overall with its homey atmosphere, stunning botanical garden decorations and a range of Southeast Asian food to die for, Cobi’s to me embodies everything I wanted in a restaurant. You have to come, see and try it for yourself to fully understand the beauty of Cobi’s but be sure to catch me there soon for brunch as I devour a bowl of Hainan rice congee while sipping on one (or four) glasses of mimosa.
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