Before it closed in 2020, Somni in Los Angeles was one of the city’s most lauded spots. The restaurant earned two MICHELIN Stars and countless accolades for its intricate tasting menus inspired by the Catalan flavors chef Aitor Zabala grew up with.
Fast forward four years, and Zabala is back, but this time entirely on his own (the previous restaurant was a partnership). The restaurant is once again serving delicate bites, but in an entirely new, larger, and minimalist space in West Hollywood. Tucked off a side street in the bustling neighborhood, it feels like an escape from the city.
“At the old Somni, we were inside another restaurant,” Zabala says. “Here we have more control, from the door to the patio to the dining room. We wanted to create an intimate experience. What you see is how we are.”
Read on for what to expect with the one-of-a-kind tasting at Somni in Los Angeles, and make a booking on OpenTable.
Where to sit
You’ll start in a serene outdoor garden lined with tables, lighting, and sycamore trees, as well as design elements like floating cloud sculptures. From there, you’ll move inside to a curved 14-seat bar made of maple and sycamore (to complement the trees outside) for the rest of the meal. While the space is mainly done up in neutral tones, a bull head sculpture by Spanish artist Okuda San Miguel adds a pop of color.
Zabala and his team are the center of it all, standing behind a large counter and passing out small bites and plates of food. “One of the things we try to make different is interaction [between diners and the chefs], so they can bring something with them when they leave,” Zabala says.
What to eat
You can expect around 32 bites over the course of the evening, starting with five-to-six small nibbles in the garden and a few more inside that the restaurant wants you to eat by hand before moving on to larger plates. At least a few dishes from the old Somni will make an appearance like a shiso tempura puff filled with beef tartare and topped with edible flowers, plus a cheese course with tempered Brillat-Savarin and a cow-shaped cracker. Post-dessert, you’ll head back to the garden for coffee and mignardise.
What to drink
There are a few different beverage pairings along with the tasting. Expect some non-alcoholic beverages made in-house to start followed by two wine pairings that include selections from Spain and California. You can also pick wines by the glass or bottle with a majority of the options coming from Spain and California.
When to go
Somni does just one dinner seating at 5:30 pm Wednesday to Sunday that will go on for about three hours. “We want people to be relaxed and have a good time,” Zabala says. Private dining bookings for up to six people are also available.
Karen Palmer is a pizza- and pasta-obsessed food writer based in Los Angeles. She is the former editorial director of Tasting Table, and her work has appeared in Eater, Food & Wine, Travel + Leisure, and many other publications. Follow her on Instagram at @karenlpalmer.
