serendipity!. my wife and i enjoyed dinner here last night with two friends from out of town. our original reservations were for akbar indian cuisine right nearby (on fair oaks), but the heavy cloying aromas of their (excellent) curries and meats were too much for one of our party. it was stuffier than usual last night. they suggested a place where we could dine outdoors in the fresh air. my first thought was johnny rocket's, in that little outdoor mall less than a block away! but this was to be a more elegant dinner. my friend led us to santorini's.
wow. i have been coming to old town pasadena for dates and dining for twenty years and have never actually entered santorini's. my loss. the facility is fascinating (i explored it a bit after dinner)-- an interesting blend of old brick and gleaming glass, sort of traditionalist-dances-with-postmodernist feel to it, with lots of different levels and architectural surprises (i found a hobbit-sized door leading to a clean and well-organized storeroom between dining floors! not for public access, but having a background in maintenance, i was curious, and pleased with what i found there). once you start exploring, the various branching stairs can confuse you, but finding the elevator will set you straight again.
santorini's would be perfect for a private party or a dinner meeting of groups from 10 to 100, without intruding on their regular clientele. it was also perfect for our little party of four.
it was busy on a sunday night, but the staff did not seem rushed, nor did we have to wait too long for service or for our food. our waiter was friendly and knew the menu well, was able to confidently redirect me toward something i'd really like.
he was right. the santorini lamb souvlaki was right up there with the best lamb i have ever tasted. the hummus was perfectly balanced and just the right texture, obviously freshly-made. my wife's beef brochette was juicily tender with a wonderful sort of rubbed-on spicy coating that reminded me of memphis dry-rub barbecue, but not as thick, and with a mediterranean peppery purr rather than a tennessee kick. the red-curry seafood risotto and the monkfish special both looked and smelled amazing, but apparently tasted too good to share with anyone lacking spouse privileges. whatever white wine the waiter recommended for the monkfish was an excellent pairing, i am told, and if you order an arnold palmer expect to sweeten it yourself to your taste. as for dessert, i can attest to the perfection of the flourless chocolate cake, but we were so full from dinner, that's all we tried. my wife and i have agreed to do more research on the sweets here in the near future.
the only off-note of the night was our waiter slipping up a couple of times-- having to remind him about bringing the dessert menu, and something else which one of our friends had to mention (bringing the glass of wine when the monkfish had arrived, i think). frankly, being distracted by the wonderful ambiance and top-notch food, i did not notice the minor misses with the service.
i am so glad that circumstances and an old friend's whim have led me to discover santorini's at last. we'll be back soon!