Oh Fig Santa Monica…you take brunch to the next level. First, I can’t express how much I love the head chef, Yousef Ghalaini. He is the first chef who understands that sending out plate after plate turns into a moment of gluttony and guilt, which leaves no one happy. I loved that we were able to enjoy at a leisurely pace and we ordered the dishes we found enticing.
Anyways, Fig has up the anti when it comes to brunch cocktails. I’m not talking mimosas, people. They are creating refreshing cocktails with rum, tequila, and vodka. You may think with hard alcohol, they cocktails would be heavy and leave you sluggish. These cocktails were light and perfect for good ol day drinking.
I’m a sucker for a bloody Mary, so I had to try theirs and it did not disappoint. It was spicy (I always get mine extra spicy), savory, and the olives had the perfect amount of saltiness. Other cocktail favorites included the Off Shore made with Matusalem Rum, Turmeric Syrup, Coconut Orgeat, and Thai Chili Drambuie, Lemon; the Almost Summer made with Chinaco Blanco Tequila, Vida Mezcal, pineapple shrub, and basil; and the Matcha-Man Mai Tai made with Matusalem Rum, Matcha Tea, Lime, Coconut Orgeat, and Mt. Gay Black Barrel Float.
From the cocktails we went onto food. I kept it somewhat healthy with the marinated mushroom salad that also had a six minute egg and I added perfect spiced shrimp to. Tyler manned up with the Chilaquiles. They are basically a breakfast nacho (aka pure genius). Nothing like tortillas, scrambled eggs, chicken, salsa roja, and queso fresco to soak up the booze from the night before and give him energy for the bike ride home. After we digested for a few, he manned up (again) and ordered the bacon waffle. I don’t know why he didn’t order it from the get go. This creation is pure perfection. It’s two strips of bacon cooked into two fluffy, sweet, waffles, topped with a banana compote. Pure decadence at its finest and a must order.
Any angle you look at it, Fig does not disappoint. They have the cocktail game under wraps and the food game (bacon waffle) at top notch. Plus, you can imbibe and feast in a beautiful, sophisticated, yet casual setting overlooking the pool at the Fairmont. Fig does not disappoint.
