Hinterland's Breezy Coastal Cuisine Invades Santa Monica

At long last, here's the rather minimal, but elegantly designed interior at Hinterland, a coastal New American restaurant on Main Street Santa Monica that tried to open quietly last month before the entire celebrity media machine decided it was going to unleash Joe Jonas's first restaurant. Well, Jonas is a minority partner here, which sort of counts for something, but the bigger story is that a seasoned set of New York restaurateurs have planted their flag on the West Coast for the first time.

Matthew Hechter and Chris Brandon, as well as local partner Arsen Vasquez, are working with chef Maximilian DiMare to create an approachable menu with plenty of Southern influences. The bill of fare is dotted with dishes like bacon & egg salad with hot mustard vinaigrette, shrimp & grits with chorizo and fava beans, and pan-roasted chicken with lemon jus. For dessert, a German-style flourless chocolate cake or strawberry mandarin ricotta streusel will satisfy a sweet tooth. See the full list of dishes below, and stop by this new low-key restaurant on the Westside.