TRUXTON’S AMERICAN BISTRO
REINVENTING CLASSICS & SERVING CRAVEABLE DISHES

If you’re looking for hearty comfort food on the west side, look no further than Truxton’s American Bistro. Raising the bar when it comes to standard neighborhood American bistro fare, the Truxton locations in Westchester and Santa Monica are neighborhood favorites, beloved for their reinvention of classic dishes at affordable prices.

A great choice for a quick bite, cocktail or a hearty meal, the powers that be at Truxton’s—owners Tim Foley and John Kaufman—have quite the track record having been involved with successful restaurants such as Toscana, and Rosti Chicken. Executive Chef Greg Schroeppel started his career more than 20 years ago at Wolfgang Puck's Spago and worked with Puck as opening chef at Chinois on Main, and Granita in Malibu.

“We’re the local neighborhood bistro,” co-owner Tim Foley explains. “Part of a great dining experience is sitting around a table with family and friends and sharing a great meal with great conversation, with a great wine that’s paired with it. We expect to be that for Santa Monica.”

The Santa Monica location is highlighted by its cherry wood bar, high open ceiling, dark wooden tables and chairs, and exposed brick walls, which helps give this neighborhood bistro a cozy and welcoming vibe.

A recommended starter item perfect for sharing is Truxton’s Monkey Bread—pull-apart house made bread with cheddar cheese and garlic served with your choice of marinara, garlic butter or ranch dipping sauce. It’s a diet-busting good time.

Whenever offered as a menu special, the Old Bay Crab Cakes with crispy jumbo lump crab seasoned with Old Bay seasoning and served with tartar sauce is fine appetizer.

The Sweet & Spicy Shrimp Tacos are a menu favorite for good reason. Two soft corn tortillas filled with melted pepper jack cheese, ancho honey shrimp and spicy cabbage slaw, along with rice and beans, this is a guilt free hearty dish.

A real menu winner is the Smokey Bleu salad prepared with shaved Brussel sprouts, chopped kale, red quinoa, roasted walnuts, smoked bleu cheese, diced Applewood bacon, dried cranberries and fresh sliced red grapes tossed in a walnut vinaigrette. This is a hearty meal on its own or a great healthy item to share.

Another heart-smart option is the Ahi Poké Bowl. This dish features 5oz sushi-grade diced ahi and avocado tossed with ponzu, green onions and sesame seeds on a blend of white rice, red quinoa, and seaweed seasoned with Togarashi topped with pickled cucumbers, sliced jalapeños and a drizze of Sriracha mayo. At a whopping $18 you’ll probably get two hearty servings from this dish. And if you’re sharing it, it’s practically a filling meal for two.

Burger fans should get well acquainted with the Portland Burger—a half pound beef patty topped with sautéed wild mushrooms, fontina cheese, lettuce, caramelized and crispy onions, and roasted garlic mayo drizzled with balsamic glaze on a brioche bun. This is almost as good as a gourmet burger gets.

Not to be outdone, the Rotisserie Chicken “Chile Verde” Burrito is a bad boy burro mix of chicken, brown rice studded with corn, poblanos and cilantro, refried black beans, pepperjack cheese, fresh avocado, pico de gallo and chipotle crema topped with warm childe verde sauce and served with a side salad. This is another crowd pleasing oversized item perfect to share, otherwise be prepared to have leftovers for another serving.

And don’t forget about dessert at Truxton’s. They’re kind of a must, especially the Salted Caramel Carnival Sundae. A decadent dish of salted caramel gelato, caramel filled cinnamon sugar churros topped with fresh whipped cream this is worth the extra workout you’ll need to do the next day to get back on track. And if the seasonal Double Chocolate Cheesecake with house made whipped chocolate cheesecake wrapped in a biscotti cookie crust is available, get it! And don’t even feel guilty about it, it’s that good.

But my favorite dessert option is the Abuelita’s Chocolate Cocktail as I do love liquid dessert. A magical mix of Hanson Vodka infused with Abuelita Hot Chocolate mixed with Frangelico and Rumchata finished with a splash of cream and a dollop of whipped cream, where has this wonderful gem been all my life? This is how I want to finish a meal out on the town.

What I like about time spent at Truxton’s is that it’s a no-frills, no-rush place where you can enjoy hearty comfort food in a relaxed setting. It doesn’t always have to be about fine dining when you’re out. Like co-owner Tim Foley says, a good meal “is sitting around a table with family and friends and sharing a great meal with great conversation.” Finding the right company and conversation topic is up to you, Truxton’s will handle the rest.

Truxton’s American Bistro is located at 1329 Santa Monica Blvd in Santa Monica and at 8611 Truxton Avenue in Westchester.

Some Photography & Story By: Jose Martinez

Some Photography Courtesy Of: Truxton’s American Bistro