Connie and Ted's

Connie and Ted's Restaurant Review:

About the restaurant: After helming Water Grill in Los Angeles and later creating his own esteemed seafood establishment Providence, chef Michael Cimarusti created this luxe seafood "shack" with Providence co-owner Donato Poto. The name comes from Cimarusti's grandparents Connie and Ted, who instilled in him a love of fishing from outings off their Rhode Island cottage. (The "est'd 1940" mention on the restaurant logo is a reference to the year of their wedding.) This purpose-built space encompasses a patio, private dining room, wraparound bar and main dining room that's open to the huge kitchen. Unlike some seafood-oriented spots that are chock full of tchotchkes, here the décor is tastefully done with only a handful of maritime objects. Over the years, Providence has accumulated many oyster tags from shipments --- restaurants are required to keep them for a certain period of time --- and they've been plastered on two of the walls.

Food & Drinks: The menu kicks off with starters like grilled calamari. Oysters are crispy and briny, and you may be lucky enough to find fresh Santa Barbara sea urchin. Consider the chilled shellfish tower heaped with oysters, clams, mussels, shrimp, lobster and crab. Skip the "stuffies" (clams baked with linguiça, breadcrumbs and garlic) in favor of the steamers (soft shell clams). The lobster roll can be ordered hot with drawn butter or cold with mayonnaise. Check for specials such as California swordfish or Baja grouper. All fish are wild caught and sustainable. Landlubbers will also find a bone-in filet mignon or rib-eye cap steak. Desserts include comfort food classics like a blondie (blonde brownie) topped with vanilla ice cream and salted caramel sauce. The short wine list is well rounded and fish friendly, though it plays second fiddle to the fun cocktails and craft beer program (two dozen on draft).