Aussie DNA and Asian flavours make this Californian restaurant a must-visit
Melbourne-born Cobi Marsh is behind this hot eatery.
One bite of the curry puff and I'm hooked on Cobi's. It's perfect: deliciously crunchy shell, the right amount of heat and a tamarind ketchup sauce I want on hand at home.
From a pandemic pop-up to one of the hottest dinner reservations in California, Cobi's on Santa Monica's Main Street is a restaurant with Aussie DNA in its roots and south-east Asia in its soul.
Restaurateur Cobi Marsh was born in Melbourne and spent a lot of her childhood in Bali, where she learned the art of cooking with Asian flavours and ingredients.
In October 2021, Marsh opened Cobi's a few blocks from the white sand of Santa Monica beach. In three short years, it has gained a loyal following and twice been awarded a prestigious Michelin Bib Gourmand recommendation.
The food is delectable, without doubt one of the best meals I eat during my visit to California. The menu is fun and fresh, taking cues from Indonesian, Vietnamese, Indian and Thai cuisines.
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Three big, juicy prawns are simply grilled in the shell, served with a ginger and yellow bean sauce. The nasi goreng with crispy pork belly is as good as any I've tasted in Bali.
The green papaya salad with cherry tomato, peanuts and chilli dressing takes my tastebuds back to similar dishes I've eaten at Chiang Mai's night markets.
A self-proclaimed curry connoisseur, Marsh travelled the world searching for the most irresistible recipes. Diners are lining up (literally, I'm lucky to get a table) for the beef rendang, butter chicken and Mister Dal, a satisfying vegetarian dish of yellow split peas, coconut milk and crispy curry leaves.
In a final sweet note to end the meal, an Aussie classic fancies up the vanilla soft-serve sundae.
There alongside the salted caramel sauce and roasted peanuts are chocolate brownie pieces made with Milo. cobis.la
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