Now open
700 Wilshire Blvd
Santa Monica, CA 90401
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Opening today, here is Eater’s article: Sqirl and Contramar Chefs Open Onda Restaurant in Santa Monica - Eater LA
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Awesome, just snagged a reservation for Friday evening.
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Do report back since partner and I are looking for a special occasion restaurants nearby in the near future, and we can afford this place. 
Not feeling this menu
Is it the pretentious preamble about the sea?
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¿Qué onda?
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The Neruda is bothering you?
I think it’s nice to read something beautiful on a menu for a change.
I sort of wonder if, b/c of the location of the hotel is in a vaguely touristy part of the town, the menu has been tailored to have more mass appeal that you’d expect in a high-end restaurant. The prices are a pleasant surprise.
No offense @paranoidgarliclover, but to me, that menu is anything BUT designed for the masses. I don’t even have any idea what the heck many of these things are - pickled pork skin, Koji-marinated Satsuma, smoked plum, tumeric (on several dishes), Jackfruit, fermented shiso vinaigrette, anchovies with kelp, lacto-fermented jalapeno-sauerkraut salt, charred Cara Cara (I think I dated her once upon a time)!
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This menu basically has Sqirl written all over it. For better or worse. I have always loved the food at Sqirl, even though it’s weird. It will be interesting to see how this translates. It’s a lot more Koslow than Camara I think, based on the menu.
Update–the first Yelp review has some pictures of the food. It looks good and interesting to me. https://www.yelp.com/biz/onda-santa-monica
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I’d go solely for this, and I don’t even drink brandy:
"Extra bonus points for having a brandy on the beverage list that’s named, "Fuck Trump and His Stupid Fucking Wall.’ "
Read Michael A.'s review of Onda on Yelp
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I dunno, guys. This looks pretty interesting to me.
I am a big fan of Sqirl, though, and I’ve never had Camara’s food.
I’m going this Saturday.
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Pickled pork skin is good.
Have you had Tostilocos?
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nope
Or perhaps how they will taste? For me, I think I actually had Google more of the ingredient list at the menu at Southend than I do for this menu, although I have less of an idea of how the dishes at Onda will taste (vs. pizza).
While the ingredients combinations are certainly unique, the dishes conceptually (and the component ingredients themselves) seem decently familiar to me.
Looking forward to trying the place.
Edit: perhaps you have a point. Having difficulty convincing partner to try this place. 
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the menu just seems kind of… healthy. but i’m willing to ruin my diet once and give it a try, for research.
fwiw i’v nvr bn 2 sqrl and i didn’t enjoy cala.
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Agreed. I didn’t read the menu and feel like this was going to, how shall we say, warming, hearty, filling, soulful food…
I am quite interested in reading your take on how the food tastes.
Went to Sqirl once and loved it.
Bring your buddy. The uni.
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