Ingo’s Tasty Diner – Santa Monica

There’s a new restaurant in town called, Ingo’s Tasty Diner in the old Callahan’s space on Wilshire Blvd by the owner’s of Misfit and La Grande Orange restaurants.  The menu is a collection of farm to table favorites made with quality ingredients.  As for cocktails, you surely don’t want to miss happy hour which begins at 4 p.m. daily, except for Tuesdays when they are closed and the $5 price tag is not the reason to go, but the delicious drinks.

The Buck & Rider is a mix of Rittenhouse Rye, Aperol, China China and Lemon.  This drink has the perfect balance of flavors and will be appreciated by all, but especially the bourbon crowd.  If green is your thing – Bobby Love is your concoction with St. George Green Chili Vodka, Green Juice and Lime.

I have dined at Ingo’s three times in the past month and the food is prepared fresh, with a warm staff, in a fun and inviting atmosphere.  For starters, the Pimiento Cheese with Crudite’ is tangy with a bit of heat and nice to dip into with the cocktails.

For salads, the Chopped is quite popular with chunks of chicken, kale, crispy barley, bacon & egg, but I love the traditional Caesar piled high with a dusting of parmesan cheese.

The Brussels Sprouts roasted deep brown in a Yuzu reduction with a side of Whipped Warm Goat Cheese shouldn’t be missed.

Some other favorites that I tasted but, forgot to get a pic of were….the Tuna Tartar with a thick layer of Guacamole on top and the “Yanks” – their version of the smashed potato with creme fraiche, cheddar cheese and bacon – both yummy!

For entrees, the housemade Spaghetti & Meatballs with fresh Burrata in a lovely pomodoro sauce was delightfully fresh.  I just love fresh, not dried, spaghetti!

Some other options are the Steak & Frites au Poivre with grass-fed beef and the Porchetta with Fennel Salad and Mustarda.  The steak had the perfect amount of chew and a nice sauce.  As for the porchetta, I enjoyed the crispy exterior with the right amount of fat.

Ingo’s Tasty Diner is a spot, I will frequent often and I am sure the neighborhood feels the same.  I can’t say enough about the friendly staff and the menu has something you are always hungry for.  Don’t miss the freshly baked chocolate chip cookies on your way out!