Twelve Twelve Santa Monica’s pasta dishes are straight out of Rome

A brand new elevated menu arrives with Italian finesse to Twelve Twelve Santa Monica thanks to new Chef Oliver Malmsten, born in Rome to Swedish parents and known for his culinary prowess as a competitor on the Italian Hell’s Kitchen show and experience at several Michelin star restaurants in Milan and London. Carefully sourcing the best ingredients, Chef Oliver ignites the entire New American-Italian menu with exceptional dishes made with love.

While upscale nightlife really kicks off here on the weekends with DJs and a popular brunch, this casual restaurant-bar on 3rd Street Promenade – known for bottomless mimosas and Aperol spritzes – also invites for dinner on the lounge terrace outside with fire pits or a cozy booth inside in the massive dining area.

The huge Crostini section on the menu is a good place to start for shareable bites – all so elegantly concocted on a wooden board with standouts including the fresh salmon, beef tartare, and prosciutto crudo with sun-dried tomato and burrata. Begin your culinary journey with an Espresso Martini, a Sunset in Sicily, or the Dos Hombres Mezcal Situationship made with homemade honey pineapple syrup with spicy smoked bitters.

A lengthy fresh handmade pasta menu offers options like Nonna’s Lasagne, ravioli with eggplant and zucchini pesto, and Wild Boar Tagliatelle; but the star of the show is the Gnocchi Pomodoro with basil and Parmigiano. These little pillow bites with rich savory sauce may have you licking the plate clean. Guests suggest ordering the Garlic Loaf too.

In true LA style, find occasional off-menu items like Mortadella with a rich cheese sauce meant to be dipped by little airy balls of fried dough that the Italians like to call “pillow hugs.”

Stellar entrees include the perfectly cooked Filet Mignon atop celery root puree with Tuscan kale and truffle sauce that demands to be paired with a J Wilkes Cab from Paso and Herb Crusted Salmon, seared just right creating a crisp skin with aromatic herbs atop mashed potatoes with saffron and broccoli. Italian Meatballs and Spicy Mussels Arrabbiata are perfect for sharing. The Mushroom Risotto caught my eye for next time.

The Chef brings his favorite childhood dessert to life from Tuscany – a less sugary carrot cake strewn with carrot bits and accented with drops of caramel to swipe in each bite. But you could order all of them and share like Chocolate Croissant Bread Pudding and Cannoli Siciliani