Sweet Maple Brunch Restaurant Brings ‘Millionaire’s Bacon’ to Santa Monica | Eater LA

"I'm excited that beloved Bay Area brunch restaurant Sweet Maple is opening its first Los Angeles location today, December 8, in an opulent Santa Monica space. I was drawn to its Asian-inspired takes on brunch classics and its trademark Millionaire’s Bacon — a thick, sweet, and slightly spicy candied slab of pork — which has helped build the cult following from its San Francisco, Palo Alto, and Cupertino locations. Signature dishes include the Pimped Up Ramyun (a deconstructed Shin Ramyun with fried egg, sautéed vegetables, and a slice of the thick bacon), the Tornado Galbi Omurice (a silky, twisted omelet dolloped over galbi fried rice), Soufflegg Skillets that recall gyeran-jjim, and croissant-dough waffles that echo the croffle trend; the Short Ribs Pot is a milder, untraditional spin on galbi-jjim topped with a poached egg and sautéed kimchi, and the Marnier french toast at this Santa Monica spot is more citrus-forward with a thicker crème brûlée crust and extra-fluffy milk bread from a local bakery. The space—taking over the former Joan’s on Third on Ocean Avenue—features high ceilings, polished table decor, shimmering chandeliers, and Korean plateware designed by owner Hoyul Choi’s wife Jiyeon to convey airiness and approachable luxury, and the menu also leans into heartier lunch options like the Jam Juicy Lucy Burger with housemade bacon jam and a crab sandwich with garlicky Dungeness crab, apple, celery, onion, arugula, and frisée. Sweet Maple is open daily from 8:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at 1705 Ocean Ave., Santa Monica, CA 90401." - Cathy Park