"Si! Mon swept into Venice’s beachside dining scene in late September 2023, bringing with it Panamanian flavors and dishes that span foodways from across Central America. Behind the menu is chef José Olmedo Carles Rojas, who grew up in Panama City and opened his seminal restaurant Fonda Lo Que Hay there. Now, in Los Angeles, Rojas has grappled with how to merge the flavors of his home city with the appetites of Angelenos. At every turn, he succeeds: The tightly composed menu zig-zags from buttery, briny starters like uni and littleneck clam shooters to razor-thin, achiote oil-splashed tuna carpaccio draped over a yuca tostada to double-fried green banana patacones served with a lip-puckering ajillo sauce. Planted in the former James Beach space, which has been done up with rich tropical colors and midcentury furniture, Si! Mon proves to be an unbeatable night out by the boardwalk. — Nicole Adlman, cities manager" - Mona Holmes