"Seco is a small wine bar in Sunset Junction from the people behind Santo, the sleek sushi spot from Mexico City next door. The apartment-sized space looks like what the algorithm spits out when you type “scene-y natural wine bar in Europe” with its bespoke wooden stools, green tiles behind the counter, and a big distressed mirror along the wall (even the bread and butter is served on a mirror, for some reason). The room has a bubbly energy as it fills up with creative directors who part-time in Lisbon and people who own at least one crystal, but don’t expect the same excitement from the snacky menu. Dishes veer from solid (hamachi crudo with brown butter) to generic (a slightly overdressed endive caesar) to underwhelming (oil-dripping pork adobada tostadas)—none of it worth planning a proper dinner around. The short list of mostly French natural wines works for a quick drink, but if your priorities are a great meal over being seen, there are better options in the neighborhood. photo credit: Nicolas Zhou Food Rundown photo credit: Garrett Snyder Sourdough Bread & House Lemon Butter The warm sourdough is tasty and the lemon butter desperately needs salt, but we’re mainly fixated on the strange mirror sculpture used as a bread plate. There’s a hidden metal spike protruding through the bread, and a squiggly line of white butter that makes the whole setup look like something you’d find in an ‘80s party den. photo credit: Garrett Snyder Burrata A mound of burrata topped with shiso and salty salmon roe is a fun idea, but it’s drowned out by the heavy drizzle of truffle oil, which overpowers everything else like bad cologne. photo credit: Nicolas Zhou Hamachi Crudo Sure, the words “hamachi crudo” show up on more menus these days than “modifications politely declined,” but the version at Seco—dressed with rich brown butter, yuzu ponzu, and little flecks of lime zest—is one of the restaurant's best dishes. photo credit: Nicolas Zhou Endive Caesar Salad A perfectly fine, slightly overdressed caesar. The salty little fishies draped on top are a nice touch, but you’ve likely had a more flavorful version of this salad elsewhere. photo credit: Garrett Snyder Iberico Pork Adobada Tostada You’re told this is a signature dish, but it tastes more like a special at Qdoba. The tostada is stale, the marinated pork drips with oil but lacks flavor, and the whole thing falls apart after you manage to snap off a bite. photo credit: Nicolas Zhou Spicy Vodka Strozzapretti This simple vodka pasta with breadcrumbs and parmesan is the largest of the small plates at Seco. It’s a filling option if you’re set on a full meal, but otherwise, there’s nothing memorable going on." - Garrett Snyder
