"Cassia is a member of the mini-empire comprised of Huckleberry, Rustic Canyon, Milo and Olive, and just about every other Santa Monica restaurant. The modern Vietnamese food here is fantastic (get the pot au feu and the grilled pork belly vermicelli) and so is the space, which is pretty much always filled. Expect a wait, because everyone working in downtown Santa Monica is heading here for a cool work dinner. But you can always head next door to Esters for some wine and cheese - just don’t get too full, because you’re going to want to finish all those curries." - jess basser sanders, amy clark