Valentine’s Day dinner.

David swept me off to Margot in Culver City which is an unsexy area that has become a dining destination. 

Culver City’s popularity has also burgeoned due to the new Expo Line tram system that runs right through the city.

Margot recently opened in the new Platform development, housing an array of restaurants, specialty shops and a Soul Cycle.

Margot is from the peeps who opened West Hollywood’s Norah (previously reviewed).

The entrance is enticing. You ascend a dramatic elevator to the third floor.

The decorated doors open onto a boho chic entry which leads into an unusually shaped restaurant.

The longish room ends in an expansive 75-seat outdoor patio which will be delightful during the day and warm evenings.

Our server, Vanessa, an articulate and affable aspiring actor/comedian, made every dish sound enticing and her enthusiastic delivery was well received.

The bar which stays open until 2am (who knew people stayed up that late in LA) is the heart of the restaurant.

Our drinks were delicious and well presented with David Kupchinsky handling the cocktail side of things.

My husband ordered a satisfying Grapefruit Gin and Tonic cocktail embellished with fruit ($11).

I ordered my first adult beverage in weeks and the Aperol Spritz was refreshingly lovely ($10).

After perusing the market driven coastal mediterranean menu we decided to start with a real highlight, the Yellowtail Crudo which was perfection and the citrus was a tantalizing addition ($18).

Potatoes Bravas with smoked paprika aioli floated by and David seized the opportunity to order the crispy fingerlings which were tasty, but over-salted ($12).

The Charred Broccoli was perfectly prepared, but the feta was abundant and made the dish salty. The crispy quinoa and tzatziki were a nice touch ($17).

Most of the pastas are meat driven so we selected the Maltagliati minus the guanicale. It was delicious with fresh peas and mushrooms although we would have liked more mushrooms…please.

The Churros were fabulous…crispy, piping hot with chocolate and caramel dipping sauce ($11).

Service was very attentive, the syncopating music annoying and the place was dominated by cocktail fueled, hair tossing, cell focused millennials.

We were focused enough on each other to ignore these distractions.

I enjoyed almost all aspects of the evening, especially my special Valentine.

I would definitely go back on a sunny day and sit on the patio drinking in the outdoor surroundings with a cocktail in hand.

Margot 8820 Washington Boulevard Culver City, California. #301. Open daily 11am-2am. Validated Valet parking.  Limited street parking. Reservations on Resy.