LOS ANGELES — Nestled in a courtyard on Santa Monica, Calif.'s Ocean Avenue stands Abode, a fine dining restaurant that brings an eco-conscious outlook to the dining experience.
Created by husband and wife restaurateurs Kelly Gleason and Anastasia Israel, Abode is simultaneously sexy and environmentally aware. Dark wood decor and dim lighting is accented by a wall in the semiprivate dining room constructed with beams reclaimed from a 200-year-old barn, local produce is purchased daily at a nearby farmers' market and fish is dropped from the menu if the Monterey Bay Aquarium deems it unsustainable.
"It just feels like you're doing something ethical in terms of the world you're in," said Gleason, who plans to open five new restaurants in the next seven years.
Even celebs are stopping by to eat green: Sharon Stone has been spotted, along with Rebecca Gayheart and hubby Eric Dane, Julie Andrews, Sally Field and Mark Ruffalo.
Dinner options include braised short ribs ($28) and a rack of lamb ($39) that is shipped from Niman Ranch, a farm that makes sure there are no antibiotics and no added hormones to its meat. A six- to eight-course tasting menu by executive chef Cyril Kabaoglu is a steal at $95.
Abode's most expensive martini goes for $300 and includes a black Tahitian pearl appraised at $800 (yes, you get to keep it). But don't feel guilty for splurging on the gimmicky drink, all proceeds go to Heal the Bay, a local program for ocean preservation.
Abode, 1541 Ocean Avenue, Santa Monica, Calif., 310-394-3463. Open for dinner, Tuesday-Friday, 5:30-10 p.m., and Saturday-Sunday, 5:30-11 p.m. Open for brunch, Sunday, 11:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
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