FIG RestaurantSanta Monica . CA
Before he opened
FIG Restaurant, located inside the
Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows, Chef Ray Garcia had one simple request - the restaurant use only freshly seasonal, locally sourced and highly flavorful ingredients. The focus?
Taste above all, by "
bringing out the best of what nature has already created."A weekly frequenter of the local farmers market, Chef Garcia works closely with growers and producers that help provide fresh ingredients that lay the foundation for FIG's signature dishes - simple, straightforward, and entirely too delicious. As one might expect, the menu changes monthly to capture the best of the season's bounty. In fact, over 90% of the ingredients used at FIG are locally and organically grown.
Chef Garcia also credits the restaurant's use of a forager Kerry Clasby,
"it allows us to source the best and most unique of California's wonderful produce. While not everyone has the pleasure of working with someone like Kerry, I definitely see chefs paying closer attention to what is in season and local." A taste for simple and unique
The appreciation for simple and unique flavors has long been a family tradition, as he recalls early childhood Sunday dinners.
"My grandmother used to make a very simple cactus salad that stands out in my memory. Cactus has a unique flavor and texture that you can't really find in other foods. We served it at FIG with our halibut." Other unique flavors brought to the FIG menu include duck eggs, sweetbreads, and even pig's ear.
"My grandparents showed me the importance of making the most of what you have."Yet Chef Garcia wasn't always such a culinary arts enthusiast. In fact, this Los Angeles native initially planned on pursuing a legal career, working his way through college at several local restaurants. Following graduation, instead of entering law school, he chose to enter the California School of Culinary Arts.
"Food chose me," he says with a smile.
"It kept drawing me back in."The draw to all things simple and seasonal was further nurtured while assisting at such landmark establishments as
Thomas Keller's famous
French Laundry in Napa and
Douglas Keene's
Cyrus. Allowing the ingredients to 'speak for themselves' is further evidenced in the
menu items he creates at FIG.
Sometimes you get the best results by knowing when to leave the ingredients well enough alone.
"It might sound a bit cliché, but I love heirloom tomatoes with just a little extra virgin olive oil and sea salt." Simple and yet so delicious. His 'most interesting' use of
EVOO?
"We slow cook all of our new potatoes in extra virgin olive oil. It adds great flavor," he says with subtle confidence.
So how did the 
name FIG come about? "In front of the porte cochere, there is a 123 year old Moreton Bay Fig tree that sits in the driveway to the Fairmont Miramar. That was part of the inspiration. From a cooking point of view, I liked what the Fig represented. It is very seasonal, simple and elegant all at the same time."While dining at
FIG, you'll feel just like family within the elegant, yet relaxed, neighborhood atmosphere that envelopes you. Not only is FIG's private dining room available for holidays and special events, FIG offers a "
Kegs and Eggs Sunday Brunch". Included with your bottomless pint of draft beer is a selection of brunch entrees, expertly prepared Chef Garcia-style. Extraordinarily simple and flavorfuly delicious.
"It is our response to the traditional stuffy champagne brunch. It is a deal - and a blast."FIG is a welcome breath of fresh air in California cuisine - so what more could diners ask for. But don't forget to save room for dessert.
I hear the FIG bars are to die for. 
Did you know the pumpkin is actually classified as a fruit? Originally from Central America, this wonderful comfort food has been growing in North America for over 5,000 years. Originating from the Greek word 'peponi' meaning 'large melon', pumpkins were originally used during colonial times as an ingredient for the pie crust not the filling as one might expect.
