Inotheke (CLOSED)

Though the number of Greek restaurants is growing in L.A., the number of good Greek restaurants is still relatively minimal. Inotheke is an exception. The chic Santa Monica restaurant comes from chef Carolos Tomazos, a native of Cyprus who has gained experience at PerSe and Le Bernardin. The clean, bright lines and mellow color scheme of Inotheke make the space both a swanky date spot and a prime location for a business lunch. Either way, you'll be sharing your plates here—a beautifully dressed Greek salad, maybe, or oysters to start. The moussaka is a richly layered dish of ground beef, eggplant, zucchini and a variation of béchamel, while the scallops may be the most tender bivalves you've ever had. Accented by tomato, ouzo, feta, scallions and rice, they're worthy of breaking the "shared" trend and ordering just one for yourself. For dessert, an incredible plate of baklava arrives cut into two triangles, oozing with honey and sweet as can be. Oh, and the wine? There's an impressive menu dedicated to just that, including a fantastic cava and some truly incredible sherries to round out the meal.