WHERE: Nikita, located next to Nobu, near the pier in Malibu, CA.
Nikita is basically the old Pier View, and that is a lot to live up to in a strange, sentimental way. So Char (my almost 9 year old) and I decided we better go with my college best friends (Christa and Polly) to see if it was anything close to as memorable as Pier View.
The cuisine is Mediterranean/Italian, serving mostly fish and pastas – each dish is presented beautifully, so fresh and delectable beyond words.
I don’t think college students will make it a hangout any time soon, the prices are high and the portions are minuscule. Gone are the days of sipping a cappuccino overlooking the ocean, while reviewing for finals. We all knew Malibu couldn’t stay perfect forever.
Tourists will love it on the weekends. We went early on a Monday evening, it was on the quiet side, we enjoyed everything about it.
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MOTHER SAYS:
Where do I start?!? The Bread came out steaming and perfectly crunchy on the outside but soft and chewy on the inside with the most savory olive oil on the planet. The Bread was also perfect for soaking up all of the delicious sauces left on our plates from the pastas and fishes.
We then had the Albacore Tuna which was sandwiched inside sesame wafers, so unique and light, we all thought the sesame slightly overwhelmed the ahi.
The Burrata Pomodoro was my absolute favorite – heirloom tomatoes, oregano and burrata smothered in a basil oil, I could eat this every night of my life.
The Sea Bass and the Halibut were both mouth watering. You can’t go wrong with either of these dishes. We loved the Halibut served with kale and vegetable ratatouille. The Sea Bass was also a favorite served over burrata – so, so good.
By this time we were so full… but there was still so much more to come.
DAUGHTER SAYS:
The Pasta is so fresh (it’s handmade), Jamie (Polly’s son) and I split three different pastas. I loved each one.
We had Shrimp Pasta (which was our favorite), the Tomato Pasta (Tagliolini) and the Red Snapper Pasta – so so yum! We devoured every bite. We would have had more, but our moms kept asking for bites.
The Bread and the Seven Layer Chocolate Bar (we had two orders) were my favorites. Jamie really didn’t get any dessert, because I ate most of it, but he didn’t seem to mind. He is the sweetest, we had the best time.
OVERALL RATING:
LOCATION/AMBIANCE: 10 out of 10 – Get a table outside, and you won’t have a better ambiance anywhere. Cashmere blankets and Malibu waves, I don’t think it gets much better.
SERVICE: 10 out of 10 – The service was flawless as it should be at a restaurant like Nikita – the staff were fun and friendly too… a perfect 10.
FOOD: 9 out of 10 – There was not one bite of food I did not fall in love with… from the al dente handmade Pasta to the decadent yet not over the top Desserts. The portions are tiny but the presentation makes up for it – perfect for us but not for everyone. Christa and Polly thought the Pasta lacked flavor, but I appreciated the simplicity.
OVERALL: 9.5 out 10 – We stayed for 4 hours and devoured every morsel we were served. Thankfully, our two kids are well-behaved foodies, otherwise save Nikita for a special occasion, because you will spend a fortune, but you will leave happy. We can’t wait to go back!
Have you been to this restaurant? Did you like it? Did you love it? Did you loathe it? Let us know by posting in the COMMENT box.
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