Seline - Spring Menu 2026
My wife and I had the chance to dine at Seline in Santa Monica last night, for their spring menu. We previously went for their Alinea collab meal last year, and we wanted to return to try a meal that was entirely a Chef Beran creation. We went to his since-closed first LA restaurant, Dialogue, back when we were first dating (it was the first fine dining place we went together).
Before I talk the food, I want to acknowledge that Seline is quickly becoming our favorite LA fine dining spot. The space is beautiful, the staff are all incredibly friendly and warm, and the vibes are just downright pleasant. It feels premium without feeling stuffy and pretentious, which makes for a much more relaxed environment to enjoy a long meal (about 2.5 hours for the two of us, and we were going fast since we have a toddler and an infant at home).
The Spring menu is broken into two parts, each mirroring the other. The first half is dedicated to the transition between winter and spring, while the second half celebrates the ‘bloom’ of Spring proper. Unlike a normal progression, the meal started with warmer, heavier flavors and then moved into light and bright tastes. This was also reflected in the visuals, as muted tones evolved into color and life as the meal progressed.
PART I
Course 1 – Succulent, avocado, burnt parsley
A really interesting starting point. The flavors were delicate and fresh, and texturally the dish had a frost-like crunch from both the crisp greens and crunchy ‘soil’ underneath. It established the story behind the menu immediately, depicting the moment when the forest floor appears beneath the melting snow.
Course 2 – Green Garlic, artichoke, eucalyptus
The cigar-like bite was pleasantly crunchy and herbaceous, and pared beautifully with the accompanying artichoke ‘sauce’ dip. The flavors here were fairly subtle, but the green garlic was the star.
Course 3 – Dungeness Crab, Kohlrabi, Bay Laurel
A fun play on a pasta course. The ‘pasta’ here is extremely finely sliced kohlrabi, filled with crab meat and topped with finger lime. The broth is pork consume and an herb oil. The pork flavor was a little overpowering on the palette, but the bite taken together was reminiscent of a pork and crab dumpling.
Course 4 – Beef Tendon, fennel pollen
One of the three stand out bites of the night for us. Someone needs to start selling Chicharron with fennel pollen in the snack aisle. Incredibly light and crunchy, and with a bright punch of anise. Presentation was beautiful, but also I’d just as soon get 20 pieces in a bag.
Course 4 – White Asparagus, Farro
A black mushroom gel blanketed deliciously sweet and delicate white asparagus, and crunchy farro. My wife’s favorite dish by far, and a top one for me as well. I will also say the plate itself was stunning, as were all of the dishes used throughout the meal.
Course 5/6 – Roasted Strawberry*, pistachio / Celery Root, Venison, Savory Granola
This dish is typically done with cherry, but as I have a stone fruit allergy, my version was made with strawberry. The cigar served on the antler (provided to the restaurant by Chef Beran’s FIL, who forages for shed antlers) was filled with the roasted strawberry and a pistachio butter. In the bowl, a fine sheet of celery root covered a tender venison tartare. A delicious mix of textures and flavors that began the introduction of brighter flavors while acting as the ‘main’ dish for the first half of the meal.
Course 7 – Celery Root, Miso Fudge
This palette cleanser course featured a celery root ice-cream made from the off cuts from the previous dish’s prep. This may be my favorite bite in a meal filled with excellent bites. The balance of sweetness with the celery root was perfect, and the miso fudge gave the whole thing a salted caramel sundae vibe that made it a joy to eat.
PART II
Course 8 – Maitake, Rose
Another stand-out course. Imagine the most perfect chicken wing texture. The maitake was crispy, and wonderfully earthy. This was served with a rose water sweet and sour sauce that was punchy and warm, balancing beautifully with the maitake. I will say the rose flavor was a little lost against the powerful spices in the sauce, but it was so delicious I didn’t really care.
Course 9 – Tuna, Fermented Poblano
Eaten like a taco, the herbaceous leaves were surprisingly the most dominant flavor, even against the presence of poblano and jalapeno. The tuna was melt-in-your-mouth tender. Delicious and well-balanced.
Course 10 – Rhubarb, ginger, Sakura
Presented as Rhubarb ‘Sashimi,’ this was as bright, punchy, and acidic as you’d expect. It really established the theme of the second half of the menu, and set up your palate for the next run of dishes that were more vegetable focused.
Course 11 – Green Asparagus, Sunflower
A delicious fried ball of asparagus and cheese. Not much more to say. Excellent bite.
Course 12 – Peas, Fava Bean, Shiso Koji
The peas were unsurprisingly the stand-out flavor here. Bright and at the peak of freshness, with a pleasant grassy sweetness that balanced well with wilted shiso and crunchy fava bean. NOTE: This one is not my photo, as I somehow forgot to take one for this course
Course 13 – Black Cod, Mussel, Fennel
The black cod was impossibly tender, and the mussel cream was subtle and let the sweetness of the fish shine. Fennel oil rounded out the sauce with a sharp anise accent.
Course 14/15 – Lamb, Wild Greens, Burnt Strawberry / Brioche, lamb fat
The ‘main’ dish for part II, the lamb was perfectly rendered and tender. I am not always a fan of lamb as it can be a little too gamey for me, but that wasn’t the case here. The vegetables are selected for the dish daily based on freshness. The strawberry added much needed acidity that lifted the whole dish. The brioche was fluffy and warm, and the lamb fat made it incredibly decadent.
Course 16 – Coffee, Caviar
The closest thing Chef Beran has to a ‘signature’ dish. This is the third time we ate it (previously at Dialogue, and then again at the Seline x Alinea meal). That said, we were definitely not disappointed to get it again. The surprisingly not-salty caviar pairs beautifully with the sweetened coffee cream beneath. Truly deserving of repetition.
Course 17 – Caramelized Honey, Earl Grey Tea, Lemon
A capsule of honey, encased in white chocolate, placed atop crunchy earl grey granola and covered in a lemon crème. A delicious and deceivingly complex combination of flavors that somehow wasn’t too sweet.
Course 18 – Sorrel, blackberry, olive oil
The last plate of the meal featured a wonderfully herbaceous sorrel ice cream, paired with a wonderfully tart blackberry sauce. A perfect end to a memorable meal.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
I feel like when it comes to more ‘adventurous’ tasting menus, restaurants often have to walk a fine line between interesting and actually tasty. I’ve been to many restaurants where one or more courses, while certainly unexpected, didn’t actually taste good. Style over substance. With Seline, I think Chef Beran absolutely nails it. There were plenty of surprising flavors, and every dish was thoughtful and beautiful. But most importantly, everything was delicious. There wasn’t a single dish on the menu I wouldn’t eat again. I cannot recommend Seline enough.