Superba Snack Bar is the new kid on the cool kid block of Rose Ave in Venice, CA
Those of us who have been driving past the work in progress that the Superba Snack Bar has been for the last few months leaped at the chance to try it this week. Still in its infancy having opened its doors a week ago, we were expecting a few kinks that all new spots must work out. And it was no different here. Yes, the Superba Snack Bar is in a plum location on Rose Ave which is shaping up to be the next Abbot Kinney. Yes, the design looks super sexy and hipster with pool tiles used to create benches outside and lining the open kitchen's walls. Mexican blankets are strewn casually on the backs of chairs (you need them as there are no heat lamps as of yet and SoCal at night is cold!) and the service is actually very good and on top of things- a major A+ for a brand new establishment. The food and wine are also delicious- loved the tuna crudo and gnocchi.
Now for the drawbacks (which we shared with our server in the hopes that some things might be tweaked )-- the community tables are a bad, bad idea. They are too narrow and too jammed in. Nobody wanted to sit in the middle spots and the plates do not actually fit on the narrow table when you have several-- which is the point here, small plates for sharing. Plus, I don't think anyone really likes community tables in the first place. This is a trend we could really kiss goodbye. Get out your chainsaws, boys! One other major note is that the noise level is out of control. Too many people in a boxy room with pool tiled walls and glass = crazy loud. Please put some noise reduction panels or whatever the experts do to reduce the ruckus. And order lots of heat lamps for the patio.
We want the Superba Snack Bar to succeed but we can't say we're going to race back until the logistics have been a bit more sorted.