San Damian Brings Coastal Mexican Vibes and Mariscos to Venice
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If Damian is Enrique Olvera’s love letter to Mexico’s capital city, then San Damián is an ode to its west coast. His Casamata Group recently opened this sibling concept on Abbot Kinney, in the space that previously housed their erstwhile effort, ATLA.
Led by chef Jesus “Chuy” Cervantes, who has been at the helm of Damian since it opened in 2020, San Damián is less a departure from the group’s DTLA restaurant and more an evolution of its ideas—one that takes those foundations and applies them to a more casual, coastal setting. Leaning heavily into Mexican mariscos, the restaurant is sourcing seafood from all up and down the Pacific coast to put together a menu of approachable favorites like crunchy fried bar snacks, a Mexican raw bar (ceviches, aguachiles, etc.), and main dishes like a smoky kanpachi al pastor.
Here’s everything you need to know about this new, Pacific coast-inspired mariscaria, which is opening just in time for summer.
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It’s the coastal counterpart to Damian, with a refreshed space and more casual menu.
While most of the menu is brand-new (with nothing carrying over from ATLA), there is a small amount of crossover from Damian. The raw clam starter, for example, made with Queen clams from Ensenada, Persian cucumbers, and salsa macha, reiterates a version that was on the opening menu of Damian, the shrimp aguachile (more on this below) is almost identical between the two restaurants, and the kanpachi al pastor cooked over charcoal and served with pineapple butter is similar to Damian’s chicken al pastor. Damian’s famed masa program is also coming along, as well as several staff members, and a soon-to-open outpost of its neighboring downtown taqueria, Ditroit (more on that in a second). For San Damián, the group wanted the menu to suit the vibe of the neighborhood: casual, approachable, and abundant in seafood.
The 83-seat, indoor-outdoor space has been refreshed by Mexico City-based architecture and design firm, TALLER ADG including all-new, light wooden furniture, and a sisal-lined ceiling. “We wanted to open with as little red tape as possible,” says Cervantes of the group’s decision not to drastically alter the existing structure.
The menu celebrates Mexican mariscos with sourcing from all up and down the Pacific coast.
Another Casamata ethos — sourcing locally and sustainably —carries over here as well, which means tons of local seafood like kanpachi from Ensenada, squid from the Bay Area, and shrimp and octopus from Sinaloa. As for regional inspiration, Cervantes cites the entire Baja California coastline, including a few areas in particular. “Valle de Guadalupe and Ensenada are obviously influences,” he says. “The high spice, the high acid, the use of really great products from the entire southern Pacific Coast—that’s the influence. It’s a mariscaria at the end of the day, we want it to feel like one,” he adds.
The heavily small plates-driven menu runs the gamut from a briny aquachile made with poached shrimp, lemon cucumber, and Sal de Gusano (worm salt), to a tuna tostada with leeks, brown butter, and a shiso dashi to fried snacks like flautas de papa made with Weiser Farms potatoes, salsa verde, and creme fraiche. “The flautas were one of my favorite snacks growing up,” says Cervantes.
Mains include a take on fried chicken made with a pasilla chile glaze; carne asada hanger steak with chiles toreados; and calamar a la plancha in addition to the kanpachi mentioned above. As for tortillas, Damian’s masa program is also making its way west. Sourcing from artisan purveyors Masienda and San Diego’s Somos Maiz, San Damián works with a variety of heirloom Mexican corn which it nixtamalizes in-house, resulting in tender, high-quality tortillas for its tostada and tlayuda dishes.
Expect agave-forward cocktails made with Mexican spirits and a Cali twist.
Beverage director Sebastian Tollius (Eleven Madison Park, Clemente Bar) and head bartender Edgar Figueroa have created a cocktail menu that emphasizes seasonal ingredients and agave spirits from small-batch Mexican producers. In addition to recreations of favorites like margaritas and palomas, look out for signatures like the Juventino made with Condesa gin, chamomile, mezcal, mananilla, mango, and clarified coconut; as well as the Canuto, made with Olvera’s mezcal brand Manojo, Suze, carrot, cucumber, green poblano, and lemon. Many of the restaurant’s wine selections are sourced from the Baja California region, with options designed to complement everything from light seafood appetizers to heartier meat dishes.
Don’t sleep on desserts, either.
End the night on a sweet note with summery desserts like fried churros with chocolate sauce, lemon ice cream, strawberries and cream, and flan de naranja (orange).
P.S. Look out for Downtown taqueria Ditroit to open behind the restaurant soon as well.
Cervantes says an outpost of Casamata’s casual DTLA taqueria, Ditroit, will will open in the back of San Damián in a few weeks, providing a daytime option for the neighborhood. Details on menu offerings and exact opening date are TBD.
For now, San Damián is open for dinner only with the exception of Sunday afternoons, when its hours are 3-8 p.m.
