Straits - Santana Row

Straits Restaurant Group strives to leave a memorable impression by meeting every guest’s individual needs through great food, environment and genuine service. With locations in San Francisco, Burlingame, San Jose, Houston, Atlanta and Santa Monica, Straits Restaurant Group has become a popular and trendy dining destination. A sleek and decidedly chic atmosphere, STRAITS offers a contemporary yet sexy dining environment that pairs well with the exotic nature of the cuisine. The Hip crowd that descends nightly dines and lounges in a striking space that is casual yet edgy with light woods and tropical island elements meshing with industrial materials. Owned and operated by noted restaurateur, Chris Yeo. “It has always been my dream to have a restaurant to make people happy! Food is my passion and through food I make people smile!” Chris, who was born in Hong Kong and grew up in Singapore, describes Singapore as a brilliant culinary melting pot! In 1987 Chris opened STRAITS, introducing Singaporean Cuisine to the sophisticated diner of San Francisco. Named for the Singapore Strait that separates Singapore from Indonesia, “The Strait of Malacca,” STRAITS became an instant success. Few people know that Chris Yeo began his career as a hairdresser and was once more familiar with coiffing hair than steaming dumplings. Had he not given up his blow-dryer for butane burners, foodies across the country wouldn’t have him to thank for bringing authentic yet modern Singaporean and Chinese cuisine to today’s dining landscape. Singapore, for almost 200 years, has been at the crossroads of Southeast Asia, where many cultures and nationalities live, work, and more importantly eat together. STRAITS menu unites the four major culinary influences of Singapore- Malaysia/Indonesia, Chinese, Indian and Nonya (a result of the marriages between Chinese men and Malay women generations ago, and is considered the true native style of cooking) resulting in a fare that is unique and complex in its fragrances and flavors. We encourage you to experience how the different combinations of Singaporean cuisine complement each other by ordering dishes to share, family style. SINO (pronounced “SIGH-no”), the second endeavor of culinary artist Chris Yeo, was envisioned to entice the palette with the tradition of Dim Sum, which means “A little Something from the Heart,” and the wonders of modern Chinese cuisine while using traditional cooking techniques of Cantonese origin. SINO’s elegant design evokes a sultry Shanghai and features elements like a water wall, intimate lounge, and silk panels suspended from the ceiling with vintage Kung Fu movies projected on them. XINO, Chris’s latest venture, offers mouthwatering authentic Chinese dishes in an alluring chic design with and an outdoor patio featuring private cabanas overlooking Santa Monica’s trendy Promenade. The unusual blend of spices and fresh herbs add another element to the extensive menu of Dim Sum. Located at the new Santa Monica Place premier Dining Deck.