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Food

Photos: New Santa Monica Whiskey Bar Puts A Peruvian Twist On Bar Fare

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Our outlook on the Westside bar scene just got a little bit brighter with the opening of Brilliantshine, a whiskey-heavy cocktail lounge with elevated bar bites.

Chef Richie Lopez is formerly the executive chef of Paiche, so it should come as no surprise that many of the dishes have a Peruvian twist.

The drinks are made by Soigné Group's Julian Cox and Josh Goldman. The cocktails are inspired by Cox's travels to Paris, Spain, Italy, Peru, Martinique and London, mixing them with both classic and modern interpretations. The Santa Monica bar will also serve as the research and development center for the bartenders' other endeavors.

We had a chance to check out the menu. To start out, Brilliantshine is open from 5 p.m. Tuesday to Sunday, with weekend brunch from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

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