Santa Monica’s 25-year-old Babalu Bakery will undergo aesthetic upgrades this winter to veer from its South Pacific vibe to a more Western Pacific look of seaside-friendly blue and whites. As the owner of this institution, as well as nearby Cafe Montana, Eddie Silkaitis has seen dramatic changes hit Montana Avenue in the last two-and-a-half decades and as a former art director and set designer on films like Ghostbusters and Back to School, plans to oversee the facelift himself. The new look is intended to compliment a new interior and a rejiggered menu that veers lighter, but retains customers favorites like the jerk chicken (which currently shares space with an eclectic mash including bucatini, Szechuan stir-fry, kebab with tzatziki, and crab enchiladas). Expect kale, quinoa, and burgers to proliferate, as Babalu remains open through the coming tide of change.
