That place in Pomona - BLACK HEAD

I had a great experience at this restaurant with a fantastic atmosphere and friendly staff. I see a lot of potential in this place and wish them all the luck. My friends and I wanted to support Rustika as they are a local establishment. While the food and service were good without any major complaints, there is definitely room for improvement to make it stand out above average.

As the name says Rustic , the duck spring rolls and the prosciutto pizza hit the spot for two of us for a quick late lunch good drinks list definitely will be back

Well , this was an opportunity I could not pass up. We had visited the previous incarnation of the place , as That Place , and now it's Rustika , different owners & Chef, and different cuisine.I had about 45 minutes to kill whilst my Blast Chiller was getting down to temp , so I went for lunch , and seeing slow braised Lamb Shoulder , went for that , as it would fit within my timeframe.Place was not busy , and there were not many staff there , but service was friendly & accommodating. , swiftly seated , menus , water and a verbal of the days specials.The list of beers was quite truncated compared to previously , but all else was along similar lines , but different enough.The meal arrived fairly quickly , and more patrons arrived. Presentation was interesting , nearly perfect.I asked for , and got , a pepper grinder , as I consider that the only condiment one should need.The Hummus was good , the cherry tomatoes & mint a nice touch , and I do like Israeli Couscous , although it needed a touch more cooking & seasoning.The Lamb Shoulder meat was shredded , and whilst it does not necessarily look wonderfully appetising , the flavour was great. It went very well with the accompaniments , so the overall balance of the meal was excellent.All this washed down with a good IPA , a great lunch.Will visit again with my wife and sample some more of the menu.

Guest celebrity chefs, entertainers and artist add to the incredulity. Yes, Pomona is a small town but 'That place in Pomona' wouldn't be out of place in the trendiest streets in New York.Your peculiar dietary requirements are catered for not frowned on. Sink deep into an old sofa and soak up the supportive audience during open mike sessions. Buy ceramic, sculptural or framed artworks. Meet friends for a long chat with no hint of having to move on. Kids welcome not just tolerated. Adventurous food, boutique beer, friendly service, odd furniture. It's a gem.

We were seated in a sunken section with an extraordinary "chandelier" overhead and felt we were almost in a private dining room. The 4 of us enjoyed a delicious vegetarian lasagne. With a good local wine and wonderful blues being played by a couple on cigar box guitars, it was a really good night. Superb art work on the walls and funky decor - it is a great addition to Pomona.