This is not to say that the cooking here is purely French or suited to the peasant palate – prime steaks like the ones served here are hard to find in France at any price, and truffled lobster salad and Thai spring rolls aren’t the diet of a country farmer. My wife and I were momentarily tempted by a six course tasting menu that sounded delightful, but we decided that we didn’t have the time or appetite on this particular evening.
Among the more detached bits of Italy is Venice, which has been an independent country or a subject state of Austria for most of its history. This is reflected in its cuisine, which is more subtle than the dishes of the south and has more seafood and rice dishes than the west. Venetian food is relatively little known in America, but Hermosa’s La Sosta is doing their best to change that.
Hermosa Beach’s little piece of France is Crème De La Crepe, a restaurant that has been around for a few years but changed ownership in 2004. I had liked the place under the previous management despite occasional slow service, and was in the process of writing a review when I heard that it had been sold. I decided to wait a while to see how it changed, and I’m glad I did, because it is now far better. The crepes that I enjoyed are still here, but the menu has been expanded to include bistro favorites and the service is far better.
