Bottle Inn: Best of the Beach 2018 Place for first date
We have to admit some confusion on this end, because our readers didn’t specify which Bottle Inn they were referring to, and the environments at either might each be perfect for different first dates. Does the person you’re meeting enjoy lively, bright, casual spaces where lots of conversations are going on? Redondo would probably be […]
Blue Water Grill: Best of the Beach 2018 Romantic dinner
Looking at the winners in this category over the years tells us a lot about what our readers find romantic. Evidently, some enjoy dimly lit places with old school décor, while others place a premium on views of waves and water. This year the view crowd won it, and the Bluewater Grill’s vistas of sailboats […]
Izaka-ya by Katsuya: Best of the Beach 2018 Japanese sushi
There are sushi bars in our area with menus that have a mind-boggling number of items, which would be impressive if quantity was all that counted. The menu at Izaka-ya by Katsu-ya is shorter, partly because they have less of a focus on novelties and more on doing a fantastic job at what they actually […]
“An Ordinary Man” – In no sense of the word [MOVIE REVIEW]
“An Ordinary Man,” written and directed by Brad Silberling, is a perplexing film. It is not perplexing in terms of how the story is told, only why there was a need to tell it. A Bosnian general, convicted in absentia of crimes against humanity, has been hidden in plain sight since the end of “his” […]
Japonica: Best of the Beach 2018 Japanese
Just about the time, we think we know something about Japanese cuisine, someone starts serving a specialty that shows how much more we have to learn. Redondo’s Japonica opened as an izakaya when that style of Japanese tavern tapas was a novel idea. They introduced sake sommeliers when nobody had heard of them, and now […]
HopSaint Brewing Company: Best of the Beach 2018 Craft beer establishment
HopSaint co-founder Steve Roberts was hip to craft beer long before it was even called craft beer. When he started Cafe Boogaloo in the mid-‘90s, most small independent breweries didn’t distribute beyond their own towns. So Roberts hopped in his truck and drove to the breweries. His tap handles in 1996 — which included the […]
King Harbor Brewing Company: Best of the Beach 2018 Brewery
The South Bay is awash in really good beer. Beginning with the OG legends Strand Brewing and El Segundo Brewing nearly a decade ago, the area became an epicenter for the craft beer revolution that subsequently swept the country. King Harbor Brewing Company arrived on the scene exactly four years ago. From the get-go, it […]
Ercoles: Best of the Beach 2018 Bar food
Our winner for bar food has what is almost undoubtedly the smallest selection in the South Bay. If you like burgers, tacos, or hot dogs you’ll be right at home because that’s the whole list. The burgers and tacos use meat fresh from Manhattan Meat Market next door, and it’s top quality. The portions are […]
Redondo neighbors put off by oil well work
Neighbors were alarmed last week when an oil rig rose above their homes on the 700 block of North Paulina Avenue, at the site of a demolished home. But according to property owner Peter Schmidt, there’s no nefarious purpose there: His contractors are simply looking to re-abandon – or plug – an existing oil […]
Redondo Beach discusses pop-up SUP rental permits
With four brick-and-mortar paddleboarding shops in King Harbor, it’s not hard for a person to join the ranks of the many stand-up paddlers that enjoy harbor on warm, sunny days. A proposal headed to the Redondo Beach City Council would make it easier to pick up a stand-up paddleboard on a whim, by allowing mobile […]