An Interesting Coincidence… Two restaurants opened within a block of each other in downtown Manhattan Beach last week, both injecting new life into an old concept. That mode of dining is the cafeteria– the first one opened in Los Angeles in 1905, and by 1920 there were over fifty in the region. Nothing those places served is much like what you’ll get at Lemonade or Leafy Greens – both aimed at serving fresh and health-conscious food and doing so quickly. The restaurants’ methods are different – Leafy Greens is a traditional salad bar charged by weight, while Lemonade offers cold and hot items and charges by the order. Both offer spotlessly clean and cheerful environments but neither has dedicated parking spaces. It will be interesting to see if both can survive in such close proximity while targeting the same market…
A Further Coincidence… Another restaurant that opened the same week a few blocks away also targets the health-conscious, albeit ones who like a Belgian ale or good wine with their meal. The Marine Street Café has moved in at Highland and Marine, site of several short-lived ventures, and is currently offering salads, sandwiches, and paninis, with plans to expand the menu once it finds its groove. The menu is intriguing, with things like a Vietnamese-style organic chicken sandwich, tempura avocado, and a grilled peach and gruyere panini. The latter was delicious, like a well-made dessert on a sandwich. There are some serious ideas here, and this could be the operation that breaks the curse on a troubled location…
Something Up In Redondo… Baleen Restaurant at the Portofino Inn has seen some changes lately – after a period of uncompromising eclecticism under Jesse Souza, they’ve changed to a focus on the classics. New chef Richard Crispin has kept a few signature items like the BLT salad with jalapeno ranch and added a charcuterie plate, Argentine-style hanger steak, and a seafood stew with chorizo. The location across from Harbor Drive hides this restaurant – perhaps the buzz from the change in concept will lure more people …
Event Alert… Michael Cimarusti has worked in some of the most celebrated kitchens in America and has been Executive Chef at the Water Grill and his own Providence Restaurant. He’s making a rare appearance cooking with Strand House chef Neal Fraser at a Quintessa wine dinner on September 10. Since Cimarusti is famous for exotic seafood preparations it’s no surprise there will be three courses of fish before a pork tasting of three cuts prepared three ways, a master class in the flavors and textures available from the same animal. A rare chance to enjoy a master’s hands-on cooking – at $100 without wine, $150 with, it is a justifiable extravagance. Reservations/information, 310-545-7470…
The Lazy Afternoon Delight… Remember that vacation you took in Venice, relaxing over appetizers and wine in the true Italian style? Hostaria Piave in Redondo can renew old memories or make new ones Saturdays from 3 to 6 p.m., when they serve six Venetian appetizers and six tastes of Italian wine, all for the bargain price of $20. True, nobody will be poling by in a gondola, but the food and the warm welcome will be authentically Italian…
And Another for Wine Lovers… Fleming’s often has interesting ideas about themed wine events, and it’s come up with a great series in September. “Bottle Wars” features Friday evening tastings of eight to ten different wines from two different regions – the first is Pinot Noirs from California’s Central Coast versus those of Oregon. At just $25 for the session it’s a real deal. 310-643-6911 to reserve, and may the best wine win!…
New Wine In Old Wineshops… Barsha has opened in the former Sepulveda Wine store, and if you may recognize one of the owners from somewhere. Adnen Marouani used to own Amori Restaurant in Hermosa a decade ago, and then he sold it to the people who turned it into La Sosta. He and his wife are back in Manhattan Beach and have remodeled the store to feature an expanded tasting area where people may sample a largely Italian collection of wines. If you’re wondering about the name, it’s a Tunisian dialect word for “abundance,” which certainly fits the lush flavors from the vine…
And Congratulations are in order… Chef Melba’s Bistro celebrates seven years in business this week. This was long the only chef-driven restaurant in downtown Hermosa and is still a leader in culinary creativity, one of the few places that counts on discriminating locals instead of the party hearty crowd. Congratulations Melba and staff for a job well done…
A Plea to Those in the Health Care Industry… It is Proper Restaurant Etiquette to pretend you don’t hear the conversations at adjoining tables, but sometimes a person in the next booth is sharing a story in such a loud voice that everyone in a restaurant is an unwilling party. It’s often only mildly annoying, however when the people involved work in an emergency room or similar facility and persist in describing graphic details, it goes beyond being a minor irritant. If you must share these kinds of stories do it where you will not inflict your conversation on those around you. This request is presented as a public service, and if you were the guys in scrubs at the next table last Thursday, yes, I’m talking about you…
