Lunch and Learning: Artesia has been blossoming as a dining area lately. The latest opening is not noteworthy for the creativity of its menu but is inspiring for other reasons. Mychal’s Café is a breakfast and lunch café staffed by people with learning disabilities, who are gaining job skills as they make your food and serve your breakfast and lunch. Mychal’s also operates a bakery in Hawthorne and recently opened another branch in Torrance, so this worthy idea is spreading around the area. Stop in for breakfast, lunch, or coffee when you’re rolling down Artesia (2302 Atresia, RB)…
Tiki on Hawthorne: The South Bay once had several tiki bars crafting the classics that Don The Beachcomber and Trader Vic invented in the 1930s. But until recently the only places offering the classic drinks and aloha ambiance were Old Tony’s in Redondo and the Purple Orchid in El Segundo. They’ve been joined by the Hula Hula Room, which opened in a strip mall on Hawthorne near Torrance Boulevard. While the exterior is nondescript, the interior has the tropical fantasy look, and the drinks are very good. There are no flaming pu-pu platters, alas, but they allow food from outside (20930 Hawthorne, Torr)…
Newcomers On The Hill: The Peninsula Center is showing signs of life with two restaurant openings: Korean hot dog and doughnut specialists Mochinut and the long-awaited Daisy Buchanan’s Pizza. Mochinut offers prettily decorated doughnuts in flavors you may not be familiar with, such as Asian yam, black sesame, and taro root, as well as more conventional flavors. They also offer Korean-style corndogs coated with unlikely toppings like crunchy granola, hot cheetos, and crispy ramen. Daisy Buchanan’s celebrates something more traditional, Boston-style pizza. Whether there’s actually a connection to the famous but long-closed old Boston bar of the same name is unclear, but the pies look good and smell delicious…
Openings, Closings, And Changes: The Ayan Asian fusion restaurant is almost ready to open in the former Denny’s at the corner of Artesia and Aviation, and the sign gives a hint of what might be served. The logo is a stylized dumpling, a soup or noodle bowl, and what looks like a burger. None of these fits with the initial description of the place as a Mongolian barbecue, so Big Wok may still have that market to itself in the Beach Cities… Elsewhere, two restaurants opened and almost immediately closed, both temporarily. The Breakfast Burrito Factory in Hermosa has a sign in the window announcing that they will reopen after repairs are completed, and Brewco Social has closed due to some permit problem. This must be painful for the folks at Brewco Social because they had just done a PR blitz and been written up in Eater LA and other media markets. No word on when either will be serving again. Pressed Juicery on Manhattan Beach Boulevard is also closed for remodeling, though with their diminutive space, it’s hard to think of what they might change… Finally, LB Coastal in Hermosa has a new manager who has been making major changes at that Hermosa Avenue seafood house. Tom Powers is a successful restaurateur from Chicago, and he has expanded and diversified the menu and wine list. On my previous visits there, there were some good ideas but execution was shaky, and it will be interesting to see how the experience has changed…
Food Festivals, Big And Small: In an unlikely coincidence, two waterfront hotels in the South Bay are hosting food festivals a month apart. First up is the Portofino Inn, which will stage their Seaside Solstice Food Fair on June 20. The evening event will feature stations serving Italian, Asian, French, and American cuisines, with partners including 805 Charcuterie, Radici, and Baby Blues BBQ, with wines and beers included. Admission for an evening of strolling and tasting is $125 — reserve at hotelportofino.com… The Terranea Food & Wine Festival is a daytime event on July 21,, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and will feature bands, family games and activities, and of course food and wine curated by the chefs at the resort’s kitchens. Book now and tickets are $130. After June 21, that goes to $180. Tickets are available at tearranea.com…
Event Alerts!: At $1,500 per person, the dinner this Friday at Nando Trattoria is the most expensive meal I can remember seeing in the South Bay. Curiously, the menu is not mentioned in the announcement, nor are the wines to be served. The principal attractions are your dining companions, soccer legends Ronaldinho and Kaka. The two are in our area for an exhibition game on Sunday, and serious sports fans are lining up to meet the two Brazilian stars. As for what is served, this is Nando, so it will be excellent. Reserve at this LINK… Compared to that event, the rest of the events this month seem quite modestly priced. The Paul Hobbs wine dinner at The Chart House on June 20 is a mere $160 inclusive for five courses, and the menu is impressive, including an heirloom tomato tart, seared sea bass with pickled raisins and pine nut gremolata, and short loin with wild mushrooms. See the whole menu at chart-house.com and click the tab for Redondo Beach… Radici hosts their next pairing dinner on June 30, with five courses for $140 including tax and tip. The menu hasn’t been shared at the time I write this, but their dinners are always a feast of Italian classics. You can book and get more details at (310) 318-0778, or online at this LINK… Mixing wine tastings with some sports could be a questionable decision – there could be some danger to spectators at the javelin throw or discus. Lawn bowling is a much better pairing with wine, as well as a chance to celebrate an old Hermosa tradition. Uncorked will combine the two at a sumptuous afternoon of wine, food, and precision rolling of a ball that isn’t spherical. The sport is genteel, and the meal should be splendid – the event is July 13th at the Hermosa Lawn Bowling Club. The date is July 14th from 12:30 to 4 PM, price is $100 with lawn bowling, $75 if you just watch. Proceeds benefit Kids Play International – reserve here. And finally, if you’ve been waiting for the next wine dinner at Pacific Standard Prime, circle July 24 on your calendar. They haven’t published the menu or price yet, but now you know not to plan anything else that evening…
Odds And Ends: Congratulations to Grunions on PCH in Manhattan Beach for 50 years in business. The huge St. Bernard dog that the place was named after is long gone, but the sports bar with decent American food and a friendly atmosphere lives on… I finally visited the lunch buffet at Copper Pot Indian restaurant in Redondo, and I’m a fan. There is plenty of variety, and I found the flavors to be rich even though the spicing was mild. If you’re looking for a fast and flavorful lunch on PCH, this is a great option…
And In Closing: If you know a restaurant opening I might’ve missed, a culinary event that should be covered, or just about anything related to food that I should know about, please send the information my way. I’m at richard@richardfoss.com. And as long as you’re on the internet, check out past restaurant reviews on our website at https://easyreadernews.com/restaurants.
