A La Carte: Uncle Stavros, Shade wine, Strand House chef, Hudson House’s b-day, Ortega 120 flamenco, and more…

Hudson House
The Hudson House celebrates three years in business Sunday afternoon. Photo by Kathalina Rodriguez
Hudson House restaurant

The Hudson House celebrates three years in business Sunday afternoon. Photo by Kathalina Rodriguez

Antici….pation… If you’ve driven down Hermosa Avenue in the last few months you must have noticed the construction at the former Sushi Duke location. I mentioned months ago that the new tenant would actually be a long-absent friend – Uncle Stavros Café, an institution from 1969 to the late 90’s, will be reopening after over a decade. Opening day was scheduled to be mid-January, and as you may have noticed it’s now late February and there’s still paper on the windows. Rumors had flown about an illness in the family, doubts about whether the place would ever return. I saw the door open a few days ago and peeked in to find a half-finished interior. The person who was overseeing work said that there was a delay in construction, and the place should be ready within two weeks. Stavros and his wife Loula are ready to get back to work despite now being in their 90’s. Apparently Greek food does much for your stamina, and Stavros and his wife are living proof…

Event Alert, Part One… Most people have seen the picture of a bedraggled Garfield clutching a coffee cup and mumbling, “I hate Monday.” (If you haven’t, don’t go out of your way to do so – it’s not that good.) Mondays are reviled as the first day of the work week, though it’s not for many people in the culinary industry; lots of restaurants don’t open at all so staff who hustled through the weekend can get a break. You can look forward to dining on an upcoming Monday, namely March 12, when this years Ultimate Wine Event will occur at Shade Hotel. I have attended several of these and it’s always a party as well as an education – winemakers from premium establishments like Opus One, Ceja, and La Sirena show up and offer samples to pair with elegantly presented hors d’ouerves. It’s all to the benefit of Manhattan Beach Middle School, and it’s an event that should not be missed. Tickets cost $100.00 and are available from Shade – call 310-546-4995 for more information…

Strand House Chef Greg Hosinky

Strand House’s new executive chef, Greg Hosinky, formerly of Shade Hotel. Photo

And a Strand House Update… Strand House opened with a dazzling and ambitious menu on which it received mixed reviews – Consulting Chef Neal Fraser and Executive Chef Travis Lorton brought brilliant ideas that didn’t always come together, and though there were high points at every meal consistency was elusive. Lorton has moved on, and Fraser, whose contract was originally going to end in 2011, has stayed on and will take an active role in the kitchen. The new Executive Chef is Greg Hosinsky, who has done a dazzling job at Shade Hotel, and the initial reports have been positive. Fraser and Hosinsky have big plans, including a Guest Chefs program, so this will be a place to watch…

There Goes A Good Acronym… You can imagine the satisfaction of the people at Ortega 120 when they arranged for Flamenco music on Fridays, then realized that if they did it on the first week of every month they could abbreviate it to FFF. Sadly, the First Friday Flamenco was doomed by scheduling issues and had to be moved back a week, so it’s now Second Friday Flamenco, or SFF. Those initials are already in use by the Sundance Film Festival, San Francisco Foundation, and the Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America, so it may be harder to stand out in the marketplace – their previous competition was the Federation of Fly Fishermen, which isn’t quite as well –known. I’m sure the music will sound just as good as ever no matter what day it is scheduled…

Event Alert, Part Two… The Hudson House celebrates three years in business this Sunday afternoon with a major bash – they’ll be serving a variety of special brews plus mojitos and a tropical-themed seafood menu. I have been impressed with the food at Hudson House on every visit, and wish them a happy birthday and many returns…

Changes Made… Banzai Beach has changed their name to Budokan, which is probably good marketing since the word Banzai has unfortunate connotations involving suicide attacks. (Banzai actually means “Ten thousand years” and was originally used to wish someone, usually the Emperor, a long life.) The new name probably refers to an arena in Tokyo that is famous for hosting rock concerts, though it is also a style of martial arts. Budokan (the Hermosa restaurant) is more eclectic and less Japanese than the place it replaces – you can now get burgers and tacos along with your sushi and teppanyaki. I used to enjoy Banzai Beach, and I’ll be interested to see what things are like in the new incarnation…

Event Alert, Part Three… You probably remember those moments in old movies when some bedraggled explorer steps from a wooden ship, unfurls a flag, and says dramatically, “I claim this land for Spain!” Somehow I’m reminded of that when I see the Undiscovered Chefs event at Terranea, and imagine talented and creative cooks being claimed by swashbuckling adventurers. Unheralded chefs aren’t literally being seized by foreign powers, but they are being celebrated at the Undiscovered Chefs event on March 18th. It’s a benefit event for the Redondo Cancer Support Community hosted by Michael Franks of Chez Melange, who will share the wisdom of years over the course of a day of culinary education. Spaces are still available for student chefs and for members of the public who wish to taste the fruit of their labors – phone 310-376-3550, extension 26, for more info…

And Two Reminders… Tickets are available for For Our Children, the South Bay’s premier food and wine event – you do have April 29 circled on your calendar, don’t you? It’s the place to experience the skills of many of the South Bay’s best chefs in one location, and a great afternoon of fine food and wine. That’s an event that I always look forward to – how about you? Please let me know about events worth attending, new restaurants, and anything else that our readers might like to know about – the email address is Richard@richardfoss.com

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