Posts by Richard Foss
Hudson rises again, new restaurants, temporary spaces become permanent, and other dining news
Resurrection Of A Hangout: One of the big news items of the week was the sale of Redondo’s Hudson House to Jessica LoIbarra and her husband Bernard, who owned A Basq Kitchen during its multi-year run on the International Boardwalk. You might therefore expect to see Basque items on the menu at their new venture,…
Read MoreBreaking with routine [restaurant review]
It is that time of year known by both religious and secular folk as “the holidays.” People finish the last of their Thanksgiving leftovers just in time for an eerily similar meal at Christmas. Jolly music with bells is in the air, along with the scent of pumpkin spice everything. I’m okay with it for…
Read MoreNew growth from an old tree [restaurant review]
After a business develops a loyal clientele, you can’t blame them for resting on their laurels. With the hard work of building a business done, why not relax, give people what they want, and let the money roll in? The original Thai Dishes in Manhattan Beach could certainly do that without fear or criticism. The…
Read MoreThe Sicilian connection [restaurant review]
I was thinking about how strange it must be for an Italian who visits California for the first time. They might start in San Diego and try a few meals in local restaurants, and then when they come to Los Angeles the food tastes exactly the same. Then they go to San Francisco, or Humboldt,…
Read MoreHeavy on the surf, light on the turf [restaurant review]
Even people who have never eaten on the beach in a Mexican ramada might have a longing for that environment. Imagine the sound of waves in the distance, the scent of seafood frying or boiling mingled with the tang of chillies and vinegar, the sound of someone who’s never going to win a prize as…
Read MoreMexican classic exiting, newcomer at Goat Hill, Turkey Day reinvented
Benvenuto To Manhattan Beach: Don’t ask to speak to Chef Nando when you stop in at Nando Milano – the restaurant was named after the owner’s dog, and even if owner Dario Vullo trained it to cook, since it’s a dachshund it can’t reach the stove. The new operation in the former Little Sister location…
Read MoreBlustery weather previews the future of dining
When I stopped by the Shellback Tavern last Friday the weekend forecast was for rain, and I asked Rico if he was concerned about it. “Rain, not much, because people can stay under the canopies. The problem will be the wind.” By the time we finished dinner, the breeze had strengthened and was threatening to…
Read MoreShellback beckons old salts and pollywogs [restaurant review]
I’m glad I wasn’t drinking a beverage when I looked at the website for the Shellback Tavern. As soon as I saw the line encouraging people to “Come to our hip gastropub,” whatever I was imbibing would have come out of my nose. Hip? This is not the place to show off your designer clothes,…
Read MoreRedondo meets Brooklyn [restaurant review]
There’s a stereotype about people from New York City that we all recognize, of people who are brash, boastful, and generally larger than life. People from elsewhere in the state often like to put some distance between their areas and denizens of the Five Boroughs, but most of those who call Brooklyn or Manhattan home…
Read MoreSecond Source [restaurant review]
As I walked up to The Source’s new location in Manhattan Beach for the first time, I mused over all the different meanings for the word source. While waiting for my food I looked them up on the internet, and in case you’re interested, there are 10 synonyms, which include pedigree, origin, fountain, dawn, cause,…
Read MoreVariations on a theme
I just looked in my music collection, and between my CDs, downloads, and vinyl, I have at least seven recordings of the same piece by Vivaldi. They range from small ensembles to full orchestras, plus one by street musicians whose instruments include banjo, harmonica, and saxophone. Each gives a different perspective on the piece. Sometimes…
Read MoreBowls in, bars out, bakery delivers, wine and candy
MB Stays Healthy: Those who enjoy their meal in a cup have been crestfallen at the closure of the Jamba Juice in Downtown Manhattan Beach, which has been a mainstay for over a decade. They will be happy to hear that they won’t need to learn a new address for a healthy food destination, though…
Read MoreAmerican greatness [restaurant review]
America wasn’t the first place where people celebrated special occasions with steak dinners – that was probably Britain, where “beefsteak societies” started meeting as early as 1705. These all-male gatherings were a magnet for minor nobility, major celebrities, and merchants who wanted to flaunt their success. Steaks were the symbol of wealth, because big chunks…
Read MoreA Little Piece of Italy [restaurant review]
One of the odder effects of the pandemic has been to level the playing field for modest restaurants. When everybody is serving outdoors on improvised patios, the view of the beach, street-life, or in some cases a brick wall is the same as their neighbors’. People who wouldn’t have given some places a second glance…
Read MoreAdios Barrio, Denny’s decamps, A Fish rising, above standard at Pacific Standard Prime
Diner Decamps: The Kettle in Manhattan Beach is now the last 24 hour dining spot in the Beach Cities, as the Denny’s at the corner of Artesia and Aviation made it official that they won’t reopen. This was not a culinary star in the South Bay, or even a decent coffee shop compared to others…
Read MoreMexican time machine [restaurant review]
One hundred and ten years ago, railroad magnate Henry Huntington cashed in on a craze inspired by a melodramatic novel. Helen Hunt Jackson’s “Ramona” was set in Spanish California, and it set off a craze for tamales, enchiladas, and other Mexican dishes. The story inspired Huntington to open Casa Verdugo, which set the standard for…
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