Posts by Teri Marin

For decades, The Bull Pen has been as renowned for its steaks, in a variety of cuts, as it is for its “world-famous” burgers. “The quality of the meat is what he prided himself in,” said Josh Miner of his grandfather Cliff, the Bull Pen’s original owner. “It’s why we don’t do too much, as…

It’s not complicated to explain why one of the biggest corporate beverage outfits won Best of the Beach, even in a community that embraces its mom and pops shops. BevMo offers more than 3,000 types of wines, 1,500 types of spirits, and 1,200 types of beers. They were pioneers in the liquor megastore business and…

  Our definitions of what a burger is have exploded during the last decade. It no longer raises an eyebrow when a chef tosses something outrageous on top of that beef patty. Or maybe it’s a turkey patty, or lamb, chicken, veggie, ostrich, or whatever else didn’t get out of the way fast enough. You…

Could it be that the omelets at Martha’s taste a little better because of the ocean breeze, or perhaps their sunny patio or homey interior? We don’t know, but we suspect that there’s at least some effect. Perhaps the cooks and servers are a bit more inspired to do their best by their environment. Either…

  Gen is Korean for “The Beginning,” and it’s an appropriate name for reasons that the founders may not have considered. It is a good place for newcomers to tabletop grilling or to Korean food because they offer a mild version of that cuisine served by fluent and helpful servers. It’s also the beginning of…

190th Street starts at the top of a hill with a view of the ocean and ends at Figueroa in downtown Los Angeles. There’s only one noteworthy restaurant along with its entire length, and perhaps that contributes to what makes Hop Saint special. All the creativity and culinary passion along those many miles are channeled…

  Wait, say some people who haven’t been there. A place on the Pier Plaza has won best eclectic restaurant and best new restaurant? Yes, it has, and deservedly so. The second-floor restaurant is decorated like a hangout for an art-loving surfer, and the menu has burgers and pizzas like the bars on the block.…

Pancho’s victory in this category is a testament to the fact that a cocktail is more than what a bartender pours into a glass. The iconic restaurant on the corner of Rosecrans and Highland in Manhattan Beach has achieved institutional status locally for a number of reasons —  its beautiful food, of course, as well…

The rarest and most rewarding thing that can happen for a business is when it becomes both a vital part of a community and a community unto itself. Uncorked, the neighborhood wine shop on the corner of Pier Avenue and Monterey Boulevard in Hermosa Beach has reached this status. The shop is a pervasive presence…

There’s something almost mystical about certain rooms that invite the spirit of live music. Plenty of rooms have stages and great sound systems and the other technical components meant to make amplified music transcendent; very few have that unnameable quality that makes songs come to life. Saint Rocke has it, and locals know it; the…

Almost everything changed in Downtown Manhattan Beach over the last couple decades as the formerly sleepy, little beach town became an affluent and even fashionable destination. The Shellback abides, as it has for 53 years now. Despite occupying one of the most valuable pieces of land in Southern California, perched just above the pier, the…

There are a select number of professions in the world that one might call almost spiritual in nature but not in the least bit priestly —  the taxi or rideshare driver who makes new friends nightly, the hairdresser who takes your head in his or her hands every few months and hears your tales of…