Eating My Words For Lunch: In last week’s review I made a rather large goof, so I’m starting this week’s column with a retraction. I said that Caffe Tre Venezie was the only Italian-style coffeehouse in the South Bay, which it isn’t. Redondo’s Roman Aroma has a similar dedication to authentic Italian coffee, panini, and pastries. Mea culpa, and my sincere thanks to reader Lisa for the gentleness of the email in which she pointed out my error…
And Now The News: Barsha in Hermosa was temporarily closed due to a business owner’s nightmare. A Health Department inspector arrived and gave the restaurant a near-perfect score, but then ordered it closed because the kitchen layout didn’t match the blueprints on file with the city. This was due to modifications done under the previous owner, which the new management didn’t know about. The restaurant reopened on Tuesday and expects to be back to their usual schedule…
Openings, closings, and lots of delays: El Segundo lost a renowned bakery and coffeehouse restaurant and gained another almost immediately. Superba Food and Bread opened in 2015 and offered excellent though pricey pastries, burgers, and salads. Unfortunately for them, lots of other places in the Point had a similar menu at lower prices with faster service.They closed at the end of November. One long block down Rosecrans, The Butcher, The Baker, and the Cappuccino Maker was getting ready to open the doors. The BBCM is a café concept that happens to include freshly baked goods, and the bright, lively environment has already attracted a crowd from the local business community. They’re joined by nextdoor neighbor Chin Chin, a Chinese fusion concept that seems to be off to a slightly rockier start. The early word is that they opened a bit before they were ready, with consequent problems in food and service. Some places take time to find their groove (2041 Rosecrans Avenue)…
Those newcomers are doing comparatively well because they are all in business, which many others haven’t been. Slay’s Italian Kitchen was all set to open in the former Jimmy’s space on Manhattan Avenue when they were derailed by a permit problem, and they’re not the only ones in this predicament. Esperanza, Tacolicious, Dash Dashi, and Culture Brew Company were all scheduled to open by now in downtown Manhattan Beach, but are hoping to start serving sometime early next year. I can’t remember when so many places in the same neighborhood were all delayed, and given that most are run by experienced operators it seems that there must be some flaw in the system…
Meanwhile, In Redondo: There are several turnovers in progress around Redondo, one of which involves a place with a long history. Louis Burgers is transforming to the fourth outpost of the Pita Café, an Arabic chain that offers falafel, classic kebabs, and other Eastern Mediterranean classics. Thanks to the original owners for their decades of slinging good cheap food for the community, and welcome to the newcomers. You have come to a location with a long history and much goodwill, and we look forward to seeing what you bring to the neighborhood…
Basques In One Exit: The Boardwalk loses a distinctive draw as A Basq Kitchen will close on December 29, to reopen soon with a more conventional menu. We’ll miss the pintxos with a harbor view and the chance to enjoy this rarely encountered cuisine. The closest Basque restaurants will now be in Chino and Bakersfield, neither of which is noted for ocean views… Speaking of inland restaurants, the Chicken Maison that recently opened at the corner of Torrance and Prospect seems to be doing well, and the Supermex Taqueria looks just about ready to open on PCH. This will be the sixth location for the Long Beach based chain, which offers the classics at moderate prices…
Southern European Switcheroo: The El Segundo Chophouse never really caught on, their combination of steaks and ribs with Greek food was odd, and the execution sometimes shaky. The new owners plan a quick turnaround into a branch of the Metro Café, a Culver City institution that offers American and Serbian favorites. Serbian food has some similarities to Greek and Hungarian cuisine, which isn’t surprising given that country’s history and location in the Balkans. I have dined at the Culver City original several times and enjoyed items from both cultures, so am looking forward to their arrival… Changes are afoot at Flora, the new restaurant inside the AC Hotel by Elevon. The founding chef has left and the menu is now relatively short and simple pending a concept change… Elsewhere in town, progress is visible on the former Main Street Café, but the new Brazilian place doesn’t look close to opening, and things look stalled at the café across from the Tavern On Main. I’ve heard that this will be a sandwich shop with Italian food, but that isn’t confirmed – anybody have details?…
Mickey’s Steps Up: A longtime customer of Mickey’s Deli, Eric Stevens, was recently diagnosed with the crippling autoimmune disease ALS, and Mickey Mance decided he wanted to do something to help. Eric had a favorite special-order sandwich that included turkey, mozzarella, pesto, and garlic, so Mickey decided to put that on the menu. The proceeds from all sales of that item will go to help with the family’s medical bills. The South Bay has lots of high-profile charity benefits at equally high prices, and it’s nice to know that restaurateurs at all price points pitch in to help locals in need. Stay well, Eric, and enjoy a lot more of those sandwiches…
Little Mysteries: The Hermosa Beach Mama D’s replaced Fabio’s back in April, so why is the sign for the old restaurant still up? You’d think that a place with such a famous name and established customer base would want to make sure that people could find them easily. Getting into that parking lot is complicated enough when you’re sure you want to be there, so please help drivers make the decision more quickly…
Online Blues: In a recent edition of this column I encouraged readers who were curious about what a place serves to use the restaurant’s own website rather than a food delivery service. It has since been pointed out to me that some local places have only partial menus, frequently without prices, so that they are effectively useless. Yes, I know that it’s a bit of work to update a menu when you offer a lot of seasonal specials, though it’s worth noting that some places manage to do this on a regular basis. You might take a hint from Chez Melange, which has changed their menu every single day for almost 40 years. Being terse about your offerings and coy about pricing makes prospective customers think that you don’t serve much and they probably can’t afford it, neither of which are a good look. Be honest about what you do and you’ll attract the audience that actually wants what you serve…
Tooting My Own Horn: If you’re interested in culinary history and don’t mind a bit of a drive, I’ll be presenting a lecture this Saturday on “The Strangest Cooking Methods in the World” at the Pacific Palisades Library. Time is 2 p.m., address is 861 Alma Real Drive, and I will try to make it worth the trip…
And In Conclusion: Your tips help me keep up with what’s happening around the neighborhood. Any openings I missed, any events, any other places where I can get great Balkan cevapcici? Please send an email to Richard@RichardFoss.com. ER
