Best of the Beach 2016, Best Mexican Over $20: Palmilla Cocina y Tequila
It’s significant that Palmilla shares a name with a luxurious resort in Mexico. This is a distinctly upscale version of Mexican cuisine. Instead of imagining a border cantina you should consider a spa villa with an ocean view, with a bottle of bubbly in the ice bucket on the balcony. While the flavors in the sauces are true to Mexican tradition, the ingredients are top quality – dry aged prime beef, fresh jumbo crab and wild-caught prawns and vegetables straight from boutique producers. The recipes that show off those excellent products come from all over Mexico – Michoacán style salmon, Tampico steak, and the smoky moles of Oaxaca are all represented. Palmilla brings the techniques of French cuisine and the soul of Mexico together and it’s an unbeatable combination.
39 Pier Ave., Hermosa Beach. (310) 374-4440.