Best of the Beach: Tequila Bar, Wine Bar, Wine Store, Chef, Cicerone
Tequila bar
Palmilla
To some people, tequila is an ingredient in a margarita or paloma, perhaps something to down a shot of on a bet. To others it’s one of the world’s great liquors, expressing smoky, vegetal, and sweet flavors based on a variety of factors. This includes the climate of the region, the skill of the jimador who chooses the ripe plants and the mezcalero who distills them, and how long the product is aged. Palmilla has more than 50 varieties of tequila and mezcal to choose from, from unaged blancos that express the natural flavors, to very aged drinks that will bring a smile to a single malt scotch fan. It’s a place to savor the ones you know and try the ones you don’t, with a designated driver if you live beyond walking distance, of course.
Palmilla
39 Pier Ave.
Hermosa Beach
Runner-up
Esperanza Cocina de la Playa
309 Manhattan Beach Blvd.
Manhattan Beach
With its outdoor dining on Pier Avenue, Uncorked has become a favorite place to both buy and drink wine. Photo by Kevin Cody
Wine bar
Uncorked The Wine Shop
Uncorked has two locations, both small compared to many other wine purveyors, but they have a commitment to presenting tastings despite the fact that it takes some valuable space. Why? The owners have a passion for education, and often bring in experts who share their insights into details of regional styles and winemaking techniques. Those are a highlight of the week for aficionados, but you can also stop by any day to enjoy a flight of four wines for a mere $20, and let your senses ,and the friendly employees be your guides.
Uncorked The Wine Shop
302 Pier Ave.
Hermosa Beach
1000 Manhattan Ave.
Manhattan Beach
Runner-up
Friends of the Vine
221 Avenida Del Norte
Redondo Beach
Wine store
Uncorked The Wine Shop
Uncorked stocks about 600 wines, Total Wine stocks over 6,000, but our readers prefer Uncorked. Why? A big part of it is that the staff at Uncorked know their wines and their customers, and keep the experience personal. They know it and can make informed recommendations, and that means a lot when you want suggestions for pairings or a special gift. The wine tastings, both in person and virtually, help deepen that engagement, because it gives the staff and owners a chance to share their knowledge. These people know wine, love it and, and communicate that passion, and that creates a powerful bond.
Uncorked The Wine Shop
302 Pier Ave.
Hermosa Beach
1000 Manhattan Ave.
Manhattan Beach
Runner-up
Total Wine & More
1505 Hawthorne Blvd.
Redondo Beach
Aaron Dubois has made Hermosa Brewing a food, as well as a craft beer destination. Photo by JP Cordero
Chef
Aaron Dubois
Hermosa Brewing Co.
The South Bay has some flamboyant masters of the kitchen, but that’s not who came in at the top of the ranks this year. Aaron Dubois is a quiet and down to earth fellow who strolls through the restaurant talking with customers, who are wowed by the feats he’s accomplishing in his small kitchen. This former contestant on the Chopped show and chef at Melisse and Rustic Canyon has made confit pork ribs by marinating them in the drippings from carnitas, a luscious seafood pozole, and a smoked and roasted ribeye that ranks with the best from local steakhouses. If you haven’t dined at Hermosa Brewing yet because the place looks humble, stop in, because a genius is cooking there.
Hermosa Brewing Company
1342 Hermosa Ave.
Hermosa Beach
Runner-up:
Chef Shafer, Depot Restaurant
1250 Cabrillo Ave.
Torrance
Cicerone
Dave Davis, Jeff Sweeny at Hermosa Brewing Company
Dave Davis isn’t sure that most people in the South Bay know what a cicerone is, though they get it if you tell them that it’s something like what a sommelier does, but with beer instead of wine. It may be even more challenging, because beer is made in such a wide variety of styles,which keep evolving, with experimental techniques that may include additions of herbs, juices, and spices. Knowing those styles, how to serve them, and what they pair with requires constant, obsessive research, and transmitting that knowledge to the public requires excellent communication skills. Dave and Jeff keep the information and the beer flowing at Hermosa Brewing.
Hermosa Brewing Company
1342 Hermosa Ave.
Hermosa Beach