Best regional dining: American Farmhouse Tavern
Until they visit the American Farmhouse Tavern, many people don’t know that Central California has its own distinctive regional cuisine. It’s not some piece of canny restaurant marketing; there really is a tradition here, centered on Santa Maria-style barbecue and a delicious bean soup which you mix with salsa right at the table. That regional cuisine has been getting more visibility since American Farmhouse opened in their original location in 2009. Thousands of people have tried the tender tri-tip here and then tried to replicate it at home, turning good meat to leather in the process. There are tricks to doing it right, and American Farmhouse has them mastered. Of course, they serve much more – chili verde and barbacoa have joined the menu that also includes fried cod and the mysteriously named “bowl of stuff.” They’re all reasons to stop in and try one of the South Bay’s unique restaurants.
Runner-up, tie: Tin Roof Bistro, 3500 N Sepulveda Blvd. #100, Manhattan Beach. (310) 939-0900; Simmzy’s, 229 Manhattan Beach Blvd., MB 310-546-1201