Pushing the boundaries [restaurant review]

Pier 76 Fish Grill expands on the fish house concept

Years ago I worked with someone who spent much time thinking about numbers. He was a tour organizer rather than an accountant, and he believed that combinations of digits had a psychological connection. He priced his excursions based on this theory, which drove management crazy because profits were always slightly off from their projections. The […]

The broths are what stand out [restaurant review]

Variations on traditional theme offered at RB’s Rakkan Ramen

Of all the items to enter culinary fad territory during the last few decades, ramen has been most resistant to being upscaled into silliness. Burgers are sprinkled with caviar, pizza topped with quail sausage, sushi rolls stuffed with foie gras, but somehow ramen just stays its honest self. It can’t be that nobody has considered […]

Contemporary take on tacos [restaurant review]

Tocaya Organica proves healthy Mexican food can deliver zesty flavors

Mexican food has been redefined in California at least twice in the last century. In the 1950s drive-in owner named Glenn Bell started experimenting with hard shell tacos, which were then a novelty, and stuffing them with hamburger fillings, including  lettuce and cheddar cheese along with a salsa that had barely perceptible heat. The company […]

Gem in an unlikely neighborhood [restaurant review]

Panelas Brazil Cuisine’s obscure North Redondo location hasn’t hurt it’s popularity.

Whatever you think of immigration (and in the current political climate it’s pretty certain you have some opinion), the countries that have a lot of it sure develop interesting cuisines. Fascinating hybrids develop in neighborhoods where cultures mingle, and the most appealing ones become part of the shared culinary heritage of their adopted country. This […]

Rockefeller opens in Redondo, history-themed bistro on the way, Pappy van Winkle dinner, and more South Bay restaurant news

Grand Parade Of Bivalves… I have a soft spot for oysters, so am leading off with a note about a dinner on Monday, November 12, at which they’ll be in everything except dessert. A seafood-based five course dinner is thematically perfect for Sea Change at Chez Melange, and oyster expert and author Carolyn Tillie will […]

Beyond beer [restaurant review]

Redondo Beach Brewing emerges from the microbrewery era with an ambitious menu and cocktails as well as craft beer

by Richard Foss Food fads aren’t a new thing in California. At various times in the 20th century we went nuts for fondue, sukiyaki, Cajun blackened everything, and various other items. The book Fashionable Food chronicles these gyrations during the last hundred years, and some things that were wildly popular seem inexplicable. Why were pineapple […]