South Bay dining news: Chef Dominique’s cassoulet, Hostaria Piave’s late nights, Steve Matthews leaves H.T. Grill
Chef Dominique Theval. Photo
Event Alert – A while ago I asked chef Dominique Theval if he ever makes cassoulet, the slow-cooked casserole of white beans, sausage, goose, duck, and other hearty ingredients that is a traditional winter dish in the South of France. He usually doesn’t because few Americans know what it is, but on January 7 Dominique’s Kitchen will feature a special dinner of Basque potage Garbure soup, cassoulet, and a special dessert. The cost is $43.99 plus tax and tip, and it should be a fantastic evening. Call (424) 247-9054 for reservations – and call soon, because it’s a rare opportunity and a small place …
Down the road from Dominique’s, Hostaria Piave has instituted a program of which I approve – late bird dinners. Those of us who like to start our meal when others are finishing may do so at a reduced price – twenty percent off for those who reserve a table after 8 p.m. midweek, 8:30 on Friday and Saturday. The South Bay has relatively few places that keep the kitchens open late, and perhaps this incentive will make those of us who dine with the bats instead of the birds flock to Hostaria Piave.
Changes In The Kitchen… A major figure in the local dining scene moved on a few months ago. Steve Matthews was the chef at HT Grill from the day the place opened, and he mentored numerous other chefs during his tenure there. Steve turned over operations to Chef Nael Taki without fanfare, but will be missed – he was a cheerful master of the house who liked chatting with diners.
This Is Why I Don’t Do Previews… Some people who are involved with new restaurants ask why I don’t write articles about their upcoming projects, since they’re scheduled to open soon. My best answer is to point at places that confidently announced that they’d be open by summer of 2013, but still haven’t served a single customer. Barney’s Beanery on the Redondo Pier was originally scheduled to open by spring, but it looks like they’ll be lucky to hit the anniversary of the date. Grimaldi’s in El Segundo was scheduled for summer, but they just finished construction of their ovens at the end of November. Manhattan’s Boardroom is delayed, and Spiaggia, which announced that they would open within a week over sixteen months ago, is dusty and vacant. The causes may be unavailable permits, unexpected construction problems, lack of financing, or something else entirely, but it has added to my resolve to only focus on a place when someone by the door asks if I would like a table…
A happy and safe New Year to you all, and if you have any ideas about things I should cover, any tips about new places, I’m at Richard@richardfoss.com…