Chez Soi in Manhattan Beach: modern American culinary ideas executed with classic French technique
Chez Soi. A new highlight of Metlox Plaza The people who open new restaurants are usually seeking a perfect balance of the familiar and unusual – not something so odd that it attracts only those seeking novelty, or so similar to what is already there that nobody has a reason to visit. This can be surprisingly difficult to achieve, and until the restaurant has feedback from their customers they have no idea how close they are to the target. This is one of several reasons that I rarely review a place just after they open – they probably will need some time to figure out what they want to do and how they fit into the neighborhood. Chez Soi is an example of a place that has evolved considerably since they opened on the Metlox Plaza in downtown Manhattan Beach. Restaurateur Thierry Perez and chef Mark Gold have a long resume of French eateries, including several classic restaurants, but they opened with a “Modern French” theme of globalized cuisine. Their early menu was challenging, innovative, and seemingly beyond the capacity of the kitchen to execute consistently – often a problem when a new team takes on exotic preparations. For every highlight like the fennel soup or puffed leeks…
Read this story on easyreadernews.com