Circa is right on time: new Manhattan Beach restaurant joins burgeoning culinary scene
Chef Bryon Freeze holds Circa’s tempura squash blossom, the restaurant’s most popular dish. Photo America is the country of hyperbole in advertising – every product claims to be best, every pop singer the hottest, every idea the most brilliant. The trend extends to civic and state pride – look at the mottoes and the slogans on license plates – and it is especially prevalent in restaurant advertising. There are no half measures here; places claim to have the biggest steak, coldest beer, and largest wine list. Which makes it odd that one of the hottest new restaurants has a name that means “about or approximately.” Circa replaced Mucho, which never found its market and was best known for a lively bar scene. There were predictions that Circa would be more a nightlife spot than a dining destination too, despite the involvement of celebrity chefs Octavio Becerra and Bryon Freeze, but at multiple visits the restaurant was nearly at capacity with people who were focused on much more than cocktails. Lemon gnocchi, one of Circa’s signature dishes. Photo Which is not to say that the cocktail selection here isn’t worthy of attention, because even by the steadily rising standards of the South…
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