Mediterraneo [RESTAURANT REVIEW]

Mediterraneo's outdoor heated patio bring the best of Iberian culinary traditions to Hermosa Beach. PHOTO BY CHELSEA SEKTNAN.If you take only a cursory look at menus around Los Angeles, you might think that traditional Spanish food is one of our most popular cuisines. It has to be, since so many restaurants feature tapas, the traditional specialty of Madrid. Look closer and you’ll see that most of these have nothing to do with Spanish tradition – the branding is about portion size rather than flavor. The real Mediterranean tradition is one of small plates, but that’s about the only thing it has in common with the Asian-inspired exotica that have the same name. One of the few places to serve the real deal is Hermosa’s Mediterraneo, which celebrates a decade in business this year. Unusually, the restaurant has held on to talented chef Amber Caudle, and though many menu items have come and gone over the years, the fidelity to Spanish flavor has remained the same. This is in contrast with many restaurants that opened on the Pier Plaza with ambitious menus and either closed or switched to party people food; Mediterraneo has remained a bastion of authentic food in an adult atmosphere…

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