RESTAURANT REVIEW – King’s Cove
The burgers at King’s Cove come with a view of the action on ice. Photo by Brad Jacobsen.
We were halfway through lunch when I was transfixed by an astonishing display of grace and athleticism. An ice dancer glided across the rink in a wide arc and then performed a dazzling series of leaps and spins. Some of the people watching gasped, while others who were used to the spectacle murmured or nodded in appreciation.
Though this kind of could happen in any sports bar, we weren’t watching TV. The reality before our eyes at King’s Cove, a restaurant located inside the Toyota Sports Center in El Segundo.
The place has different character at different times, a walk-up counter by day, bar and restaurant after 4 PM when the bar seating area opens. If you show up during the day the food counter is hard to find; there’s no visible sign and you have to go down a corridor between the closed bar area one of the ice rinks. You can see the hockey pro shop, but not the ordering counter that’s next to it. We almost left before seeing someone come out with food and going to investigate.
When the bar is open in the evening there is table service, but by day you stand in line to order and take your food to one of the tables overlooking the ice rinks. The counter opens at 8 AM, and standard breakfasts are offered along with pizzas, sandwiches, salads, and other simple items. On our first visit two of us had breakfasts, the Hawaiian sweetbread French toast and a cheese and vegetable omelet. The presentation was unimpressive, since everything is packed in to-go containers, but both were good. I’m not generally a fan of Hawaiian sweetbread, but it makes good French toast, and this had a little cinnamon in the batter to add another layer of flavor. The omelet was well made, generously stuffed, and came with crisp potatoes, and it covered all the bases too.
The other items we tried on that visit were a Santa Fe chicken sandwich, a Greek salad, and a cup of chicken tortilla soup. There’s not much room for creativity in a Greek salad and this one was just what it was supposed to be, but the other two items raised our expectations. The tortilla soup was warmly spicy, a chicken broth with just enough chile and cumin to be interesting right to the bottom of the cup. It was topped with cheese and tortilla strips, but not the cilantro that is traditional. This is the kind of thing that is a great winter warmer, and since it’s always winter out on the ice I’d imagine they sell a lot of it.
The Santa Fe sandwich put a similar set of flavors between slices of bread, though the spicing was more emphatic. There was some real heat and smoky flavor in the sauce that bound together the chicken, caramelized onions, and roasted peppers, and the cheese and avocado that were also on board put plenty of variety in every bite. I’d have happily had one of these even without the show on the ice, and with the continuous show factored in, King’s Cove became a destination to bring friends.
My wife and I did exactly that a few days later, bringing a visitor and her teenage daughter who were in town for the holiday weekend. This time one of the rinks visible from the dining area was occupied by a mix of beginning and advanced figure skating students, while at the other some hockey players practiced shooting goals from unlikely distances. We chose the view of figure skaters and watched raptly, sometimes delighted by their grace and sometimes wincing as a fancy move resulted in a fall to the ice.
This time we ordered a turkey burger, cheesesteak sandwich, and a Los Angeles Lakers pizza. (Since we were at the home base for the LA Kings I considered the pizza named after that team, but it involves Canadian bacon, pineapple, and jalapenos, and I just don’t think pineapple belongs on pizza.) The Lakers pizza was topped with chicken, a spicy barbecue sauce, mozzarella, red onions, and cilantro, and mine was a bit over-sauced so that it was a tasty mess. The sauce had a nice blend of sweetness and spice, and the medium-thick crust was firm and had a bit of crispness so that it held together. The pizzas take a bit longer than other items, but this was worth the wait.
The cheesesteaks were also surprisingly good, the seasoned meat tossed with bell peppers that had been sautéed just long enough to bring out the sweetness but preserve some texture. It was made with white cheddar rather than the traditional provolone or American, and the slightly more assertive flavor was an asset. The sandwich was slightly under-stuffed compared to some other cheesesteaks around town, but it was a satisfying meal with the pickle and crisp fries.
There was no question of the turkey burger being undersized, as it was a full half-pound of meat made surprisingly flavorful with all the usual fixings. The person who ordered it chose a side salad rather than fries and it was a varied mix of lettuces, tomato, and cucumber. If you are health conscious this combination could be the way to go, as it was filling without being heavy.
The kale salad was a good idea that was slightly out of balance, with a huge amount of chopped kale topped with fresh strawberry slices but not enough of the almonds and cheese. The lemon-poppy dressing was a smart choice to balance the rest of the ingredients, but if I order this again I’d ask for extra cheese and a few more almonds.
Wine and a selection of beers are offered, but on both visits we had soft drinks and their house-brewed ice tea. Had the coffee offered free refills we might have nursed them and stayed even longer to watch the show – as it was we only left as soon as we did because we had another appointment.
The food at King’s Cove is comparably priced with typical bars and restaurants, which is praiseworthy given the location where they have no competition. I plan to return when the bar is open and there is table service, but it’s a destination for the whole family no matter what time you go. If you have ever enjoyed watching the grace of humans on ice, or the speed and power of a hockey game, turn off your television and go watch it in real time. You can ditch the chips and dip you’d have at home and dine in style.
King’s Cove is at 555 North Nash Street in El Segundo. Open 8 a.m. – 1 a.m. daily, table service after 5 p.m. Wheelchair access good, elevator rom parking lot. Menu at kingscovebar.com, phone 310-414-4022.