South Bay dining news: all-you-can-eat sushi, Uncorked and Dominique’s celebrate, Brickworks Roasthouse, Pol Roger champagne dinner at Historia Piave, and more
Chef Dominque Theval will celebrate the one year anniversary of Dominique’s Kitchen with specials throughout this weekend. Photo
Managing And Announcing Change… Some restaurants have had signs in the window announcing a change in ownership for months without anything actually changing, causing puzzlement among their customers. These notices are sometimes significant, sometimes not – they could signal a complete change in ownership, or that that one partner is being replaced by someone else. Also, announcements of a planned change in ownership have to be posted before financial arrangements are complete, which means that any failure to arrange financing will doom the deal. There are some places that have posted sale notices repeatedly without anything ever happening, which is why I am slow to report anything based on paper in the window.
A case in point is Kah on Manhattan Beach Boulevard, which has had signs for months announcing the sale of the business to different people. A transaction has finally gone through, and the restaurant is being remodeled to become Aji, an all-you-can-eat sushi place. Previous concepts for this location have included a steakhouse and Italian restaurant, but this one has finally cleared all the financial hurdles. I wish them luck – no other restaurant in the South Bay has this exact concept, so they may have found the right plan for a location that has had trouble finding an identity…
Another location that has changed hands many times has done it again – 20/20 Sports Bar closed a few weeks ago, and will become Jimmy’s Bar & Grill. They are upscaling the place considerably, which is good – it was looking distinctly worn. The new owners will offer greatly improved food instead of the freezer-to-fryer bar snacks that were previously served. The planned opening is December 1st, though with any remodel these schedules may slip…
Meanwhile in El Segundo, another sports bar has opened – King’s Cove, which as far as I know is the only ice sports themed restaurant in the area. It’s at 555 Nash Street in the east part of town, a challenging location, but if you like hockey and figure skating, it’s the destination for you…
Departure Before Arrival… The former Hibachi space in Hermosa was slated to become a Spanish restaurant under chef Perfecto Rocher, but that plan seems to be derailed. Chef Rocher suddenly left in favor of an offer in Hollywood, and though construction continues the concept for this restaurant is in doubt. Rocher has a track record of job-hopping, as do many big-name chefs, so the Hermosa Restaurant Group will probably have no trouble finding someone to hop in. Keeping them may be the challenge…
Slightly Less Mysterious… The restaurant going into the long-empty LA Food Show location in the Manhattan Mall will be called Brickworks Roasthouse and Grill, and a look at the help wanted ad on Craigslist gives an idea of what is planned. They were seeking “Open fire grill, oven and smokehouse experience” as well as a pastry chef – signs of an ambitious operation. They also stated, “We are a completely from scratch kitchen using only the highest quality ingredients.” I’m in favor of all this, and will be watching for this opening with anticipation…
Sushi On The Road… Casa Arigato has a sign in their window announcing a move to a location on PCH that is currently a dry cleaner, but no information on how soon that is happening. No news yet on what will occupy the space…
Anniversaries This Weekend… I hadn’t realized until now that Dominique’s Kitchen and Uncorked share an anniversary weekend, but that is indeed so. Uncorked is celebrating this Sunday with a food and wine festival at a price that is a steal – $25 for pours from ten wineries and nibbles from Hermosa restaurants. The event will be from 4 to 7 p.m., and it’s five dollars more if you buy the ticket at the door, so hie thee to uncorkedHermosa.com and prepare for a lively afternoon. You have more chances to celebrate Dominique’s anniversary – they’re offering specials from Friday through Monday, including some delicious items using escargot in ways you probably have never considered. Dominique’s is one of the jewels of the South Bay, a place where classic French cuisine served in elegant surroundings won’t do serious damage to your bank account. Congratulations to two establishments that make living in the Beach Cities just a bit more delightful…
Event Alerts… If you’re reading this on Thursday, you should call Hostaria Piave to see if space is available at their dinner at which seven Pol Roger Champagnes will be poured to complement a five-course meal. A representative from Pol Roger will be there to sip fine wine with you and answer your questions, my first of which is “How can I get a job like yours?” The number to call is 310-374-1000… For those who actually plan things in advance, there’s a dinner with star power at Strand House on October 28th. Chef Suzanne Goin of Lucques, AOC, Hungry Cat, and several other famous restaurants will be working her magic in the kitchen. The six-time James Beard Foundation nominee will pair her California cuisine with wines from Melville Winery, and an exceptional evening is promised. This will definitely sell out – call 310-545-7470 for reservations…
And A Plea For Help… I’m working to assemble a calendar of events as a feature in this publication, but some establishments don’t send out notices far in advance because menus aren’t final. Please give me as much warning as possible – it makes my job a lot easier. The email for events, as well as tips, suggestions, and feedback, is Richard@richardfoss.com.