The South Bay’s newest waterfront restaurant is on the way to greatness, but not yet there
by Richard Foss
photos by Kenny Ingle
I recently had dinner with neighbors who were confused when I told them where we were going. “The California Surf Club? I’ve never seen you with a surfboard. That’s private, isn’t it? I didn’t know you were a member.”
They were right. I don’t surf, despite growing up only blocks from the beach. Growing up nearsighted meant that every dip into the ocean involved being bushwhacked by waves I couldn’t see coming. I tried surfing once or twice, but it didn’t go well, so I wistfully watched daredevils on their boards from the safety of the pier.
As we drove to Harbor Drive just north of the Redondo pier, I explained the California Surf Club is indeed a membership organization, but at the north end of their complex there’s a restaurant open to the public. When we went inside, their expectations were reset yet again. From the name they had expected walls festooned with surfboards and the Beach Boys on repeat. Instead, we were in a tastefully decorated space evoking a beach house with nautical and tropical touches, stylish and relaxing rather than exuberant. The music ranged from mellow tunes to crunchy rock, with no Wilson brothers harmonies to be heard.
The lunch and dinner menu offers contemporary eclectic cuisine with Mediterranean influences, with specialties from the raw bar and the pizza oven. Over several visits I tried almost half the menu items, with generally positive results. The oysters from the raw bar were served with a tangy mignonette and cocktail sauce, but in my opinion didn’t need either – a perfectly fresh oyster has such a delightful flavor that nothing else is needed. That sauce was excellent with the jumbo prawn cocktail and the grilled colossal shrimp, though. We also liked the flavor of the mini poke tacos, but they would have benefited from allowing the seafood mix to drain before being placed in the tortilla. They were tasty but messy, hard to eat without spilling the citrusy, spicy marinade.
Among the starters, the Anson Mills cornbread was such a standout that we ordered it on all three visits. It had the rich corn flavor and the slightly rough texture you get from stone ground heirloom corn, and the dash of jalapeno was nicely calibrated to not take over. It arrived topped with honey butter, which I would have preferred on the side, but luckily they hadn’t gotten carried away with the sweetness. We also tried the huli huli chicken wings, which had a lightly smoky flavor and an unexpected texture. The meat was cooked through and very moist and flavorful, with balanced citrus and ginger, but the skin was very soft rather than having any crispness from the oven. I think these might be more appealing with a brief trip under the broiler on the way to the table, but they were good as ordered. The grilled pineapple on the side was a nice touch, and on one visit we found it to be a fine accompaniment to the grilled shrimp.
We started our meals with cocktails. If you enjoy mixed drinks, you should too. Bar manager Walker Marsh has compiled some intriguing riffs on classics and a few ideas I’ve never seen before, like a spritz made with Calvados apple brandy, rose extract, lemon, dill, and pistachio. As odd as that may sound, it was delightful, and so was a rum-based milk punch that was a taste from a different century. Their wine list has a surprisingly large, by-the-glass selection at moderate prices, a real surprise for a prestige location like this.
Among the mains we tried two pizzas, Verlasso salmon, olive wood smoked chicken, beef and chicken skewers, and Baja fish tacos. I hadn’t been familiar with Verlasso salmon, a variant native to Chilean waters, but I want to know more about it now. It’s a relatively mild salmon that is flaky and firm when broiled. It shone alongside a mix of quinoa and gooseberries in brown butter vinaigrette along with grilled bok choy. The half-chicken was a hit too – smoking with olive wood imparts a slight fruity sweetness. Even the breast meat, which is often dry and doesn’t pick up much flavor, was succulent. The chicken was served with a large portion of roasted potatoes and salsa verde – a bit less potatoes and some green vegetables would have been better, but that’s a minor quibble. At that meal we had a side of their brussels sprouts with berbere yoghurt, which were a fine accompaniment. The skewers were less essential, just good meat and vegetables that had spent time over a fire, but those with plain tastes will enjoy them.
The tacos were the classic version created by Japanese fishermen in Mexico, battered and fried rather than grilled, with slaw, avocado, and crema. There was so much fish in each tortilla that the two tacos really were a full meal, and a very good one. The pizzas had a perfect thin, lightly crisp crust with a judicious balance of toppings, enough for flavor but not overloaded. The fennel sausage with ricotta in a sauce laced with Calabrian chile was my favorite, but the white pizza with garlic sauce, cheese, and a hint of Aleppo pepper hit the spot too.
For dessert we tried the mud pie, citrus blossom cream pie, and despite my misgivings, a pavlova. I usually find this meringue-based dessert much too sweet, but this was a rare version where judicious use of sugar and tart berries brought it into balance. The citrus blossom pie was every bit as good, the Valencia orange and Japanese yuzu a pairing from different hemispheres that created a delightful floral scent that was beguiling while it was still at the center of our table. As for the mud pie, it’s a kid’s guilty pleasure in a grownup package thanks to the use of quality espresso ice cream.
Our dinners had been so impressive we took family for brunch, this time sitting outside so we had a view of the harbor and seaside lagoon. It was a perfect day with a light breeze when we settled in for a leisurely meal. It was good that we planned to linger over our food, because there were unaccountable delays in everything coming from the kitchen. It was 45 minutes from the time we ordered until the first food arrived, and we had been the only people there at the time we sat down.
This was particularly odd because the brunch menu at Surf Club is uncomplicated, mainly eggs in a sandwich, over avocado toast, benedict, in a burrito, etc., with a few non-egg options like a burger and sandwiches. The variety and creativity of the evening menu was mostly missing except for one item that might have been added as a joke – the “Kook’s breakfast” of a quarter-pound of bacon and a bottle of ice-cold Modelo. I asked our server whether anybody ever ordered this, and she confirmed that at least four had been sold. I decided this was an experience that could easily be replicated at home.
We started brunch with the cornbread and wings that had been so good at dinner, followed by Hawaiian loco moco, a standard eggs and bacon breakfast, macadamia nut pancakes, and a marinated tri-tip sandwich. The cornbread and wings were just as good as we remembered, but the other items fell short of our expectations. The Hawaiian loco moco breakfast is traditionally made with eggs and Portuguese linguiça sausage over rice topped with a rich beef stock gravy, but this was made with a white gravy based on butter, flour, and milk. It’s probably healthier, but lacks the flavor of the original.
The eggs and bacon were the standard item well made, but the macadamia nut pancakes were another disappointment. I’ve had pancakes with the chopped nuts baked in so they add crisp textures and aromatic flavors in each bite, and that’s what I expected. Instead, there were nut pieces scattered over the pancakes along with banana slices, a few blueberries, and strawberries that had not been freshly cut. Both the pancakes and the tri-tip sandwich with fries arrived warm rather than hot, and they had obviously been delayed so that everything could be delivered at once. The coffee arrived lukewarm too, and our server said they were having trouble with the brewer and had ordered another one.
Our server apologized profusely for the problems and comped the sandwich. She was obviously concerned about the delay and the food temperature. She said they had been serving brunch for only a month, and they evidently are still working to get their act together.
That experience aside, the public restaurant at the California Surf Club has much to offer, and while the peaceful location with a water view is part of the attraction, there is much more. The name that so confused my guests may make tourists pass by, so this will be the local’s secret spot, a place for a fine meal in a chill environment.
The California Surf Club North Grill is at 245 N. Harbor Drive in Redondo. Mon. — Fri. 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Sat — Sun. 10 a.m. – 10 p.m. Large pay lot adjacent. Wheelchair access good. Noise level moderate. Good children’s menu. Some vegetarian options. (410)-374-3598. CaSurfClub.com. ER
we’ve already heard good things about it – can we dine in straight from our sailboat, or must we freshen up for dinner? and is there a cocktail/happy hour? thanks – nice write up-
Sounds interesting!
I thought it was going to be BBQ, but this is so much better!
Thank you!
operator has no moral compass. dont bother going. Service sucks as well
How does a private club with an opaque membership process get a lease for public land? It’s very confusing. They take applications, they “evaluate” them and deny people. How is it that they aren’t REQUIRED to take first come, first serve? This seems like a real problem.