A La Carte: Waterman’s, Izakaya-ya, Lou-E-Louey’s…
Even Higher Education… Ortega 120 has been calling their popular tequila classes “Tequila University,” a happy little conceit that is suddenly more real than it used to be. El Camino College decided that the classes are actually informative enough that culinary students can get class credit. As far as I know, this is a first for the South Bay, and I’m in favor of this trend continuing. I’d like to be rewarded if I’m going to do something as arduous as studing tequila while drinking it, while tasting appetizers in a good restaurant. Congratulations to Ortega 120, and to the lucky students…
It’s Spring, and Restaurants are Sprouting Everywhere… First off, the new Waterman’s by the pier in Hermosa Beach has no connection to the former Waterman’s Grill in Manhattan Beach – different owner, different concept. The former Dragon space has been freshened up considerably and the menu now offers burgers, sandwiches, Hawaiian-inflected lunch and dinner plates, and a few Mexican items. I can’t report on the food yet – I was there on opening night and there was a buffet, so it’s not the same thing they’re serving now. It is a much nicer room, and the early reports are promising…
Correcting a Mistake… A few weeks ago, I reviewed the Hudson House and said they were only open for dinner. The very week I wrote that, they started opening for lunch on Saturday and Sunday. I also said that the place was 21 and over — all ages are welcome, by day or by night. I regret the errors…
Event Alert, Food Scholar Department… You may remember that I wrote a short history of burritos for our burrito challenge issue back in 2007. I have continued looking into the history of Mexican food, and will be giving a talk on “The Mystery of the Burrito, and Other Tales of a Fast Food Favorite” at the Pacific Palisades Library this Saturday at 2 p.m. (That’s at 861 Alma Real Drive, just off Sunset Boulevard – a lovely drive, by the way.) The lecture is sponsored by the Friends of the Library and the Culinary Historians of Southern California, and I hope some of you will come out to be amused and informed…
First looks: I visited The Izakaya-ya By Katsu-ya recently and had a great time – service is excellent and assured for a new establishment, and the meal of Japanese snacks was delightful. The restaurant has the loud, happy buzz of a good tavern or café, and it’s definitely doing well; it’s rare to see an empty chair in this place. The Greatest Crepe on Artesia is catching on a bit slower, probably due to a poor location and perennially slammed parking lot, but they deserve an audience. Their breakfast crepes are excellent, and the dessert crepe we tried had just the right fruit sweetness to finish a meal. You’ll probably have to park on the street and walk a short distance, but it will be worth it.
Event Alerts – Wine Week… The Napa trail leads through the South Bay this month – we are being favored by winemakers from all over the region showing off their wares. In fact, you can schedule your week around them. Start on Monday, March 22, when Paul Leary of Blackbird Winery will sponsor a free sampling at Tin Roof Bistro from 5 to 7 p.m. Blackbird is a newcomer, having only opened in 1999, but they’re making waves with astonishing quality Merlot. The people at Tin Roof hope you’ll stay for dinner, of course, so reservations are a good idea. On Tuesday, March 23, go right down the street to Fleming’s for a Napa Valley Vintners tasting with small bites by chef Mark Ogren – at $35 for samples from six winemakers, it’s a bargain. The next day, Ferrari-Carano (which always sounds like something you should drive rather than quaff) will be featured at a five-course dinner at the HT Grill – call 310-791-4849 for details. If you’re interested in trying wines from another region of Northern California, you could go to the Bottle Inn on Wednesday, because Giulio and Joe of Battaglini Family Winery of Santa Rosa will be pairing wines with an amazing multi-course Italian feast – check the Bottle Inn’s website for details. If you attend all of these, your productivity at work might suffer just a bit, but what an amazing week it will be…
The Most Important Meal of the Day – or Night… If you are a nightshift worker who likes to start the day with a traditional breakfast, you may not know about one of your options in Hermosa Beach. Hennessey’s starts serving breakfast at 10:30 p.m. nightly, and from a conversation with a server there, it’s a popular meal. I don’t know quite why they do this, but I’m glad they do — the next time I want a breakfast bagel near midnight, I know where to go…
Event Alert, Long Range Division… For Our Children has been the South Bay’s top food event for a quarter of a century – a sobering thought for those of us who can still remember enjoying the first one. Mark your calendars, because this year’s edition will be on April 25 at American Honda in Torrance. It’s a fantastic day of dining to benefit the Sandpipers charities – you can get more information on both the event and the people who benefit from it at sandpipers.org…
Cognitive Dissonance, or Believing Your Senses… I received an e-mail announcing that Lou-E-Luey’s on the Boardwalk in Redondo has just shifted to their spring and summer hours, and it caused me a bit of puzzlement. According to the U.S. Naval Observatory, the Vernal Equinox is on March 20 at 1:32 p.m., so they’re jumping the gun by (if I’m looking at the time stamp on this e-mail correctly) 10 days, five hours, and 22 minutes. On the other hand, a glance out my window shows blue skies and 70 degree weather, so maybe Lou-E-Luey’s is right and the government is wrong. Since the Naval Observatory has never served me a Baja Boil seafood soup or a plate of excellent crab enchiladas, I’m siding with Luey’s on this one… ER