Posts by Richard Foss

Does anybody remember where we went for tapas before Mediterraneo opened on Pier Plaza? That’s a trick question. In 2003 most people in the South Bay didn’t know what tapas were, and some people complained because they thought it was a topless. Those people stopped objecting when they found out what tapas were, and probably…

It’s after 10 p.m., hunger has struck and the bar you’re frequenting has nothing more appealing than chicken fingers. Where do you go? For over a generation the answer has been The Kettle. There you’ll be in the company of people who have just gotten out of plays or movies, shift workers, and night owls…

Their slogan is “Making good food an everyday occasion” and Dominique’s Kitchen really does achieve that laudable goal. Their classic French country cuisine is modestly priced and more importantly it’s served in an unpretentious atmosphere that you can enjoy any day. They’re short on ceremony and long on hospitality. Whether you order scallops in a…

The hottest trend of the last few years is a return to one of the oldest styles of dining – eating what’s local and fresh. The people in the kitchen at Hook & Plow know their farmers and other purveyors and strive to find the best produce in every season and to serve it in…

Old Venice is unique in the South Bay for its extensive menu of Italian and Greek food. The variety extends to their dessert menu. On the Greek side they have baklava, which you have probably had elsewhere, and melomakarona, which you probably haven’t. It’s a walnut and honey cookie that is one of the lightest,…

A crepe is a fragile, subtle thing, a bit of crispness to wrap around a stew, sauté, or dessert to add texture and a wisp of flavor. They’re very tricky to make and home cooks who try can discover just how much of a kitchen can be messed up by a very small amount of…

Java Man, the species also known as Homo Erectus, went extinct about a 70,000 years ago. Coffee arrived on the Indonesian island of Java just prior to 1700. This suggests that Java Man never tasted coffee, though you can at the funky coffeehouse named for him. We’re sure even a proto-human would appreciate the convivial…

When your pizzeria goes from a single store in the rear of a mini-mall to 14  outlets in only five years, you’re doing something right. Let’s start with the basics. Fresh Brothers offers pies with thin, thick, or thick deep dish crusts, plus whole grain and gluten-free varieties. So whichever you prefer, your bases are…

Nobody knows what unsung genius invented the rotisserie, but we presume that was long before patents. Their reward was received when they first put a chicken on their new gadget and tried it out, because that cooking method results in a crisp skin and succulent meat. Poulet du Jour flavors their birds with Middle Eastern…

Most South Bay restaurants that feature fish offer either chowder or cioppino. At the seafood specialist Hermosa Beach Fish Shop you have your choice. There are two variations of the chowder, either with or without Andouille sausage, which adds a gentle smoky kick. The chowder is thick and creamy, the seafood finely chopped so it’s…

Little burgers are big business on Artesia, where locally owned Slider Stop has inventive ideas about fast food. If you’ve ever had the experience of being served a mammoth burger and being tired of the flavor when you were halfway through it, they have the solution: get two or three little ones. Their “chicken dinner”…

A romantic restaurant isn’t the same thing as a first date restaurant. At the former you are both already intimate, at the latter you’re deciding whether you’re on that road. The place shouldn’t be too bright or too dark, and the room should have some buzz. Zane’s hits those marks and you can learn a…

Most pizza places offer salad as an afterthought – something cool, green and crisp to contrast with something hot, cheesy, and rich. Fresh Brothers puts a little more thought and a lot more variety into the equation by offering everything from a simple spring mix to a zesty Greek, antipasto, Caesar, or Farmer’s Market salad.…

Now that every grocery store and gas station mini-mart carries at least a few craft beers and decent wines, the specialists have to step up their game. They need to offer not only a range of products, but staff who have the expertise to make intelligent recommendations for customers. Ocean View Liquor has both a…