The biggest splash has been Rok Sushi Kitchen in Hermosa, which is an even hipper version of Club Sushi, the previous tenant of this space. When I had dinner there the sushi was fresh tasting and artistically made but served in very small portions, and the atmosphere was cheerfully boisterous.

In the same way that you wouldn’t expect to go to a place called Just Breakfast after noon, you might try a place called Pollo Grill expecting just chicken. In the case of the establishment by that name in Redondo Beach, you would be wrong on several counts. There are more seafood options than chicken dishes and plenty of beef selections, and where chicken does appear it is not only grilled but roasted, fried, sautéed, and in stew.

One thing that may have reduced the popularity of Filipino cooking in America is the preference for cooking with a lot of fat, especially fatty pork. Papillon may therefore be the best possible place for an introduction to this cuisine, because they offer both standard and vegetarian versions of most dishes.

The Ocean Diner has only been open for fifteen years, though the decor makes it look more like fifty. Vintage ads and yellowing newspapers announcing victory at Guadalcanal line the walls and old bric-a-brac sits on shelves, creating a convincing stage set of a local diner, circa 1945. The menu matches the decor in most details of style and substance, though I don’t think cafes in the forties offered burritos filled with brown rice and veggies. They certainly did offer pot roast, chili skillets, and spaghetti and meatballs, and we investigated these at a recent dinner.

North End doesn’t look particularly impressive from the outside unless you are a connoisseur of clashing shades – the avocado and lime greens are almost precisely wrong as a color combination. As people in Warsaw used to say about a certain Stalin-era hotel, it has the best view in town because from inside it you can’t see it. The interior is better, functional with a few stylish touches, but once you open the menu you will forget all else, because this is one fun list of foods. The people who own this place obviously love to play in the kitchen, and they make the most interesting breakfasts in the South Bay.

The easygoing vibe is as much an attraction as the food and beverage, and it’s no surprise that the same enjoyable atmosphere can be found at the more upscale HT Grill. It can also be found at the newest of Hennessey’s ventures, the cheerful tropical-themed joint known as Mickie Finnz. Where the Hennessey’s Taverns make at least a nod toward the Auld Sod of Ireland and the HT Grill is modern Californian, Mickie Finnz is a loving recreation of a surf bar, palm fronds, bamboo, and all.

The menu of Spanish tapas and Italian fare is going over just fine with a crowd that doesn’t seem to be the usual bar-hoppers; while the restaurant has a lively buzz; it never seems as raucous as its more party-hearty neighbors. This is a good thing if you ask me, as I happen to like dining in places where I can converse with my companions without shouting. I prefer to dine on the front patio, which is both the quietest area and has an enviable view of the local streetlife.

This is not to say that the cooking here is purely French or suited to the peasant palate – prime steaks like the ones served here are hard to find in France at any price, and truffled lobster salad and Thai spring rolls aren’t the diet of a country farmer. My wife and I were momentarily tempted by a six course tasting menu that sounded delightful, but we decided that we didn’t have the time or appetite on this particular evening.

There is almost always a wait to get into Mama D’s, though by the mysterious mathematics of such things it never seems to be a long one. It is a wait that some people actually look forward to, because while you stand or sit outside and chat with friends you can enjoy complimentary chunks of garlic-herb focaccia. The fragrant bread being passed around only one example of Mama D’s olfactory advertising – the other is the scent of garlic, which can be detected over a block away when the wind is right.

The Lido Island near Venice is one of the most famously picturesque places in the world, a seven-mile stretch of villas and sparkling beaches. The name has become such a symbol of luxury that restaurants and nightclubs around the world have adopted it, hoping to capture a hint of the glamour. Parisians eat escargot and see expensive shows with minimally costumed starlets at their Lido, residents of Springfield, Massachusetts nibble Clams Casino at theirs, and locals in Riga dine on Latvian and international food in an atmosphere which I can only imagine is very much unlike Venice.