When Four Daughters opened it looked like it was going to be a straightforward American restaurant. But as time went by the menu has evolved toward greater complexity and more modern style.

by Richard Foss

Canteen Grill’s Dad’s Burger is fine for the kids, but the other offerings aim to please the adult palate.

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.