Posts by Richard Foss

It’s unusual for a chain restaurant to win in a competitive poll in an area so supportive of small, local businesses. Fleming’s is the expert on steaks, offering both wet-aged and dry-aged beef – and if you’ve never tried both to savor the difference, it’s an interesting experiment in flavor. Great steaks are hard to…

Sushi has gone through several evolutions in the U.S., from the traditional version in which the flavor of fresh fish was paramount to modern versions in which spicy sauces, mayonnaise, cream cheese and other flavors dominate. The sushi at Izaka-Ya by Katsu-Ya splits the difference with its rolls and fancy dishes, using modern ideas sparingly…

There are Thai restaurants in the South Bay that have done a marvelous job at recreating Thai architecture, gardens and decor; it’s nice that they did because the setting is part of the dining experience. But once again, the favorite Thai restaurant in the South Bay is in a nondescript office building. Phuket Thai delivers…

The two restaurants that tied this year couldn’t be more different in style. One is a little cucina any homesick East Coaster could love, the other a more California-style place with a decidedly experimental bent. Mama D’s is the classic checkered-tablecloth place specializing in homestyle recipes. If you don’t know about this place, you don’t…

Lots of places call themselves famous, sometimes an indecently short time after they start offering their services. The Spot is one of the few places in the area claiming that title that actually deserves it. It is L.A.’s oldest and best-loved natural foods restaurant, and the place has been under the same ownership for more…

The Indian Emperor Akbar was an adventurous and ambitious ruler who learned from other cultures, which makes it quite fitting that this restaurant is named for him. Chef Avinash Kapoor has an adventurous take on Indian food, serving Southern seafood dishes and items that use nontraditional combinations of spices and ingredients. There are sometimes daily…

Chef Jessica Jordan has made her mark with Fishbar by focusing on the freshness and quality ofher seafood, and the beloved El Porto restaurant’s fish and chips are no exception. Historically, deep frying fish was a way to take a fish of questionable quality and make it tasty — the presiding ethos was when in…

This locally owned chain has taken off, going from one location in Manhattan Beach in 1985 to 10, with locations as far north as Westlake Village. The menu has broadened, too, and includes vegan snacks, meatball sliders and salads. The pizzas are available with deep dish, gluten-free, thin or “skinny” crust and 30 toppings, so…

When it comes to chicken, this is the specialist. It serves rotisserie chicken, sandwiches and salads made with rotisserie chicken and stuff that goes well with rotisserie chicken. The restaurant has bet its whole operation on serving perfect chicken, and the fact that our readers have repeatedly voted it best in this category indicates this…

One may argue about what cuisine in the world is tastiest or healthiest, but there’s really no contest over which is most fun to watch someone make. Teppanyaki cooking is an exercise in showmanship, with a chef juggling ingredients, spice shakers, knives and sauce bottles as a meal is cooked on a huge flat griddle.…

Our readers show an adventurous streak this year, selecting the most modern Mexican restaurant in the South Bay. The menu and decor here are like nothing else in the area. You dine in an Aztec fantasyland by the light of candles and overhead lanterns, next to a bar that looks like a shrine to tequila.…

Small-plate dining is a tradition around the world. Danes with their smorgasbord, Turks with their meze and Indonesians with rijsttafel all enjoy meals that involve a profusion of small tastes. The gold standard for the world is tapas, the Spanish tradition of snacks meant to be enjoyed with wine. In the South Bay, that means…

It is an odd bit of marketing that Simmzy’s menu and website call the place a pub, but it does feel like the South Bay’s version of one: loud and lively with plenty of beers on tap. Bangers and mash are not on the menu, but a pair of excellent burgers are – a cheeseburger…

There was a time when French food in the South Bay was complex, expensive and not very good. For proof that times have changed, you need go no further than this bright, cheerful cafe in Redondo.  Many of the items are simple in concept but brilliantly executed, the natural ingredients enhanced by Chef Dominique Theval’s…