East Manhattan Beach transformation [restaurant review]
Manhattan House chef Juan Torres. Photo (CivicCouch.com)
When I was a child my mother was a fan of a TV show called “Dragnet,” and I remember when a car chase in one episode took the heroic policemen through Manhattan Beach. Well, they said it was Manhattan Beach – it was a night scene and probably filmed on a studio lot. Nevertheless we were amazed that the name of our city had been mentioned on a network TV show. It was a sign that somebody outside the area knew we were here.
Fast forward 50 years and the world knows about Manhattan Beach, or at least the downtown nightlife scene. Once you top the hill at Pacific Avenue and can’t see water it’s a different story. Many outsiders don’t notice one of the more interesting restaurants in town, despite a mural that makes it pretty hard to miss.
The building that is now the Manhattan House has a history. It was popular steak and seafood house The Breakers in the ‘60s and later a famed piano bar. It lost direction in the 2000s and changed hands and concept frequently, but regained focus and energy when the current restaurant opened in 2015. Chef Diana Stavaridis was acclaimed for the vegetarian-friendly modern aesthetic of her menu, and when she left this summer it might have been expected to continue on that course.
Instead the Manhattan House has a new direction thanks to chef Juan Torres, who attracted critical attention at Italian powerhouse Sotto in Los Angeles. Torres is cooking a freeform menu here that still references both Italian ideas and seasonal ingredients. The décor, atmosphere, and many of the staff are still the same, but it’s a different restaurant.
My first experience with his food was at a harvest-themed dinner a few weeks ago at which he showed off his skill with local and seasonal greens. There was a consistent tendency to balance vegetable flavors with fruit and nuts. A farro salad with squash included cranberries, and crisped kale and was served with honey, dates, and walnuts. The standout was roasted cauliflower tossed with pomegranate seeds, pine nuts, capers, and celery. It’s a mix I have never seen before but instantly appreciated, an odd combination that overlaid the slightly smoky vegetable with a little pickled flavor, a little fruitiness and nuttiness, and the crunch of celery to add freshness and texture. Torres knows when to play it straight, though. His broccolini with breadcrumbs, lemon, and oregano is the kind of four-ingredient
The grilled eggplant at Manhattan House. Photo .
dish that shows off ingredients with admirable clarity. The grilled eggplant with fruity tomato, ground cashews, and basil was a simple idea too, though the dusting of microgreens and edible flowers dressed it up considerably. The cauliflower and eggplant are both offered on the regular menu, and if you’re in the mood for an elegant vegetarian meal or sides for the table you might order them both.
The pastas at that meal were a superb lasagna and gnocchi with chestnuts and mushrooms, both of which are sometimes offered as specials. On a later visit, my wife ordered from the garganelli with tomato, ricotta, pecorino cheese, and basil from the regular menu. Garganelli are very thin egg noodle crepes that are individually rolled into tubes. They’re a lot of work to make but worth it. Putting them in a simple tomato and cheese sauce with basil is ordinary sounding, but immensely satisfying.
On that visit we also tried a daily special of tortellini filled with mortadella mousse with butter and cheese. I have never seen any recipe involving pureeing this Italian cold cut and stuffing pasta with it, and it is apparently one of Chef Juan’s inventions. It’s a worthy idea that is rich in flavor, and so rich that what looked like a small portion was an ample starter.
At the dinner event, Torres showed off with a rolled turkey dish, Italian stewed pork, and an amazing fennel crusted king salmon that had been very quickly cooked on a hot, smoky grill. I liked it so much that I strongly considered ordering fish on my return visit, but was diverted by a very non-Italian specialty: fried chicken.
The fried chicken and garganelli at Manhattan House. Photo .
Buttermilk fried chicken, to be specific, made with the leg and thigh, my favorite pieces. (Yes, I know that most people like the less flavorful white meat. You don’t have to tell me that it has less fat; I know that, and that’s why leg and thigh are more delicious.)
The meat had been deboned before frying so those who like to eat it with a knife and fork may do so, and that might be a good idea because there is a little spiced honey glaze on top of the crisp crust. Had they told me that, I’d have asked them to leave it off, so I’m glad I didn’t know because it added the last note of perfection. To get such a superb version of an American classic in an Italian-themed restaurant in Manhattan Beach boggles the mind. The chicken was served with excellent cornbread that tasted of corn rather than sugar or honey, and on the side were both chipotle butter and salted caramel butter, neither of which I found a use for. I presume they were for the cornbread, but it didn’t need any exotic flavors.
The Manhattan House has a talented bar staff and good selection, as well as an impressive wine list. I recommend The Redeemer, their barrel-aged Manhattan, and Redbeard’s Delight, a mai tai that is given a musky nuttiness with black walnut bitters. It’s faint praise to say that this is the best cocktail program in town outside downtown, so I’ll just say that this place could hold their own against any bar in the South Bay.
At the dinner I tried a rustic apple tart and housemade gelato that were a fine finish for the meal, but as those are specials I’ll dwell instead on the cannoli stuffed with Nutella, ricotta, and pistachio. I am usually immune to the charms of Nutella, but the cheese and pistachio balanced the creamy sweetness. It helps that the cannoli shells were obviously freshly made and arrived still warm. If you like Nutella, try these; even if you don’t, try them anyway and see if you are charmed as I was.
Most items are priced between $15 and $25, and a satisfying meal for two can be had if you order two or three and share a dessert. If this restaurant was in downtown they’d have to charge much more, and for adventurous fine dining it’s a bargain. The Manhattan House has a genius in Juan Torres, and he has taken what was already an exciting restaurant in an unexpected direction.
The Manhattan House is at 1019 Manhattan Beach Boulevard. Open daily at 5 p.m. for dinner, closes 9 p.m. Su., 9:30 p.m. Mon, 10 p.m. Tues.-Thurs., 10:30 p.m. Fri-Sat. Parking lot, full bar, corkage $19, wheelchair access good. Menu at manhattanhouse.pub. (310) 574-2277. ER