Mermaid A Memory, Wild North Manhattan, Action on Aviation – A La Carte South Bay Dining News
A Proud Name Disappears… To the surprise of nobody who has noticed how empty the place was even when nearby restaurants were slammed, Killer Shrimp at the Mermaid recently closed. The name hinted at the identity crisis here. They lost much of the crowd that had liked the place when they painted the walls black to give it a hipster/punk aesthetic, but served unimaginative food. I think they would have done better to change the name too. Had they wanted to reflect the history of the place and the new menu they could have called it Killer Mermaid. Wait, I think I saw a movie by that name back when I was in high school…
And Wild Times in North Manhattan Beach… Cafe Wild has opened in the former Four Daughters Kitchen on Highland, but despite the name it’s not a party hearty bar. It’s a lively, casual morning-until-night place serving mainly sandwiches, salads, and gourmet tacos – very good gourmet tacos based on the ones I had there. Right now they’re also serving beer and wine and have a limited bar. The menus are scheduled to expand (3505 Highland, Manhattan Beach. (310) 545-2444)…
More Coming Attractions… Two new cafes are scheduled to open soon on the Aviation curve in North Redondo. Angel City Grill is a sandwich shop that caters to both omnivores and vegans. They go so far as to have two separate kitchens, one of which will never use animal products. Next door will be Pursuit Coffee House, which will eventually be roasting their own but will start with custom roasts from an artisan in San Francisco. Angel City is hoping to start serving in the next month, while Pursuit is (you knew this was coming) in hot pursuit of that goal… Hermosa gets its first cheese shop earlier than that. Cultured Slice will open next to the new Hi-Fi Espresso on Sunday, October 1. Owner Solange Comer promises an array of exotic cheeses, cheese-making supplies for those who dabble at home, and things that go great with cheese. If you’re looking for a party tray and want a double mocha for inspiration before you shop, you’ll only have to park the car once (229 Pacific Coast Hwy., Hermosa Beach. (310)686-8313)…
Birthday Party For A Five Year Old… The beloved Barsha wine, liquor, and gourmet food shop on Pacific Coast Highway turns five this week and a party is scheduled this Saturday to celebrate. (See adjacent review). It’s not at the store, but at an event space called Unita in El Segundo. Wines and beers will be served along with an array of their best nibbles. $65. visit Eventbrite.com for tickets…
The Malaysian/Belgian Connection… I don’t usually write about food trucks, but one that I like a lot is serving in the area again. The Stop Bye truck offers Malaysian food. They’ll be dishing it out at the Absolution Brewery in Torrance on Saturday, September 30. Beef Rendang and a monk-style tripel sound like a great combination…
Three Glasses Of Paradise… Opus One is arguably the most famous and expensive wine regularly produced in the Golden State, and it is almost never seen on restaurant’s by-the-glass list. That makes the offer at The Strand House even more unusual, since they’re pouring flights of three consecutive years for a mere $180. Aspirational wine connoisseurs will get a glimpse of the rarefied world of wines made in California by the Burgundy chateau methods while the rest of us look on in wonder and calculate how many hours we would have to work to afford that tasting.
Any new restaurants, any events, any other wine deals readers would like to know about? Contact me at richard@richardfoss.com. ER