Mickie Finnz [RESTAURANT REVIEW]
Many restaurateurs proudly claim that their restaurants are reflections of their personalities, an assertion that is probably at least partly true. Even in an industry awash in consultants and decorators, the choices in both menu and environment are likely to show individual taste; an owner who loves peace and quiet is hardly likely to deliberately design a raucous trendsetter, or a scenester create a candlelit love nest. Given all the time that an owner/manager has to spend in a restaurant, they’d better make the place into something they like.
Some restaurateurs develop a signature style that can be extended through several operations. Palos Verdes entrepreneur Paul Hennessey owns over a dozen restaurants around Southern California, most of them the casual Hennessey’s taverns. These are great places for a great burger or simple meal, accompanied by a beer, wine, or mixed drink. 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.
Which is a cool idea, but is meaningless if the food and service don’t come up to the proprestandard? Based on a few recent meals, Mickie Finnz has the right ideas; though the execution isn’t always spot on. The experience started well enough on both visits, with friendly servers who knew the menu well and were happy to make recommendations. We tried a caesar salad (fresh tasting but slightly bland) and the “Finnz Wings” (pretty good buffalo wings with a relatively mild sauce) and were happy with both. We also appreciated generous pours from the wine by-the-glass list and the selections on the beer menu, but those who didn’t partake of the hop and the grape were less happy with the strong and very sweet lemonade. After trying it straight we asked the server to mix it half and half with iced tea, and when that was still too much we diluted it by half again. It might make a good mixed drink, but it wasn’t to our tastes.
The menu at Mickie Finnz is mostly a straightforward array of sandwiches, simply prepared seafood, and grilled items, with the occasional pizza and taco tossed in for variety. It’s true to the beach shack theme, with the gimmick of serving almost anything in a galvanized iron bucket. (Except the soup, which I suppose makes sense. Getting clam chowder out of the bottom corners of an iron bucket would be a problem, first for the diners and later for the dishwashers.) We tried a “Bucket-A-Fish,” as they call the fish and chips, a Hawaiian pizza, pulled pork sandwich, and the scallops wrapped in bacon. The prices on all of these were reasonable – the large burger ran only seven dollars, the plate of scallops only fourteen, quite reasonable for the Riviera Village neighborhood.
That platter of scallops was a mighty impressive pile of seafood, two skewers of large scallops neatly wrapped with bacon and grilled just right. Scallops with bacon is actually not as easy to pull off as it looks – you run the risk of cooking the bacon crisp but turning the scallop into seafood jerky. This time the scallop was just to the point of doneness, the bacon lightly but thoroughly cooked. It was served with a small container of melted butter, which wasn’t really necessary given the richness of the dish. Besides the fact that dipping bacon into butter would have horrified any passing cardiologist, the delicate seafood and smoky bacon were a fine combination just as they were served. The large portion of sautéed vegetables that were served with the scallops had plenty of butter already on them, rather more than was needed – I’d have liked them better if they were simply steamed.
The bucket of fish and chips was also satisfactory just as it arrived; I looked in vain for some malt vinegar, but after a bite or two decided that these didn’t really need it. The breading was crisp, the fish firm and flaky, and while I had been concerned that the service in a bucket was going to steam the French fries into softness, I needn’t have bothered. The thick fries were served skin-on and very crisp, and we all found them satisfying. We were less happy with the pizza, which had good toppings and flavor but a beadlike crust that didn’t seem to have risen completely. I usually prefer thin, crisp pizza rather than the medium thickness served here, so if you prefer a dense crust this might be your cup of tea.
The pulled pork sandwich was a bit of an anomaly on the menu in terms of theme, as true pulled pork is a specialty of South Carolina rather than the South Seas, but it was done fairly well. The pork itself had the proper tenderness and deep flavor, and while the sauce was less sharp than the vinegary traditional version, it had a tangy mix of spicy and sweet that hit the spot.
Mickie Finnz does a very good job of presenting beach food at a reasonable price, in at atmosphere that is distinctly a product of the Hennessey group. Next door at Hennessey’s the boisterous fun is served with an Irish-American wink, across the street at the HT grill with a suave modern smile, but they’re all a product of the same imagination, and they do what they do very well.
Mickie Finnz is located at 1710 South Catalina in Redondo Beach. Handicap access good though most tables are high, street parking only. Open daily for lunch and dinner, full bar. Phone 316-6658.