No Greenbacks at Tender Greens, Hot’s Cools, Dine LA, Dine RB, and More

Briefly Brilliant… I-Naba opened in Manhattan Beach last April as an upscale take out sushi counter, but in September suddenly blossomed into a full omakase sushi restaurant serving only eight people at a time. It just as suddenly closed last week, with a message on the door cryptically citing an issue with the building and promising to reappear elsewhere under a new name. They’re a member of the club that no restaurant wants to join, eateries that opened and closed before they reached their first anniversary. Here’s hoping they do return, because the experience was delightful…

The End Of A Maverick… After months of erratic hours and being out of most of the menu, Hot’s Kitchen finally called it quits. The restaurant opened strong but had consistent problems maintaining staff and suffered from controversies over foie gras sparked by outspoken owner Sean Chaney. The downtown Hermosa location is desirable, so the space probably won’t remain vacant very long…

The Perils Of A Classical Education… I have to start this piece with a mea culpa. In a recent edition of this column I referred to radici as being the Italian word for radish, and a reader pointed this out. That’s wrong, because it actually means root. There was one word for both things in Latin, the word radix, which I internalized a few years ago when I was recreating some ancient Roman recipes. My apologies to my readers, to radishes, and other roots everywhere for the error.

A Root Sprouts Into A Restaurant… Now that that is out of the way, I must mention that Radici is open in Hermosa Beach, and it has the most beautiful interior in town. The space is sleek and elegant, the soundtrack moderate, giving the South Bay a new fine dining destination near the beach. The menu of Italian classics is moderately priced and the bar well stocked. I haven’t dined there yet but am looking forward to it.

An Opening Delayed… The newest incarnation of Banzai Beach has had menus posted on the window for weeks but has been held up by paperwork issues. Fans of the previous restaurant by that name have been eagerly asking when it will open, but they haven’t updated their website to tell anybody what is going on. A word to them and anybody else in the same situation: communicating with your customers about progress will keep them enthusiastic about what you’re doing…

A Grand Reopening… The Chicago For Ribs chain started in Redondo Beach decades ago, but though branches have thrived elsewhere the local operation closed over a decade ago. Now they’re back at the former Casa Pulido location in Riviera Village. The restaurant opened last weekend and still specializes in Chicago-style barbecue, which means ribs and other meats in a spicy tomato-based sauce. Welcome back, Chicago, we’ve missed you. (228 Avenue I, RB.)…

Dine LA, Dine South Bay… We’re in the middle of the best two weeks of the year to go out to dinner, the Dine LA festival that lasts through January 26. For 10 years restaurants all over the county have offered special deals to entice customers, and many restaurants in the South Bay have joined the fun. Some of these offers are deals indeed – a three course dinner at Suburbia is usually going to run well above $29, and the same at MB Post will easily top $39. You can see the whole list at the DineLA Page at discoverlosangeles.com. Not to be left out, Redondo Beach has a similar program called Restaurant Week that offers more deals through the same period on the visitredondo.com site. The decision to hold these at the same time is rather strange, because if Redondo offered theirs as LA’s ended they’d have all the attention to themselves rather than competing. Whichever website you choose from, you should call for reservations at places that accept them, as these deals are popular.

A Celebration Of Truffles (Not The Chocolate Kind)… In last month’s edition of Beach I write an article about chef Michael of A Basq Kitchen and his truffle-hunting dog. The two are on their way to Oregon for a truffle hunting competition, and whether or not they win the contest they’ll be back soon with the treasured fungi. A truffle diner will be held on Sunday, January 28th, and as of this writing some spaces are still available. It’s a rare treat to savor truffles that were freshly foraged, and you should take advantage of the opportunity. Tickets are $75 per person, menu hasn’t been released yet but will include many of different items with the most famous and valuable member of the mushroom family. Reserve at this website or call 310-926-6393…  

Coming Attraction… The opening of Hermosa Beach Brewing in the former Brat & Brau site is imminent, and they may be pouring and serving by the time you read this. The menu hasn’t been released yet, but will include burgers, a bánh mì sandwich, Korean chicken wings, and other gourmet bites to complement their 12 taps. (1342 Hermosa Ave., Hermosa Beach. (424) 398-0014).

Call Now And Get A Seat…  Playa Hermosa doesn’t offer wine dinners often, so when they do it’s worth taking notice. On February 7 they’ll be hosting winemaker Eric Jensen of Booker Vineyards of Paso Robles, who promises wines that have scored 96 and above by Robert Parker. I don’t have details as of this writing, but you can find out by stopping in or contacting them at (310) 504-0088…

Death Of An Excuse… There was a time when you could shift a restaurant bill to someone else by patting your pockets, putting on a sad face, and announcing that you forgot to bring any cash. If you’re dining at the Tender Greens in El Segundo, get a new excuse because they have gone cashless and now only accept cards. Rather than demagnetizing yours, you might just pick up the bill – it’s less trouble in the long run, and it seems to be a coming trend. It’s one that I don’t like, because I’m concerned about big data getting an ever more detailed profile for all of us, but it seems to be the coming thing…  

Any hot tips on openings and events? I’m at Richard@richardfoss.com… ER

 

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