South Bay dining news: Aloft’s lounge, WXYZ, opens in El Segundo, as does Pho Dreams, Shabu Shabu comes to Redondo Beach, Steak & Whiskey does brunch in Hermosa
Two Vowels, Two Consonants, 26 Points in Scrabble… The bar and lounge at the new Aloft Hotel in El Segundo is called WXYZ, which I assume is pronounced just like it’s spelled. The space is modern, hip, and colorfully lit, the menu pretty minimal at this time, a short list of gourmet bar snacks. The Aloft Hotel occupies just the south tower that used to be the Hacienda Hotel, and the north part will open at the end of summer, presumably with more elaborate dining options… (475 N. Sepulveda, ES. 310-356-4587)
South American To South Asian… After eight years on Main Street in El Segundo, Playa Blanca Peruvian restaurant closed last month. New tenant Pho Dreams made a quick turnaround and opened at the beginning of April. The new owners replaced the red rear wall with gray false brick (which is slightly surprising because red is a lucky color in Vietnam), and decorated the interior with painted fans and stylish modern floral arrangements. Vietnamese cuisine is making its way into the mainstream, and it will be interesting to see how this place fares… (413 Main
A Classic Wakes Up… After years with few changes in style or menu items, Second City Bistro has revamped the menu. They’re now offering a larger selection of small plate items, a Thursday prime rib special, and weekly wine dinner specials on Mondays. This restaurant was a pace-setter when it opened, and it’s good to see them engaging with the community again… (223 Richmond St, ES. 310-322-6085)
Changes On The Boardwalk… For the two years that they were open, the one-man restaurant Pia was a delight. Fans of Hiro-San can find him at his new “Éclair” restaurant in Little Tokyo, while the rest of us wait to see what will move in…
Hard Name To Find… New restaurant I Shabu Shabu has finally opened after almost a year of construction, and the interior of the restaurant is appropriately pretty. The meat vegetable plates are even prettier, and show genuine artistry in their arrangement. Here’s hoping people find the place to admire it– the upstairs restaurant does not have much visibility from the street, and the generic name makes them even harder to find on the Web. Every web search leads to one of their competitors… (1212 S. PCH #200, RB. 310-540-5846)
Steak & Whiskey, the restaurant on Hermosa Beach’s Pier Avenue opened by Chef Tin Vuong last year, now offers weekend brunch. Photo
First Looks… Steak and Whisky in Hermosa recently started serving weekend brunch, though it’s not clear whether they actually want anybody to know this fact. The menu isn’t on their website, which also lists only their dinner hours. My wife and I stopped in and had an excellent brunch complete with a delicious eye-opener of coffee with bacon-infused whisky and Cherry Heering liqueur. (117 Pier Ave., HB. 310-318-5555). The Manhattan House gastropub also started serving brunch and isn’t shy about it, with a banner on the front of the restaurant to advise passers-by. The menu isn’t on the website yet but includes short rib pastrami hash and cornflake-crusted brioche french toast. (1019 Manhattan Beach Blvd., MB. 310-574-2277)…
News From Old Torrance… A new wine bar and restaurant called Restoration will be opening soon in the space on Marcelina that used to be Just Luigi’s Pizzeria. From the signage a few doors down a coffeehouse and café is opening there, so this quiet neighborhood appears to be on the upswing…
Congratulations Are In Order… Chef and restaurateur Michael Shafer of The Depot has been generous with his time, skill, and staff time when it comes to supporting local causes, and he is getting well-deserved recognition. Congratulations on winning the Armstrong Community Leadership Award, sir! You are one of the people who makes living in the South Bay worthwhile…
A Plea To Restaurateurs… If something on your menu looks vegetarian but isn’t, maybe it’s time to change your menu descriptions. At the very least you should make sure your staff is aware of the error, and can advise customers correctly. Whether someone is vegetarian for religious, ethical, or health reasons, it can be vitally important for them to know not only whether their food contains meat, but whether it might have been cooked in the same oil or on the same grill. Giving people information costs nothing and will save you from angry, or possibly ill, diners. And to you servers who read this – the next time a customer asks you repeatedly whether something that is described as vegetarian actually is, please don’t be exasperated with them – they’ve probably been fooled in the past somewhere else…
Any new restaurants, any food events I should know about, any pet peeves or praise for the restaurant experience? I’m at Richard@richardfoss.com.