restaurant

by Richard Foss  Another Hermosa Avenue Star: AttaGirl has opened in the former Dia de Campo space, and the difference in the space is phenomenal. The former rustic tropical vibe has been replaced by a sleek modern look enhanced by upbeat music at moderate levels. The menu uses Middle Eastern ideas as a springboard for […]

Yu-Me is a revitalized version of a local favorite by Richard Foss As grand commercial thoroughfares go, Morningside Drive in Manhattan Beach does not stand out. Many readers who just saw that sentence will be scratching their head and looking for the street on a map. I’ll help you – it extends three short blocks […]

by Richard Foss Culinary history is full of fast-food joints that evolved into high-style restaurant empires. A shining example was a Jewish immigrant named Al Levy, who came to Los Angeles in 1886 with one asset – a bright red pushcart from which he sold oyster cocktails to downtown theater patrons. This delicacy was so […]

Sugo Social kitchen team has talent to spare by Richard Foss  There are fads in restaurant naming, some of which originally made sense but were overused to the point where they lost all meaning. Places called cafes used to serve only coffee, while a restaurant, whose name comes from the French “I restore you,” served […]

Sophistication Street: Hermosa Avenue has gradually morphed from a continuous party to a haven for creative chefs, and the trend accelerates with a new opening. Vinfolk is now serving in the former Chef Melba’s, and though the decor has been freshened, the softly lit elegance is the same. The cuisine by chefs Kevin de los […]

Two establishments on Western in RPV dish out the classics  by Richard Foss  One of the first questions that comes up when I mention a restaurant is “What’s their specialty?” Sometimes that’s easy to answer, because there really is something they serve that is head and shoulders above the rest of their menu items. Sometimes […]

Brews Hauls: After three years in business, the Brews Hall on the Hermosa Pier Plaza has shuttered. The one in Torrance is still open and apparently successful, but the concept didn’t fly in this area, probably because so many well established places all around them serve the same items. The previous restaurant in this space, […]

Video by Jefferson Graham by Mark McDermott  In 1989, Kim Ngo and her husband Son Dang saw an opportunity on Rosecrans Avenue.  They’d arrived in the United States a decade earlier as “boat people,” a term that was popularized after media coverage showed thousands of refugees fleeing Vietnam, adrift on boats. They were flown to […]

One of the delights in life is to stumble across something wonderful by accident. The long-sought item found in a thrift store, the captivating tune when you turn on the radio, the roadside café visited on a whim that dishes out a great meal – all bring a particular joy. The word for this situation, […]

Sliced Out Of Hermosa: After seven years in business, The Cultured Slice cheese shop has closed, another specialty food store gone just a month after Grow in Manhattan Beach closed their doors. The Cultured Slice offered top quality products and made beautiful cheese and charcuterie boards, but was torpedoed by increasing food, staff, and insurance […]

Found In Translation: Zoku, a new izakaya, opened in Riviera Village, and if you headed for a translator program to find out what the name means, you may be puzzled. Zoku means “genus,” a scientific term but an odd restaurant name. There’s a story to it, though — the restaurant’s real name is Torikizoku, which […]

Steppes to the Beach: Thanks to a recent opening, Redondo has a curious distinction — it’s home to one of only two restaurants in greater Los Angeles serving real Mongolian cuisine. Ayan, which means “life” in Mongolian, is located in the former Denny’s at Artesia and Aviation. They opened last week, serving the dumplings, stir-fries, […]