A La Carte – 24 April 2025
by Richard Foss
Stamps Not Sold Here: Native English speakers are often flummoxed by languages in which a male or female ending on a word changes its meaning. A new eatery in Riviera Village is a case in point – one might expect Il Posto to be themed after an Italian post office. That would be questionable given that institution’s famously poor service, but they would stand out for trying it. The actual word for post office in Italy is posta, not posto, and the name Il Posto means “the place.”
The restaurant is puzzling for a different reason, namely that it is under the same ownership as Avenue Italy in Palos Verdes, which also had an outpost in Riviera Village, and has an almost identical menu. The new space is smaller and has a more casual vibe, and perhaps the rebranding is meant to indicate the more intimate environment (1733 S. Catalina, RB)…
And More Openings: Upscale Mexican restaurant Jaime Taqueria has opened in the former Tapizon at the north end of El Segundo’s business district. It was a fast turnaround, just two months from one closing to the other opening. The changes have been minor, and appropriate because this was already one of the prettiest modern restaurants in the area. The opening menu is short and focused on upscale taqueria favorites with just three large plates, but that will probably change with time (450 Main Street, ES)… Another establishment in town has also had a more drastic change in style after changing ownership. The venerable Old Town Patio on Richmond Street has new owners who gave the place more of a Western saloon look inside and out. We don’t think anyone is too likely to use the hitching post for its original purpose, though it can be a handy rack for customers who arrive on e-bikes. The menu is mostly the same burgers and dogs as ever, which is probably just how regulars like it… In Redondo, a Thai landmark has quietly made major changes. After 29 years, Phuket Thai has changed ownership, redecorated to add style to what had been a drab room, and has pared down the menu to focus on doing fewer things better. They’re also serving non-Thai food – they added pho to the menu…
Coming Attractions: Barsha will have a third location in the former Frocks & Rocks clothing store on Grand Avenue in El Segundo. No word yet on how soon they might be open or whether this will be a wine bar like their Manhattan Beach space or a Tunisian restaurant like Hermosa. Either way, it will probably be a while because converting a retail location to a restaurant is always time-consuming… The former Tacolicious in Manhattan Beach will have a new tenant soon, a boutique sandwich shop called Breadhead. Their original Santa Monica location is noted for huge and very expensive sandwiches – a ham and cheese costs $22, but feeds two…
Bakeries On The Move: The South Bay lost a fine baker and extraordinary raconteur when the Hermosa Pie & Cake Company closed this weekend. It won’t surprise anyone who knows polymath and former proprietor Baker Dave to hear that he isn’t opening another bakery, but is switching careers again. He plans to get a doctorate in higher mathematics, and I suspect that his classmates may benefit from tasty treats at school parties. A new bakery will open in the space – no word yet on how soon… Elsewhere in town, Cake & Bake at Five Corners in Hermosa missed their planned opening for the usual reason – they’re waiting for a county permit. The recent fires are the likely reason for the delay, as hundreds of businesses are awaiting approval from the county, on top of an already heavy workload…
Seaside Superlative Sushi: An interesting popup is coming to Martha’s in Hermosa – the interior space that is piled with pancakes and omelets by day will morph into a sushi bar serving two seatings of 12 people each evening. It’s the brainchild of Ryan Stock, who founded similar sushi projects in several cities on the East Coast. They’ll serve a 17-course omakase, with 16 of those items being nigiri, small bites atop rice, with a mix of traditional and innovative seasonings. The price will be $195 plus tax & tip, about $250. The concept is called “Sushi Bar at Martha’s,” and reservations are being accepted on Open Table as of May 15. Morning service at Martha’s and evening patio dining for Bottle Inn will not be affected…
Carefully Curated Caffeine: A new business called Tangible Gratitude is offering coffee tastings in your home or at a location in Redondo. Host Victor Yuen serves several tastes of the brew along with appropriate snacks for $125 per person. He didn’t plan on this as a career, but started obsessing on coffee while in college and decided to share his fascination with others. More information is at tangiblegratitude.com…
First Looks: Attagirl on Hermosa Avenue has brought a cuisine to the South Bay that is unlike anything else in our area. The food has a Middle Eastern theme, but without a connection to a particular culture – the details aren’t Lebanese, Persian, or Turkish, but an amalgam of those and others. There are surprising twists, like the cauliflower falafel that are lighter than the traditional wheat version and have a fluffy interior, or the garbanzo flour crusted fish. Attagirl continues the transformation of Hermosa Avenue into a fine dining destination, an unlikely shift to those who remember the area a decade or two ago…
Event Alerts: Fishing With Dynamite marks a dozen years in business this month, and they’re celebrating with a New England lobster boil on April 29. Four courses including blue crab beignets and bluefin carpaccio with Asian accents will set you back $130 – book on Open Table… You can celebrate May Day with the traditional maypoles and flower garlands, or visit Paul Martin’s on May 1 instead for the Justin Wine dinner. Four courses with paired wines is only $99 plus tax, about $130 – call the restaurant at (310) 643-9300 to reserve… Primo Italia will host a dinner on May 8 with Antinori wines, one of the great winemaking families of Italy with a 600 year legacy. Five courses with appropriate pairings is $162 including tax & tip, a very reasonable price for food and wine of this caliber — book on Open Table… On May 15 a different and unusual event comes to the South Bay – a Salvador Dali-inspired dinner in an art gallery full of surrealist paintings. The venue is the VEFA Gallery in Torrance, and the menu is from Salvador Dali’s 1972 cookbook (you didn’t know until now that Salvador Dali wrote a cookbook, did you?). Culinary and art historian Carolyn Tillie will preside over the event, and appropriate beverages will be served with dinner, which will be catered by Meg Walker of Made By Meg. Cost is $425 until April 25th, $450 inclusive before May 7, $475 after — information and a reservation link is on the events page at vefagallery.com… On May 18. Uncorked in Manhattan Beach hosts an afternoon educational event called “The Best Wines of Southern Italy.” Sommelier and educator Nadia Pavlevska will conduct the tasting – Price is $95 until April 25, $115 after. Reservation link on uncorkedwineshops.com… And finally, if you enjoy Daou wines, you’ll want to be at the Chart House on May 22 for a five course dinner – price is $125 inclusive, menu and more at chart-house.com…
Honoring Tradition: Congratulations to Primo Italia, which was awarded the Ospitalita certification by the Italian government for using heritage products in line with tradition. This certification is little known in the USA because very few restaurants have it, only about 10 in all of greater Los Angeles. It confirms what locals already knew – Primo’s experience is one any Italian connoisseur would appreciate…
The Secret Menu: I was moderating a discussion of veganism and spirituality and mentioned that it has gotten much easier for those on a plant-based diet to dine in mainstream restaurants. A local reader challenged me afterward, asking where these restaurants are, because she hadn’t seen many menu items except for the inevitable salads and steamed vegetables. I was surprised to discover that we were both right – many restaurants that make wonderful vegan items don’t list them, or even note on the menu that vegan items are available. I contacted David Slay, who owns a farm and features his own produce at his four local restaurants, to ask about this. He confirmed that there are always vegan options, but that they change daily based on what is seasonal, so aren’t listed on the regular menu. As for why that availability wasn’t advertised, he said that nobody had brought this to his attention before, and he’d consider adding the information. Calls to other restaurants evoked similar responses. With plant-based dining becoming more popular, it’s time that eateries roll out the welcome mat – after all, if they have a party of eight with one vegan at the table, they lose the whole group if it appears there’s nothing for everyone…
And In Closing: If you know a restaurant opening I might’ve missed, a culinary event that should be covered, or just about anything related to food that I should know about, please send the information my way. I’m at richard@richardfoss.com. And as long as you’re on the internet, check out past restaurant reviews on our website at https://easyreadernews.com/restaurants/.
