Last call at Brewco: When Brewco opened 32 years ago, the brewpub craze was in full swing, nationwide, and local craft beer was prized. They outlasted all of their local competitors, but now are about to serve their last pints. The last day of operation will be October 15, after which the building will be gutted and remodeled. The Zislis Group will still operate the new restaurant. Owner Michael Zislis promises “to introduce a new, exciting concept to the community.” Three decades ago, that’s what Brewco was, but even the most successful novelties become unremarkable with the passage of time…
Three transformations: I heard about three remarkable local projects this week, each of which is a drastic change for its location. First is in the vacant restaurant coffee shop next to the Seahorse Inn on Pacific Coast Highway in Manhattan Beach. When Sion’s closed, the official line was the entire property would be redeveloped. Things seem to have changed, and a sign at the Local Kitchen Diner in Torrance announces that they’ll soon be opening in this space. That sign says “Coming this fall” but we’re getting pretty close to fall and little work seems to be in progress. It wouldn’t be the first time a restaurant project was optimistic about the speed of remodeling… For almost a year, rumors have been going around about what would replace the Rockview Dairy on Aviation. We now know, because Lavender & Honey, an espresso and sandwich shop based in Pasadena, has announced they’ll be moving in. The original location has an excellent reputation, though when I called, they said that they do not usually put either lavender or honey in their coffee drinks, but will do so if you ask. Work will start soon, with an opening expected within a few months.
The former Denny’s at the corner of Aviation and Artesia, which has been vacant since 2020, will reportedly become a Mongolian barbecue. Demolition work has started inside, but there is no signage or contact information. I’ve been trying to get in touch with the new operator to find out when they plan to open, but no luck yet. Anybody know the new tenant? You do know how to find me…
More openings, recent and imminent: The website for Uncle Stevey’s Bagels is up and gives a heart-warming tale of the Brooklyn native who inspired the shop, but they’re not serving just yet. A new non-chain bagelry is always welcome, and I’ll start stocking up on lox when I see the opening sign… I initially missed it when the Adore Dessert Cafe opened on Catalina Avenue, but that’s understandable. Their sign is lost among several others in this complex, so you may have missed that they moved into the former Roman Aroma space. Adore has a few savory items on their cafe menu and makes baguettes and croissants, but the heart of their menu is desserts. They bake classic macarons, tarts, cream puffs, and other delicacies. Treat your sweet tooth and check the place out! (901 N. Catalina, RB)… I have to admit an error in a pre-opening announcement from last month’s edition – I said a branch of the Wokcano chain was coming to the former W’s restaurant in Redondo. The actual tenant is Lotus Asian Grill, which is owned by Wokcano and has the same sushi and Asian fusion style. Many people that mourned when W’s closed are likely to find this a very acceptable replacement (1410 S. PCH, Redondo)… There has also been some confusion about the restaurant that opened next door, which was first announced as Beach Cities Social, then as Banana Leaf. Surprise, it’s both. The restaurant serves both South Indian and contemporary American food, using different names for each menu. Serving multiple menus in the same restaurant is something they have experience with, since they started out a few years ago as a separate kitchen in Zayna’s Flaming Grill, moved with that operation to North Redondo, and have now moved back to South Redondo. I found their Indian food to be first rate, and look forward to trying some of their Californian specialties (1406 S. PCH, Redondo)… There are two closings to report this month, TaKaRia and the unlucky Hermosa Kentucky. TaKaRia was co-located with The Empanada Shop on Artesia, and I was preparing to write about them when I visited and they were gone. I had To console myself with a chocolate empanada from the Empanada Shop, which was delicious… As for Hermosa Kentucky, the original owner had a bad case of Covid and the place opened and closed a few times before being sold to a new owner. It was briefly a Mexican restaurant that also served chicken, but now that’s gone too…
Closed, but returning… Dominique’s Kitchen is temporarily closed because Chef Dominique fell and fractured his ankle. The master will be back on the job as soon as his health permits, so start checking around the beginning of October…
Event alerts: There are two wine events on September 17, one high style, one modest but exuberant. The upscale shindig is Shade Hotel’s annual “La Vie En Rosé” event celebrating pink wines with live DJ performances, signature bites from the Sea Level restaurant, cocktails (which I assume will include Rosé), a dessert bar, and of course pours of wine. The event is from 1 to 5 p.m. this Saturday at Shade Hotel Redondo. You can get your $95 admission ticket on Resy… At about the same time, Uncorked Hermosa will be hosting their Parking Lot Paella Party at their location on Pier Avenue with a plate of either traditional or vegetarian paella along with a tasting of Spanish wines – the fun starts at 2:30, ends at 5:30, and costs $65. Tickets are available at the uncorkedwineshops.com site or at the store… On September 19 Pacific Standard Prime will celebrate Japanese culture with a sushi and wagyu dinner – five courses that incorporate modern Japanese sushi, and sashimi alongside wagyu both in a roll and as a steak. The luxurious evening will set you back $150 including gratuity, and having attended some of their events before, I’d bet it’s worth every penny. There’s a full menu and booking link at pspsteak.com… On September 21 Uncorked will host a Barolo tasting with charcuterie at their Manhattan Beach location. There’s a reason that Barolo is referred to as the king of Italian wines, and the five pouring sampling will make the reason clear. Price is $64 – reserve at their website…. And finally for September, the Rex Steakhouse in Redondo will host a dinner with Michter’s whiskeys on September 28th. Four courses with appropriate cocktails and pours will set you back $150 plus tax & tip – the full menu and reservation link is on their Open Table page… For those who are intimidated by wine tastings, Pacific Standard Prime offers a confidence-boosting event on October 10. Sommelier Peggy Dean will host a blind tasting (and no, there are no actual blindfolds involved). Participants will try four wines with no information about what they are and learn to tease out the flavors and scents, and at the end of the session you will understand more about the aesthetics and experience of wine tasting. The price is $100 inclusive, reserve at their website… On October 12 Primo Italia will welcome winemaker Salvatore Ferragamo of the Tuscan winery Il Borro. This is one of the rare wineries in Italy that uses hyper-traditional methods, including winemaking in Roman-style amphorae, and should attract those who really love learning about Italian wine. Price is $201.50 per person including tax & tip — reserve soon, as their events often sell out…
First looks: I stopped in at Lobster Guy’s Rolls & Fries, which replaced the venerable Calimex restaurant on Artesia. The space is bright and cheerful, with a roadhouse/rock and roll vibe and a soundtrack of energetic classic rock. The place was lively without being hectic, and the lobster roll and fries were first rate. I’ll do a full review soon, but this was a great start (2217 Artesia, RB)… I also stopped in at Porterhouse in El Segundo, the former Second City. The environment was that of a classic steakhouse, but there are some interesting modern sides and starters to accompany that beef, seafood, or pasta. I was there for a light meal so just tried their pork belly appetizer that featured a topping of Asian vegetables and a pear and brie turnover, and both were quite enjoyable. The South Bay has a new entrant in the stylish steakhouse category, and I’m looking forward to returning (223 Richmond Street, ES)…
A Permanent Home: Marsatta Chocolate has operated from several locations since they started in a commercial kitchen a decade ago, and hope that they’ve found one where they can drop anchor for good. The new Marsatta Chocolate Experience is at 1321 Post Ave. in Old Torrance. Hey, that’s right near the Torrance Bakery, so you can get some great pastries while on the way to get the only bean-to-bar chocolates in the area…
In closing: If you know of 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 http://easyreadernews.com/restaurants. ER
