In the latter part of the 70’s, the late Paul Wallach proclaimed that the South Bay was a “gustatory wasteland”. In 1982 Michael Franks and partner Robert Bell opened Chez Melange and established California cuisine in the South Bay. They soon opened a number of restaurants including Restaurant Christine, which had a successful run of…
Redondo Beach
A Fish And Friends – Delicious Seafood in King Harbor
Until A Basq Kitchen opened in Redondo Beach, Basque cuisine was relatively unknown in LA. The restaurant had a nice five-year run and it recently closed. The owners created a new California casual fish concept and re-opened as A Fish and Friends. Due to the pandemic, they feature open-air dining on the top deck of…
Swell Deli, an Artisan Sandwich Shop
It seems like Subway is almost as pervasive as Starbucks. They are located everywhere and sometimes attached to gas stations. If I find a new sandwich shop that isn’t named Subway, I automatically feel compelled to try it because I yearn for something different. My wife told me about Swell Deli and I told her…
Week 4 – Coronavirus Dining in LA
This is the 4th week of dining after restaurants were forced to close or convert to a delivery or “to go” operation. I’ve watched well funded operations sell their wine and beer inventory at heavily discounted prices and covert their menus to “comfort food to go”. Small family owned restaurants operate with empty dining rooms…
Week 3 – Coronavirus Dining in LA
Dominique’s Kitchen offers “Euro-French” cuisine at affordable prices. Chef and Co-Owner Dominique Theval was classically trained in France, worked in Michelin star kitchens and understands the importance of finding quality ingredients. I recently took advantage of their three-course pre-fixe dinner. To minimize the number of people in the restaurant at any given time, each customer…
Week 1 – Coronavirus Dining in LA
With the freedom Americans enjoy, I never imagined that our everyday lives would be impacted in such a severe way. Freedom means many things and I used to enjoy the freedom of movement or as Southwest Airlines says “you are now free to move about the country.” I thought it would be interesting to continue…
South Bay Restaurants Offering To-Go This Weekend
Confused about what you can and cannot do right now? You are not alone. Fortunately, the staff at LAist consolidated the rules into an easy-to-read article. Fortunately, it is still permissible to pick up “to go” food at a restaurant. If you don’t know how to cook or are getting tired of your own cooking,…
Gabi James, a Terrific Find in Redondo Beach
Have you ever driven by an interesting-looking restaurant on a regular basis and never frequented it? For me, I’m embarrassed to say that experience is Gabi James in the Riviera Village area of Redondo Beach. My wife and I recently dined there for dinner for the first time. Gabi James is named after the owners,…
After 37 Successful Years, Chez Melange Will Close
Right on the heels of Chez Melange celebrating its 37th anniversary, Chez Melange recently announced that they will close. It’s a sad time for their numerous Chez Melange fans as they have been accustomed to relying on Chez Melange for their delicious creations, fun wine dinners and Michael Frank’s warm, friendly service. To make sure…
Christmas Eve Dinner at Dominique’s Kitchen
I’ve written about Dominique’s Kitchen a number of times. It’s because the food is consistent, the quality of the ingredients is excellent and the prices are reasonable. The owners strive to make it your everyday dining destination. My wife and I decided to visit them for their Christmas Eve Dinner. We arrived early while they…