Dominique’s Kitchen Celebrates Its 5th Anniversary

My wife and I recently dined at Dominique’s Kitchen when they celebrated their 5th anniversary. Dining at Dominique’s Kitchen is very much like eating at someone’s home. Co-owners Dominique and Liza Theval are there each day and warmly greet many of the regulars as they enter.

For many years, the Le Beaujolais restaurant operated in that location. After they went out of business, it quickly became Le Saint Raphael and then Bistro Oh La La. Dominique’s Kitchen took over the location and I was concerned that they would be another short timer.

It was interesting to see how Dominique’s Kitchen has evolved. Each night I drove by the restaurant with an eye on the small parking lot. The number of cars quickly grew and before long, they built a covered patio so that they could extend the dining room.

My wife and I have enjoyed some of their special occasion dinners. We’ve been to a couple of their winter cassoulet dinners and celebrated with them on Bastille Day. My favorite time was when Dominique hosted a winemaker dinner pairing his food with Melville Winery wines.

For their 5th anniversary, my wife and I ordered off their standard menu instead of the special truffle prix fixe option. Rather than ordering entrées, we selected small plates to share.

Spicy Lamb Sausage with Quinoa

The Spicy Lamb Sausage with Quinoa was still as tasty as I remembered. The sausage is both spicy and packed full of flavor. The quinoa boasts flavors of mint, raisins, almonds, lemon and honey. This is the type of dish that is so delicious, you don’t leave anything behind.

Garlic fries, housemade pate, arugula, and cornichons

I look forward to eating pate at Dominique’s Kitchen because it is housemade and fresh. His chicken pate was delicate and flavorful. The sour cornichons that were included made this a sour and salty combination.

I think the garlic fries were double-fried. They had the same crispy consistency of the fries that we enjoyed in Europe. They were topped with minced garlic and were addicting to eat.  

Calamari Salad with Pearl Couscous and Pine Nuts

Calamari Salad with Pearl Couscous and Pine Nuts is new on the menu and it appealed to me. The calamari was fresh and nicely grilled. I really enjoyed the contrast of crunchy items, the slightly smoked flavor of the calamari combined with pine nuts and a light vinaigrette dressing.

Chilled Truffle Soup

Dominique treated us to his Chilled Truffle Soup. This creamy soup was rich and delicious.

Red velvet and grapefruit macarons

For dessert, we enjoyed red velvet and grapefruit macarons. They had a nice crisp exterior and and were creamy inside. We were so full that we had to take most of them home.

After the instability of this location on Pacific Coast Highway, I am delighted that Dominique’s Kitchen recently celebrated their 5th anniversary. They prepare European cuisine with an emphasis towards the French style and execute it without being pretentious or pricey. Because of the quality of the food and service, it is a restaurant that you can call special occasion but without that special occasion price.

Dominique’s Kitchen, 522 S. Pacific Coast Hwy, Redondo Beach, CA 90277
http://dominiqueskitchen.com