Ricardo Zarate is no stranger to the LA dining scene. He was previously the chef and co-owner of Mo-Chica, Picca and Paiche. This time, he named the restaurant after his mother, Rosaliné, and calls it “the next phase of Peruvian dining”. Taking diners back to his roots, Chef Zarate has created a menu of classic…
Seafood
Exceptional Japanese Cuisine from Wadatsumi
One of my co-workers handed me a business card. He said, “It’s the real deal”. Since he is married to someone from Thailand, I trusted his acumen on Thai cuisine. I wasn’t sure of his knowledge of Japanese food. The business card was from Wadatsumi and the restaurant is located in Torrance. Wadatsumi is…
Chez Melange Introduces Sea Change
My wife recently celebrated her birthday. On her special day, she selected Chez Melange in Redondo Beach for dinner. Chez Melange recently reinvented itself, renovating the dining room and introducing a new menu. It is now called Sea Change. The menu is varied with an emphasis towards seafood. Under the burger selection, you won’t…
Captain Kidd’s Now Offers Delicious Cocktails
Captain Kidd’s is a South Bay institution for fresh seafood. Part of the establishment is a fresh seafood market where they have locally caught fish and fish that is imported from other parts of the world. The other side is their casual restaurant designed much like an east coast fish shack. In addition to their…
Paella Wine and Beer Festival Coming to DTLA
When I mention paella as one of my favorite things to eat, many people nod their head in agreement. Going a layer beneath, you find that most fans know that the key to a good paella is the rice and having a crispy, crunchy rice makes it authentic. If you don’t know what I’m talking…
Ayara Lūk Establishes Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund
Fans of Ayara Thai have discovered that this popular restaurant is currently closed for renovation. The second generation of the owners have a pop-up Thai eatery and culinary project named Ayara Lūk. This pop-up restaurant is located on Sepulveda Blvd. within walking distance of Ayara Thai. The owners of Ayara Lūk are eager to help…
Ocean Market Grill Features Innovative Seafood Menu
2020 update – Ocean Market Grill has closed. It doesn’t seem that long ago that eating seafood at a restaurant was an expensive outing. Typically you found fresh seafood in swanky restaurants with a comprehensive list of adult beverages. Fortunately, casual seafood restaurants with attractive price points are becoming prevalent. The latest is Ocean Market…
Sergio Peñuelas Returns Home to Mariscos Chente
Editor’s Note: Since this article was written, Sergio now operates out of the backyard of his true home in Lennox. Read this post for the latest on Sergio. I first ate Pescado Zarandeado at Mariscos Chente in the LA strip adjacent to Culver City. Through the articles of Jonathan Gold, I realized how special this…
Miyabi Uni continues the Uni Experience in LA
Two chefs from the Maruhide Uni Club have launched a new venture in Old Torrance. Named Miyabi Uni, they specialize in Asian and non-Asian options featuring uni. They continue their tradition from the Maruhide Uni Club by exclusively using prized Santa Barbara uni. I visited them during their soft opening. It was raining that day…
Mariscos Done Right
Editor’s Note: Since this article was written, Sergio now operates out of the backyard of his true home in Lennox. Read this post for the latest on Sergio. The LA Times Food Critic, Jonathan Gold, is someone I follow. Despite the fact that he’s won a Pulitzer prize for his writing, he regularly makes himself available on social…