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 selects a date and time that they wish to pick up their food. Everything is packed in eco-friendly containers without plastic. Names are written on the outside to eliminate any mistakes. When I visited, only one other customer was present and there were about 20 bags with names printed.
Beef Bourguignon 
Mac and Cheese
White bean salad with parsley, garlic and olive oil 
Panacotta, our dessert
I removed the food from the boxes and plated it so that we could experience something close to a restaurant experience. We were delighted with our selections. This was classic French comfort food – beef bourguignon and a super-rich macaroni and cheese made with a lot of butter and cream. All of their wines were priced at $20/ea and we enjoyed our meal with a delightful French bordeaux.
Zacatecas is a family-owned Mexican restaurant located in Hawthorne. Thanks to Gustavo Arellano, author of the nationally syndicated column ¡Ask a Mexican!, I became aware of the hidden menu item Birra de Res, a Mexican dish indigenous to the Zacatecas region of Mexico.
Birria de Res with rice and beans 
Chile Relleno smothered with melted cheddar
Because everything was packed tightly, I felt that trying to plate it wouldn’t yield a satisfactory outcome. The Birria de Res was juicy, stringy, spicy and smokey. The dish includes tortillas, diced raw onions, cilantro, and spicy hot sauce.
The Chile Relleno was a fluffy omelet filled with a whole pasilla chile and white cheese. It was smothered with melted cheddar cheese on top. While I liked the overall flavor, I think the extra cheddar cheese took away the fluffy omelet experience. For dessert, we enjoyed a delicious flan.
Copenhagen Pastry is a Danish pastry shop in Culver City. It is owned and operated by Karen Hansen who hails from Denmark. Despite the fact that Copenhagen Pastry has been open since 2012, it has managed to be impervious to LA’s dining trends.
New guidelines 
Delicious danish from Copenhagen Pastry
Despite the overall decline in business due to the coronavirus, Copenhagen Pastry continues to attract customers. A sign on the front door indicates that only two customers are allowed in the store at any given time. After you enter, you’ll find Hansen cheerfully helping her customers.
You may ask what is her secret? Hansen’s pastries are buttery, flakey and highly addictive. She learned how to make marzipan from her mom and learned about the business from her late brother. Further, she’s marketing savvy – she developed the iconic orange white branding which is even reflected in her daily attire. Regular updates are posted on their Instagram account.
Restaurants mentioned in this post
Dominique’s Kitchen, 522 CA-1, Redondo Beach, CA 90277; 424.247.9054
dominiqueskitchen.com
Zacatecas, 13737 S Inglewood Ave, Hawthorne, CA 90250; 310.679.5161
zacatecasrestaurant.com
Copenhagen Pastry, 11113 Washington Boulevard, Culver City, CA 90232; 310.839.8900
copenhagenpastry.com