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 and a table blocking the front door. To go orders are placed there usually with contactless payment.
Call me crazy, but I’m still leaving my house and supporting small businesses. I believe they are the heartbeat of America and part of what makes this country special. Profits from small business don’t pad the wallets of CEOs, in fact, they keep money in the community and are often used to support other nearby establishments.
This week I return to three eating establishments I’ve enjoyed to see how they are currently operating their business. El Barrio is a fairly new Mexican restaurant in North Redondo Beach. Chef C’s Smhokin Pot is a gourmet food truck featuring Cajun cuisine and MOSA Coastal is a new restaurant featuring Italian coastal entrees.
El Barrio
The word was out and El Barrrio’s business was on an upward trajectory. Then the pandemic hit us. I was surprised when El Barrio announced that they had closed their dining rooms and only accepted “to go” orders. Their announcement took place before the city-wide directive.
Because of the financial hit that restaurants take with Postmates, I selected “Pick Up Order” from their website. Their menu is listed by category (sides, tacos, mulitas, quesadillas, etc) and once you drill down, you can see the selections with the ingredients. I requested a 12:00 p.m. pick-up time and low and behold, a bag with my name on it was on the table blocking the entrance at that time.
Torta al Pastor 
Chicken Tinga and Al Pastor Tacos 
Quesadlla with Wagyu Beef
The Torta al Pastor was as delicious as I remembered it to be. The telera bread was fresh and had a slightly sweet taste; the exterior was similar to brioche. Both tacos were tasty and were made fresh from heirloom non GMO masa. The guacamole was thick and chunky, just the way I like it to be.
El Barrio, 1505 Aviation Blvd, Redondo Beach, CA 90278; 310.921.8620
elbarriogroup.com
Smhokin Pot
Smhokin Pot is a unique gourmet food truck that serves traditional Cajun cuisine and has many items found on SoCal menus served with a Southern twist. Started in 2017, chef/owner Calvin Alexander’s dream came true after he found the ideal truck to use for his mobile kitchen. I recently found their truck parked at Common Space Brewery in Hawthorne.
Garlic Shrimp with fries 
Bisque Nachos 
Whiskey Wings
Chef/Owner Calvin Alexander’s goal is to serve “Cali fire with a Southern twist.” An example of this is their Bisque Nachos. Cajun Bisque is poured over tortillas with white cheese. After it’s baked, I was surprised at the crunchiness of the chips. The flavors worked nicely together. One of my favorites is their Whiskey Wings. It is made with fresh garlic, homemade whiskey sauce and is served over fries.
Unlike many other food trucks, Smhokin Pot posts their schedule on their website. They post frequent location updates on Instagram. If you like Cajun or Southern style cuisine, you should definitely give Smhokin Pot a try. You may find that some of your favorites taste better prepared with a Southern twist.
Smhokin Pot, location varies daily.
smhokinpot.com
MOSA Coastal
MOSA Costal opened late last year and quickly gathered momentum as a welcome addition to the South Bay before the coronavirus came upon us. The focus is Italian coastal with chef Anne Conness (Tin Roof, Sausal, Jaffa) running the kitchen. My wife and I recently ordered from their weekend “to go” brunch menu.
Bake at home cinnamon rolls 
Savory and Sweet Breakfast Wraps 
Cinnamon Rolls after baking
The menu was ‘mix and match’ Italian piada wraps, four wraps for $40 including a set of bake-at-home cinnamon rolls. The savory wrap was made with a delicious corned beef hash mixed with scrambled eggs. The sweet wrap was made with nutella and sliced bananas. Both were very good.
In the interest of protecting their staff, MOSA Coastal made the decision to temporarily shut down. They prepared food from their inventory and sold off at deep discounts. I look forward to their re-opening.
MOSA Coastal, 190 Hermosa Ave, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254; 310.504.0381
mosacoastal.com