In searching for a local waterside restaurant, I came upon Beachside’s revamped menu. It had been a few years since we had dined at this particular locale, and I noticed that the menu had a few unique offerings which seemed to embody SoCal vibes. 

We ordered a few starters to whet our appetite. 

The Asiago cheese bread was served with a side of ricotta and herbs as well as a small serving of aioli. The bread was surprisingly light and airy but had a crispy outer layer. The creamy ricotta and garlic aioli were nice subtle compliments to the bread.

The butternut squash bisque was simply presented with some sliced apples in the middle and a few sprigs of arugula for some garnish. The bisque was drizzled with a bit of curry oil giving it a hint of Indian essence. Surprisingly, the bisque was quite sweet which I think would have been better as a more savory starter.

As a direct contrast, the flavors of the brussel sprouts packed a punch and were quite complex. They were tangy with a hint of sweetness possibly from a bit of tamarind combined with a small serving of sambal. As a result, the sprouts had an earthy smoky flavor and some crunch from the peanuts interspersed onto the dish.

Of the three starters, the sprouts were my favorite and frankly the best sprouts I’ve ever tasted in a city which offers some version of the same dish at most upscale restaurants. What made this rendition stand out was the Asian inspired dressing which set it apart from the rest. 

The entrees and side dishes were promptly served shortly thereafter.

The loch duarte salmon was quite unique. The entree’s name alone would pique one’s interest, but what made the dish different was the quinoa risotto on which the mildly seasoned tender salmon was nestled. The hybrid grains had a unique nutty and earthy flavor and combined with the light flaky fish, the pairing had a contrasting subtle complexity of textures.

Our other entree was the Mongolian short rib which appeared to be the brussel sprouts’ Asian cousin as it had a similar tangy sauce albeit sans sambal.  The two large generous servings of short rib were incredibly moist and tender and were adorned by cucumber spirals and shaved radish slices elevating the appearance of the dish.

The fries I ordered to compliment my short rib were perfectly crisp, lightly salted and had a strong but not overpowering truffle flavor. 

The grilled broccoli paled in comparison to the fries, having no distinct flavor, as it was served with a light citrus and creamy dressing.  

To finish off the meal, we ordered the cocoa dulce de leche mousse. When we asked our server Brian about this particular dessert and what he thought of it, he became incredibly giddy and excited as it was apparently his favorite. On our first bite, we understood the gravity of the situation. This was a decadent divine dessert. The cocoa powdered exterior covered a thin chocolate shell which sheltered a very dense, rich chocolate middle. The bottom layer consisted of crushed chocolate melded together giving the multilayered dessert a hint of bitterness and crunch.

We found the ambiance at Beachside to be a relaxed upscale beach vibe. It’s a great place to get together with friends, go on a date or just hang out by the fire pit while sipping on a few cocktails. We will definitely be back to this waterside gem!