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I first heard about the opening of Coast on Eater LA. The week it opened, however, there weren’t very many details online or on social media.

Luckily, by the time the date of our reservation arrived, photos of a few of the dishes and the menu were posted on Yelp.

The restaurant was intimate with a relaxed, casual beach vibe. Lighting was on the dim side but bright enough to see comfortably within the space.

We had an eager and enthusiastic server named Walter who made our dinner experience seamless.

My husband and I started with a Japanese inspired seaweed salad which came with avocado, shiso, umeboshi and tagarashi. It had a sesame dressing and was quite tangy and crispy.

We also ordered the meatballs with polenta and mashed potatoes. The meatballs were moist and savory but the polenta stole the meatballs’ thunder. It was unbelievably rich and buttery. I could have eaten a plate of it by itself.

Dueling the polenta for decadence was the bowl of silky mashed potatoes. Both were incredible and truth be told, right as the busboy was removing the bowl from the table, I quickly grabbed the spoon and licked off the last bite.

At the other end of the table, our friends Sarah and Susannah ordered the octopus which had a slightly crispy exterior. The meat was not chewy like it ordinarily would be as it was tenderized by the preserved lemon, giving it a slightly citrusy flavor.

It also had a bit of heat from the harissa which was tempered with a few cubes of sweet potato. They found that dish to be absolutely divine and would highly recommend to those who don’t mind seeing the octopus in its full glory.

For dinner, I ordered the rockfish which came in a brown butter ponzu sauce and my husband ordered the mushroom risotto with arugula and mascarpone.

Of the two, my husband’s dish was better. It was mealy with a hint of cheese. His only complaint was the portion size. My rockfish had a slightly crispy outer layer and was quite tender but it lacked any sort of distinct flavor.

I also ordered a side of crispy fries which was deliciously crisp and piping hot.

Our friend Barbara ordered the wagyu sirloin which we sampled. The sliver of beef was incredibly lean and tender but apparently some of the pieces she ate were tough and marbly so there was some inconsistency on the quality and cut.

Susannah ordered the old school sand dabs which she found to be quite enjoyable and would likely order again. Of all the dishes, she had the biggest portion served for her entree.

In direct contrast was our friend Sarah’s entree, the shrimps “a la plancha,” which came with 6 small shrimps on the plate. They were fine but not exceptional and the portion was quite minuscule, closer in size to an appetizer.

Last to arrive was what I called Christmas on a plate. It was beautifully plated with pomegranate seeds encircling the butternut squash. The combination of the sweet and sour juices bursting from the plump pomegranate and blending together with the natural subtle sweetness of the squash created a unique and divine flavor explosion.

In sum, the octopus, meatballs with polenta, mashed potatoes, fries and butternut squash were our top shareable choices.

We thoroughly enjoyed our dinner and would recommend for adventurous eaters.

I think as the menu evolves, Coast will definitely be one to watch and visit again with our foodie friends. Based on the items we ordered, the courses had a hint of Japanese, a bit of Italian and a nod to classic American cuisine. The restaurant needs a bit more time to find its true identity and hone in on what it does best. In my humble opinion, the Italian fare was the most flavorful and satisfying so perhaps a menu that incorporates specialties from the Amalfi “Coast” might be best suited for this restaurant by the coast.

Coast

1017 Manhattan Avenue

Manhattan Beach, CA 90266