I first read about the opening of Lustig from an Eater article. It was the replacement restaurant for La Dijonnaise in the Helms Bakery in Culver City. I actually had a reservation before the holiday break which was cancelled due to the restaurant opening being delayed so I rescheduled after the first of the year and set our dinner for the first Friday of January.
It had been a while since we had frequented the Helms Bakery. There were still plenty of free parking spaces on-site. When we arrived at the restaurant, we were immediately seated and our server came to greet us moments later. We had never dined at the former restaurant so we didn’t have a frame of reference what the interior looked like at the time, but Lustig’s contemporary décor was a refreshing change of scenery.
The red walls and tall ceilings set against floor to ceiling windows gave it a very airy vibe.
They also had a beautiful sparkly full bar.
There were four dining areas: an outdoor patio, the bar, the main dining area and a more private section further into the restaurant near the second restroom.
In both water closets, there was a taped poster above the doorway as a nod to Ted Lasso.
After a short chat with our server, we ordered our food, and the starters arrived a few minutes later.
The tuna cannoli was served in a crispy eggroll shell and tasted like an incredibly fresh tuna tartare with avocado but condensed and tightly wrapped.
The croque monsieur pizza was served broiling hot. It was cheesy, smoky, savory and just decadent. Though it was a bit oilier than I expected and the crust wasn’t crispy, the flavors were all there and hit all the right notes.
The chicken was moist and tender. It was served with beans which added a bit of earthiness to the dish. The asparagus which came with the dish was also perfectly cooked. In my haste to sample, I dropped an asparagus and without missing a beat, a hostess scooped it up from the floor. Some of the beans that came with the chicken were slightly undercooked and crispy but still good.
The broccolini was set in a soy, tomato base and was cooked al dente.
Fries were crispy and lightly salted.
The apple streudel was life altering. It was served warm, in a crispy crust, with cinnamon, tart apple with a creamy light sauce and cold ice cream. It was amazing!!
We would definitely return to our neighborhood’s newest gem. The service with the unique and delicious eats made for a winning combination!!
Here’s my secret for finding the new restaurant eats: I subscribe to Eater and Infatuation and I regularly receive emails of openings and reviews. However, and no offense to my fellow foodies, but I have a different standard, and I don’t always agree with their recos. On the Xuntos front, I’m 100% “aligned” which by the way is ad agency/marketing speak, now that I’m professionally back in that sphere.
Xuntos is located in Downtown Santa Monica which, in my teens and 20s, was one of my favorite hangouts. Now part of the area has been surrendered to and relegated to the homeless encampments while the oceanside still caters to the elite. Walking to Xuntos with my Lady Dior from the public parking garage on 4th made me reevaluate my luxury bag choice for the night. However, upon arriving at the restaurant, I was very pleasantly surprised at the upscale environment.
My husband was already seated as I dropped him off to locate parking.
When I arrived, my husband’s wine choice for me was promptly served. It was their driest white wine offering which had a bit of zest and grapefruit tartness.
The complimentary olive starter served with the drinks had a bit of kick with a peppercini flavor.
We started off with the ham and grilled cheese sandwich. The “bikini jamon” was phenomenal! Cheesy, gooey, slightly sweet, with shaved sweet slices of jamon in the center. We ended up ordering two because it was that good!
Next up was the gazpacho which was delicious, refreshing, creamy, tart, a bit sour with hints of the freshness of cucumber, truly unique and perfect for a hot summer day.
Our first main dish was the garlic shrimp which was beautifully presented, steaming hot with sliced baguette on the side. The shrimp had a bit of heat and the oil from the pan served as a nice dipping sauce for the bread. The shrimp was small but plump and tender.
Next up was the squid ink pasta which was creamy, tart from the lemon juice and tomato purée.
The patatas bravas were served piping hot, crispy with a drizzle of sour cream, chives and tomato purée.
The finale was the steak which was lightly salted, tender and juicy, with a bit of chimichurri herbs, caper sauce and rock salt on top.
All the menu items from start to finish were exceptional. It’s been a while since all the notes, from the service to the quality of the food, hit all the right marks. As my childhood piano teacher would say after an excellent performance, three gold stars to Xuntos!
At the beginning of the year, I made a list of local restaurants that we hadn’t dined at which seemed interesting. The list has grown exponentially as restaurants have opened throughout the year. Tapizon was added to the list early on but we somehow never made it there until recently and what a pleasant surprise it was. First, it’s in the pocket of what looks like middle town USA in the heart of a El Segundo. The exterior of the restaurant has an entire wall that was a beautiful colorful mural.
The interior of the restaurant looked like a little jewel box. We came on a Saturday as I saw online that they had live performers. The bossa nova vibes combined with the beautiful decor made it seem like we were whisked away to a more exotic land.
After drinks were ordered and served, our starters arrived shortly thereafter.
The Caesar salad was creamy, cheesy with seeds which added a bit of earthiness to it.
The black bean soup was the better starter between the two as it was hearty and robust with flavor with a bit of tartness.
My husband’s grilled chicken was quite savory, chock full of flavor and tender. The coconut rice was fluffy and mildly flavored.
My fries were herbaceous and crispy. The brisket tasted smoky and was incredibly tender and the brown rice provided a nice bed for the beef juices. The silkiness of the beans and the creamy yolk worked in harmony with the rest of the dish.
We also received a complimentary dessert. The injera style flatbread was a bit chewy, warm, almost had an English muffin texture. It was served with ice cream, berries in the middle, chocolate drizzled on top and some whipped cream on the side, definitely unique and a dessert unlike no other and not overly sweet.
Tapizon is definitely a great value dinner experience, and we would jump at the chance to return. The owner, Eric, came by and chatted with us for a while.
He had a military background and flew planes which explained the plane fountain at the front of the restaurant. Eric was a New York transplant and had previously not been familiar with El Segundo but all that changed when the property became available and he decided to set up shop. We didn’t discuss how he came up with the restaurant’s concept but we are sure glad he decided to make El Segundo and Tapizon his next project as it was definitely a hidden neighborhood gem that we are happy to share with as many people who will listen.
Best Bet is housed on Washington Blvd in the former AFrame location. I didn’t realize the new restaurant was opening until the weekend prior when I was heading to Handy J for a car wash and I tried for nearly a week to get a dinner reservation. Luckily, the reservation gods deemed me worthy enough to get a spot, and the plan was hatched to try out Bet Bet for our Friday dinner. I dropped off my husband prior to looking for parking as I knew it would take a while but upon entering the restaurant, we were immediately seated, and shortly thereafter, our orders were taken.
Our drinks arrived first followed shortly by the dishes.
The fried chicken was served lukewarm, was incredibly juicy and cheesy with a bit of sweetness which was a bit surprising.
The garlic knots were served piping hot and had a crispy garlicky exterior. Its accompanying tomato sauce dip was a bit chunky and tart.
The meatballs were fire, literally mouth on fire from the temperature. The herbaceous tender morsels of meat were served in a bed of cheesy sauce which my husband commented was similar to a fondue.
The cacio e peppe had a bit of a salty bite from the pink peppercorn and was served al dente.
The Godzilla pizza was perfect, hit all the right notes, smoky, savory, meaty and silky.
The enigma, to be honest, was not our favorite. It was missing a crucial ingredient, like perhaps bits of garlic shrimp in the interior as it was just a calzone with pesto filling which oozed out as soon the crispy exterior was pulled apart. The crust had a dense black sesame and white rock salt exterior which made it a bit more interesting but otherwise, the dish was a miss. Bellies full, we passed on dessert.
What made our dining experience exemplary was the attentiveness and response time of the staff. Although they had been open only a few days, they worked seamlessly and in unison with each other, from the two hostesses, our server and the two restaurant managers helping clear tables. It felt like a well-oiled machine rather than a newbie to the neighborhood. All in all, we thought the restaurant was a hit and would happily return with friends.
So glad we were able to visit during its opening week as we met Chef Jason Neroni and his wife who shared that they only allow reservations for half the restaurant and left the other half for walk-ins from people in the neighborhood. Truly a Best Bet for the city!
I had been wanting to try out Granville and even made a reservation or two only to cancel and push to a later date. At long last, we finally made our way to the WeHo establishment one Friday evening. It took us about 25 minutes to drive to the establishment and another 2 minutes to locate the valet parking which was behind the restaurant.
In Granville’s former life, it housed the now defunct Jerry’s Deli. On my last visit, Jerry Seinfeld was sitting in a corner booth, cracking jokes loudly for all to hear. Today, Granville is an expansive beautiful elevated casual restaurant with a gorgeous bar in the section where Jerry was ensconced with several areas allocated for dining.
Upon checking in for our reservation, we were asked by the hostess to wait while two other parties were seated. It only took a few minutes before we were escorted to our table.
Our server promptly greeted us and asked for our drink orders. When it was time to place our dinner order, as we were torn between a few dishes, we asked for her recommendations.
The first reco was the cheese toast and when dipped into the accompanying tomato bisque, it reminded me of happy childhood dreams. Even though we had asked for no onions, the grilled cheese sandwich was served with them, but somehow we didn’t mind as it gave the toast a bit of a sweet aftertaste. The tomato bisque had little chunks of tomato and was very mildly seasoned.
The next starter was the Brussels sprouts which had a dense center and a silky layer with a smoky, bitter aftertaste, served with slivers of almonds which added a bit of nuttiness to the dish. There was also a hint of citrusy sweetness which softened the bite of the dish.
The next recommendation was the bacon cheeseburger. I opted for a lettuce wrap. The smoked mozzarella was melted onto the medium cooked beef patty which was incredibly juicy and flavorful. The bacon was thick and well done. A small brown bag of uber crispy chips was served alongside the burger and was one of the best iterations of homemade chips I’ve ever tasted at a restaurant.
The third recommendation, which was the best of the bunch, was the ahi tuna dish. It arrived beautifully presented. In the center of the dish were two thick tuna filets which were beautifully pink in the middle and seared on the outside which was evenly coated with sesame seeds. The noodles added a nice soy flavor to the dish as well as a bit of heat. It was a delicious savory dish.
Granville is an elevated casual eatery. As their menu states, “come as you are.” They welcome a very attractive upwardly mobile but understated clientele. If that suits your mood, then we would highly recommend a dining experience for you at Granville. It can’t be beat!!
As many have likely seen by now, there was a scathing review of Jordan Kahn’s newest offering, Meteora. Days before it was published, my husband, sister-in-law and I ran into the two Michelin starred chef at its helm and complimented him on a wonderful experience, thanking his wife for the delectable inspiration of the rice dish on Meteora’s menu.
In researching this particular writer’s past restaurant reviews, featured were casual restaurants with simple offerings which, in comparison to Meteora’s complex menu and earthy decor, is a rapid departure from the writer’s repertoire.
Jordan Kahn stopped by every table, including ours, and explained the ingredients in each of the dishes ordered and why he incorporated them in the dinner set.
Perhaps the writer did not have that benefit during his visit. One needs to have a wide range of culinary experience from extensive travels and have an appreciation and understanding of history, culture and traditions which are all celebrated and highlighted at Meteora.
Was Meteora expensive? Yes. Were unusual and unfamiliar pairings served? Yes. Was there a purpose and message for each of the offerings? Yes.
I have traveled to 31 countries, including 4 trips to the Yucatán Peninsula and sampled a wide range of of dishes at restaurants on every end of the budgetary spectrum. I can wholeheartedly recommend Meteora as a dining experience that should not be missed.
The dishes are beautifully and artfully presented, and the combination of flavors is just exquisite.
Admittedly, Meteora caters to those with cultured, diversified and upscale tastes. It is not for everybody, but if you are looking to experience simple dishes reimagined while sitting within a beautiful Tulum inspired setting, then Meteora should be your next fine dining destination.
Musso & Frank is a historic dining establishment in the heart of Hollywood.
I had been several times before, even during lunch, which apparently is no longer an option during these post pandemic times. We were there for our pre-theater meal and it did not disappoint. They opened promptly at 4 p.m. and sat each party at their pre-designated tables. Ours was table 227.
Our server came by immediately to take our drink order and as we waited, we observed as each table and party were swiftly seated. They had service down to a science with impeccable choreography and precision.
Our drinks arrived, our dinner orders were taken and we were immediately served our first course.
The caesar salad was crisp, lemony and perfectly dressed.
Next to arrive were the sand dabs, which had a bit of coating and with a squeeze of a lemon, had a nice tart flavor.
My husband’s legendary fettuccine alfredo was served with thinly sliced chicken breast. It was served al dente and had a rich creamy sauce.
Desserts arrived in the form of a light fluffy cheesecake and two scoops of nice, cold creamy ice cream, the perfect accompaniment for the current heatwave.
All in all, Musso & Frank was and still is a winner in my book. I’m happy to report that we’ll be returning in a month’s time for a friend’s special birthday so that we’ll have another opportunity to sample their delicious food.
Ella is set inside a boutique hotel in the heart of Beverly Hills.
It has a tropical vibe giving it the quintessential Los Angeles experience.
We met a couple of girlfriends who had previously eaten at the establishment for a holiday party several years prior.
We started off with the sourdough focaccia which was quite generous in size. It had a nice light crisp shell with a warm doughy middle and was served with a small bowl of black truffle butter and elderflower honey.
One of our friends ordered the little gem salad which was served with a top layer of breadcrumbs and a heavy pour of buttermilk dressing.
She seemed to enjoy it so it seemed like a winner. Her next dish, the grilled broccolini, was perfectly cooked, crisp but not overdone lightly seasoned.
My husband ordered the bolognese which was nice and al dente.
We also shared a spicy pepperoni pizza which was good but was doused with oil.
Two of us ordered the burger and fries which was just the perfect California burger. The ground beef was lightly seasoned and smoky but still perfectly moist and the fries were exceptionally crispy and salty.
After dinner we headed up to the quieter rooftop bar to have our nightcap. It had a lovely view of the city and was just a great place to decompress from the week.
All in all, Ella was a lovely experience. The only downside during our dinner was the erratic service. Our waiter had a penchant for disappearing for long periods of time but the food was good and it had a nice vibe.
Elegant and refined define the Art Deco decor and the culinary offerings at Nando Trattoria. Upon entering the establishment, one immediately senses they are somewhere special. The restaurant is located on Manhattan Avenue and is in a fairly modest sized space. At the time of dining, which was prime dinner time on a Saturday evening, every table at the restaurant was occupied.
Organic heart of romaine lettuce, DOP Parmigiano Reggiano, toasted croutons, Caesar dressing
The patrons’ anticipation and enjoyment of an authentic Italian dining experience is palpable as gasps of excitement and delight are heard while dishes are served to adjoining tables.
Golden crispy rice saffron ball, wagyu beef ragù and smoked mozzarella, provolone
There is a low and respectable murmur of voices and laughter during the meal. Most of the tables are comprised of at least two couples and in a few instances, a slightly larger party.
Crab and Lobster ravioli, delicate scampi sauce, scallop
We had the benefit of sitting next to a lovely gentleman who was proud to declare he had dined at the restaurant every week since it opened in the height of the pandemic. Nando Trattoria’s ability to thrive despite such obstacles speaks volumes about what they uniquely offer the residents and visitors to this newish Manhattan Beach restaurant.
There were a few notable highlights.
NANDO TRATTORIA ANTIPASTI – APPETIZERS
Fresh baked focaccia bread served with Parmigiano truffle fondue
The first was the focaccia served with a parmigiano truffle fondue. The top layer was reminiscent of a pie crust which was light, airy and flaky.
Traditional baked lasagna with beef ragu and bechamel
Our next favorite dish was the lasagne bolognese which was both dense, due to the combination of the beef and bechamel sauce, but also light as a result of perfectly textured and al dente handcrafted pasta.
The icing on the meal were the nutella bombolini. We almost opted to skip that dessert but one of the servers convinced us that it would be a mistake of gargantuan proportion. Needless to say, he was right and I will forever have dreams about that doughy slightly sugared exterior with the warm, creamy filling.
In a beachside restaurant community that has seen a transformation of clientele and residents over the years, Nando Trattoria definitely stands on its own and is without compare.
I am eagerly awaiting the next opportunity to introduce our foodie friends to this “new to us” neighborhood gem. Grazie to the two brothers who brought their culinary gifts and passion to the shores of Manhattan Beach. We are looking forward to seeing you soon.
Nando Trattoria
1131 Manhattan Avenue
Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
https://www.nandotrattoria.com/home-nando-trattoria-manhattan
It had been a while since we visited The Culver Hotel. Previously, we had been to their upstairs bar for drinks, enjoyed their happy hour with friends and late last year, we celebrated my company holiday lunch in one of their private banquet. The food was always quite good and the architecture and decor definitely hearkened a nostalgic era from the past.
Then the pandemic struck and they ceased all operations. Culver Hotel was closed for a significant amount of time, and I was concerned it might not ever reopen like so many other businesses.
Fortunately, they had the means to pivot and revamp their dining area as well as their menu. They created a beautiful outdoor oasis with potted flowers and plants as well as a mix of eclectic outdoor seating options ranging from garden benches, wrought iron tables and chairs, bar top tables and even a few outdoor living room seating arrangements. It was quite charming and provided a casual chic vibe.
Our server Austin was busy initially, but once he was freed up to help us, the food and drinks came out fairly quickly.
The honey nut squash risotto arrived first. It was quite savory with a light nutty herbal flavor. My husband requested the addition of chicken which they were able to accommodate, and it added a bit more substance to the dish.
Austin had recommended the oxtail and truffle fries for this meat and potato girl, and I am so grateful he did. The meat was tender and moist and packed full of flavor, and the fries had a textured coating and were perfectly light and crispy.
For dessert, we ordered the bread pudding which came with vanilla ice cream on top. The cast iron bread pudding arrived piping hot. It had a slight citrusy custards flavor but was not overwhelmingly sweet and combined with the ice cream, it was truly the icing on our delectable dinner experience.
There are very few restaurants where we can say that the food and the service combined with the ambiance hit every note and we are fortunately able to say that of the newly opened Le Jardin. For $100, we were able to experience a top notch meal in a beautiful, serene and historic location. Le Jardin is truly a neighborhood gem.
Le Jardin
9400 Culver Blvd.
Culver City, CA 90230
Bar & Dining
Grace Gambin
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