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
Many moons ago, the Manchester was the local Loyola Marymount haunt, the Fireside. It’s where fake ID’s were honored and where staggering drunkards whittled their time away. Since then, the location has been reinvented into a few other iterations, but it wasn’t until it morphed into The Manchester that I finally decided to return. Long gone are the dark, dank walls where I walked between for my 21st birthday and was nearly forced to drink a disgusting shot of Jagermeister. What emerged was a contemporary, dimly lit, very popular spot with the locals and millennials alike.
Fortunately, I was able to get a last minute dinner reservation on Resy on a Friday night. When we came in, the place was packed. We were a few minutes early so we had an opportunity to look around. The space is not that large, but it didn’t feel oppressive. It took a few minutes for our table to become available but once that freed up, we were taken care of the rest of the evening.
Fernando, one of the owners, had set us up with our cocktails before our table was ready, which arrived just as soon as we were being whisked to our table.
After reviewing the menu, we opted for the burger and fries to start and the chicken and salmon from the large entree menu. Our appetizer was quite savory.
The burger patty was slightly salty and the meat was fairly tender. The fries were crispy, per my request and the aioli dip hit the spot.
Our entrees also were quite good. The salmon was moist and flaky. The accompanying vegetables, the eggplant and baby bok choy, were lightly seasoned and perfectly cooked.
The chicken had a surprisingly crispy skin and moist, tender meat with a savory and a slightly crispy broccolini as its accompaniment.
We ended our meal with a very chocolatey pot de creme. It was quite creamy and could possibly cause one to stay up all night.
All in all, the food and service were quite good. Truth be told though, the prices were high for what we ordered. I’ve eaten at other restaurants like Prospect Gourmand on La Cienega or Lunetta All Day on Pico where comparable entrees are closer to the $18-$22 range so we felt the prices were a bit inflated. Other than that, the service, ambiance, vibe and the food were quite enjoyable. Though we would likely not return as there are better values for the experience, the Manchester would definitely be one to try.
The Manchester
8522 Lincoln Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90045
https://themanchester.la
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Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, the links provided below provide a referral fee for any qualifying purchases you make.
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
After a long arduous week, I wanted to step away from our normal routine, go somewhere different and immerse ourselves in culture, music and exquisite food. We found all of that in Industry Cafe & Jazz.
I had read many of the 4 star Yelp reviews for some time and had viewed the restaurant’s offerings on their site. Being more curious about cuisines new to us and in the spirit of being more adventurous, I decided to finally take the plunge, called and made a reservation for dinner after work on Friday when I knew I would be too tired to think of what to eat or from where to order.
It was our first foray into Ethiopian cuisine and honestly I was super excited. The photos of the meals looked warm and nourishing, perfect comfort food for the soul. We easily found street parking and arrived right when the saxophonist for the evening’s jazz band entered the establishment.
That was a good omen and set the vibe for the rest of our night at the restaurant. The band began playing some light rhythmic jazzy tunes. On a cooler evening, with the crisp fall air entering the restaurant, one could imagine possibly sharing center stage with these talented musicians and dancing to the syncopation of the melody strumming from the rhythmic guitar.
Tonight, in the middle of a very warm, very late summer, the music was best enjoyed while feeling the occasional breezes from the nearby fan and the occasional thrust of cool air from the outside.
The basket of injera we received was filled with about four to five rolls of thin crepe/pancake spongy flatbread. In Ethiopian culture, it’s meant to serve as plate and silverware. You piece off what you need and scoop up the tasty morsels off of the injera functioning as your plate.
I ordered a whole fried trout which was unbelievably good, crispy on the outside and mealy on the inside. By the time I was done, there was nothing left but tail, the skeletal bony middle portion and the head. The red lentils I ordered as my side were quite good as well and had a subtle flavor that complimented the fish quite nicely.
My husband ordered the doro wat which is a traditional chicken stew of onions and tomatoes seasoned with a blend of garlic, ginger and other spices. By the time I thought about asking for a taste, the entire plate had been devoured and licked clean. From what he said the chicken was incredibly moist and flavorful and yet tasted different from anything else he had ever eaten.
For additional side dishes, we also ordered a bowl of mac n cheese, cornbread and fries. In hindsight, we should have ordered the African sides for a more authentic dining experience. The American sides were simple and not complicated and would have been better with a burger or fried chicken.
All in all, it was a great relatively inexpensive evening, combined with the live music and exquisite meal. Our first east African dining experience was a success. The only downside, other than the American side dishes, was the lack of air conditioning so our next visit to Industry Cafe will be timed with cooler weather.
Industry Cafe & Jazz
6039 Washington Blvd.
Culver City, CA 90232
https://industrycafela.com
I first heard about Khum Khantoke from Samantha Brown’s Asia series on the Travel Channel in 2010. I bought the series on Amazon and rewatched the Thailand episode again was inspired to go where she went for an evening of eats and entertainment. I thought an immersive cultural experience would be a fun midweek break during our week of classes so I booked a reservation online.
From our Airbnb, the Grab took about 15 minutes to get to the location which is northeast from city center.
On arrival, we marveled out how exotic and beautiful the the grounds were.
Once we entered the pavilion, you could see that the dining areas to the sides also served as seats for the performance. There was a stage and an entrance so the perimeter was essentially a square.
Our reservation was at 6:30 p.m and though we were a few minutes late, we were immediately served with coconut juice
and what would be round 1 of food which arrived in a circular rattan tray or “Toke” with two tiers of food.
Chiang Mai Style Banana Fritter
Clear Soup
Chiang Mai Style Pork Curry with Ginger & Tamarind Sauce
Deep Fried Chicken
Grilled Young Chili Paste With Steamed Vegetables
Minced Pork in Tomato Sauce
Crispy Pork Skin
Stir-Fried Mixed Vegetables
Crispy Rice Noodle
Sticky Rice or Steamed Rice
Seasonal Fresh Fruit
My husband complained that the food was cold but was pleasantly surprised that we were offered another round of everything which arrived much hotter and fresher than the first serving.
Because we ordered the premium Khantoke, we also received a side of what I believe was a fried cod dish.
For dessert, we also were served something I made in cooking class on Monday, water chestnuts with sugar syrup and coconut milk which is so incredibly easy to make and is ridiculously delicious. I was happy that I recognized it and could appreciate its flavor and simplicity.
At exactly 7:30, the show began.
The performance commenced with a parade, a welcome dance previously used to greet guests.
The next dance hailed from the Mae Hong Song province and was an interpretation about the animal legends of the region.
This was followed by a war dance with drummers.
Then next performance was a tribute to the princess for her cultural influence and for being such a strong role model to the Lanna culture.
The Khone performance was a reenactment of a section from a book by Ramakian which is renowned as the greatest literary work in Thailand.
Then there was a sword dance/demonstration which was followed by a segment about Thai fighting.
The evening ended with a dance performance by a group of women using coconut shells and the finale was a large group of dancers performing a simple dance which hailed from the central part of Thailand prior to WWII.
They brought in members from the audience to join them in the finale which was a nice touch.
The Khum Khantoke cultural center provided a beautiful ornate setting for an immersion in Lanna culture through its delicious and simple food, stunningly exotic setting and strikingly visual performance dedicated to its history.
This is definitely on my top recommend for anybody visiting Chiang Mai. It’s expensive compared to Thai standards but for dinner and a show, by American standards, it’s a bargain.
Khum Khantoke
http://www.khumkhantoke.com
We had the great fortune of joining our friends for a special birthday celebration at Slay in Manhattan Beach. It was previously the short-lived Darren’s where we had dined for my sister-in-law’s 40th birthday dinner which we deemed her Tiffany birthday, complete with the breakfast at Tiffany’s DVD, a Tiffany themed birthday cake and a necklace from Tiffany. The company was much better than the food and after our special occasion dinner, we did not return.
Tonight’s dinner experience was much improved. The space had been renovated and had a bit of a nautical old world scheme. The new owner and chef served us a dinner feast which was quite exceptional.
The meatballs we ordered were moist and had a subtle but well seasoned flavor.
Our Caesar salad had crispy romaine bites with a creamy but not overpowering dressing and sprinkles of crispy croutons to round out the texture.
My ahi was sitting on a bed of fries and was perfectly seared and seasoned, and my husband’s filet was tender, moist and flavorful. His pesto mashed potatoes were very unique and truthfully just brilliantly simple and delicious.
Our friends enjoyed their steak entrees as well and the desserts were also delightful.
All in all, it was a 5 star understated and divine experience at Manhattan Beach’s newest additions.
SLAY Steak + Fish House
1141 Manhattan Avenue
Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
https://www.slaysteakandfishhouse.com
For those in the know, this is not a write-up about a spinoff of the fantastically hilariously funny and witty Amazon series though just like the series it has a throwback, classic feel where you feel the lead character would fit right in with her chic outfits and witty charm. Rather, it is a celebration of a beautiful vibrant restaurant on the outskirts of downtown Culver City which manages to capture the mood and the vibe of the hippest, most popular restaurants and bars of Beverly Hills and West Hollywood with its retro vibe and its 180 view of the city’s skyline.
I’m in what can only be described as a happiness food coma from our sensational dinner experience at Dear John’s which was recently reopened this last week as a passion project by the renowned Hans Rockenwagner, Patti Rockenwagener and Josiah Citrin. To say that I am in love and enamored with the food and the vibe at the restaurant would be an understatement. It’s been quite some time where I’ve been personally transformed and moved by the food, the service and the ambiance.
I had been to Dear John’s a few times before in its original incarnation. We came for New Year’s Eve dinner several years ago and the patrons clearly had been loyal to the staff and the food for quite some time. The food was okay, moderately priced, the pianist and singer were entertaining and it was a solid, respectable night.
Tonight’s dinner extravaganza was not even the same conversation or the same crowd. The clientele seemed more established, more polished but not uptight. This reincarnation did not have live entertainment but they had lively music playing in the background. The restaurant looked like a more tightened version of the original with a nod to its history.
The food, however, was a complete 180. Everything we ordered just topped our expectations which is a sensational sign for the success of this “do-over” that our city, Culver City, is so incredibly lucky to have for the next two years. We started with the tableside Caesar salad which was a show in and of itself. It was creamy and delicious, perfectly and evenly mixed with the dressing.
Our friends ordered the garlic bread, avocado crab Louie, shrimp cocktail and wedge salad to start, which all looked beautiful. The garlic bread was the only one I sampled of the four and though I try to limit my carbs, that toasted, garlic, buttery goodness was definitely worth the splurge. Each order came with two delicious breadsticks.
My husband and I ordered the filet with cafe de Paris butter, chicken Parmesan and broccolini.
Our friends ordered the ribeye, lobster Thermidor, creamed corn and fries. We got a bonus treat of the spaghetti and clams from Hans and Patti.
There are no words for how amazing everything tasted. For me, it’s been a while since I’ve eaten at a top quality restaurant where everything tasted like they should and all the accompaniments fit together. Everything seemed like it was prepared and cooked by an Iron Chef but understated, and that is a huge accomplishment in a town that has so much competition.
To top off this magical evening was the mind boggling chocolate peanut butter wafer dessert. It took 2 hands to cut through the dense deliciousness. I’m not a dessert person, but I somehow accidentally yet deliberately ate 3 very large teaspoons of the ice cream and the cake combo. If I had a dessert of choice, that would embody my ideal. It was moist, yet dense but not sweet. Each flavor came through with each bite.
We had met Josiah through our lovely dinner companions in the past but tonight was our first time meeting Hans and Patti who are just sensational people, committed to the restaurant and were there to meet guests, making sure their dinner experience was everything it should be.
Dear John’s Bar is where people should go for the next two years to treat themselves to an amazing dinner experience and savor in the joys of eating.
We will be back again and will bring our friends. Many thanks to Josiah, Hans and Patti for an amazing delectable dinner experience!
Dear John’s Bar
11208 Culver Blvd.
Culver City, CA 90230
https://www.dearjohnsbar.com
I admittedly have never watched an episode of Top Chef so I have zero knowledge of Chef Shirley Chung and her culinary expertise. However, I do enjoy trying new eats especially in my hometown of Culver City and Ms. Chi definitely held a great deal of promise. It is housed in the space of former Korean BBQ restaurant, Hanjip, which got off to a great start but seemed overpriced and overhyped for what it was. Culver City has tried several times to welcome some Asian eats into its hood but most have failed or not been successful enough to sustain themselves in the high rent area of downtown Culver City. This restaurant though might have a shot at longevity. Its roots are Asian but it gives enough appeal to those who have never gone to a Chinese restaurant. For those who don’t know that the red and black covered round bowl with white ladle is the white steamed rice bowl that is served to every table and patron at all authentic Chinese restaurants, this is the place for you to to start your Asian food journey.
Ms. Chi offers a happy and non-threatening introduction to Asian cuisine. The restaurant is not filled with odious scents and live seafood in an aquarium holding your dinner entree hostage. Rather it melds the Americanized Asian fare and bumps it two more notches towards the American palate. The cheeseburger dumplings is the perfect example of American Asian Fusion. It truly tastes like its name and it’s quite wonderfully savory. The tater tots at Ms. Chi aren’t coated with the standard vegetable oil flavoring. Rather it has a slightly sweet red or green pepper aftertaste which seems a bit different but perfectly placed in the restaurant’s fusion cuisine. The Brussels Sprouts with the runny egg is perfectly charred but is slightly softened once the silky yolk is broken and seeps into the smoky crevices. The star of the evening, however, was the Beijing noodle. It tasted like bolognese with thick al dente Asian flat noodles resembling the Italian parpadelle pasta. The flavor explosion was quite complex and unmatched by anything I have ever tasted.
To top off this very unique and exemplary meal, the service was top notch. William was our server and just kept dishing it out which was fairly quick because the kitchen crew did not miss a beat.
Overall, Ms. Chi is top notch and I thank every person who we met tonight who helped shape our dinner experience and now I clearly need to find Chef Shirley Chung’s Top Chef episode(s). 😎
Ms. Chi Cafe
3929 Main Street
Culver City, CA 90232
Grace Gambin
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