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!
The newly opened 33 Taps has a very different vibe from its former iteration, City Tavern. Under new owners, the local sports bar offers a wide beer selection and a a small but varied food menu. There are two points of entry into the restaurant, from the back on Washington or from the front, on Culver. Upon entering at 5:30 p.m. on a Saturday afternoon, the middle section of the bar was packed with 20-30 somethings excitedly and happily chatting with their group of friends. This was a very different vibe from City Tavern which at 5 o’clock had to entice people with a happy hour menu. I noticed that the young crowd favored drinking to eating and the booths were filled with a slightly older crowd enjoying actual meals along with adult beverages. Upon being seated, my husband was asked for a credit card, requested to order everything by scanning the QR code and ordering through the platform. Once ordered, the beverages and food came out quickly.
Our first starter, the Brussels sprouts, had a slightly bitter smoky flavor but were perfectly cooked, not too crispy and not too mushy.
My husband’s chicken burrito arrived with chips and dipping sauces. The chicken burrito was beautifully presented with a nice nice cilantro sauce intermixed.
My lettuce wrap burger had a perfectly cooked beef patty covered by a thick crisp lettuce leaf and adorned with crunchy tater tots. Though the bacon could have been crispier, the mushrooms on top of the patty were plentiful, savory and silky and the Swiss cheese was melted onto the burger which was seasoned to perfection.
I was hesitant as 33 Taps’ menu seemed limited but what we ordered was expertly prepared and presented so no complaints on that front. 33 Taps is walk in only which could become problematic during peak dining times but if they can maintain the level of service from the kitchen staff to the servers, it will be a quick turnaround on orders once seated. We would happily return to this local haunt and are happy they’ve joined the neighborhood!
I came across My Lai on Yelp which appeared to have just opened as it only had eight reviews, all 5 stars. It’s located across the street from Mar Vista on Venice around the corner from Little Fatty and Rasselbock.
As one of the reviews previously mentioned, it has a Chipotle vibe where you can create your own bowl or order one of their specialities.
I was immediately drawn to the garlic fried rice which I paired with grilled chicken, cilantro, sliced cucumber, sesame medley, crispy garlic and miso sesame sauce. The chicken was moist and tender with a bit of char, and the cucumber added a bit of freshness and lightness while the cilantro added a layer of earthiness to the dish. The miso sesame sauce was light and tangy, and the crispy garlic added texture and bite, but the star of the dish was the garlic fried rice which appeared to have been cooked in a savory chicken broth or stock resulting in a glutinous sticky rice.
The rice was reminiscent of what is traditionally served in Filipino restaurants but more potent and richer in flavor. Though the bowl I ordered was not an authentic Vietnamese dish, it was quite enjoyable.
The restaurant is quite clean and modern with both an indoor and fairly decent sized outdoor space for dining. It would be very easy to have a quick, easy and healthy meal here or spend an hour or two lounging on the patio with friends. This new find is a solid winner!
My Lai
12222 Venice Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90066
https://www.mylaikitchen.com
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
When we decide to dine out for dinner, we want to experience a different environment, people watch and/or treat ourselves for enduring and surviving yet another busy, arduous workweek. I judge a restaurant not just by the quality of the food but also equally on its service. Tonight’s food was delicious and very reasonably priced so that is what this review will focus on because of the manager, Jose, who intervened after I had come barreling into the kitchen screaming, agitated, asking for our food, because it took 25 minutes to get our drink orders, 10 minutes to get the lid to our coconut shrimp sauce which we were taking home with our leftover shrimp and 30 minutes after ordering to receive our salad and 2 entrees.
What we chose to remember from our evening was the part that was enjoyable and memorable and the reason we made the trek to the beach. Santa Monica and the Pier, to be exact, have had a special place in my heart since I was a kid. My dad had a job in Santa Monica so on weekends, he would make the trek from West Covina to Santa Monica to show me some of the places he discovered. The pier was one of those places that was magical for me then and now. Despite the mass crowds, especially over the summer, it’s a happy place, where one can feel like a child, feel like you’re on vacation and be whisked away from all your grown-up worries.
I somehow came upon Seaside on the Pier on the Santa Monica website. I looked at their menu which was very reasonably priced and decided to book a table on Open Table. I knew we were going to run a few minutes late so we tried to call on the road but nobody answered. In the midst of the crazy traffic on Ocean Avenue, I let my husband out so we wouldn’t be late for our 7:30 reservation and I went on the hunt for parking. After I found a lot, I walked with the crowd of tourists from Germany, Russia and other countless visitors from other countries venturing to the famous pier.
Luckily, the restaurant wasn’t too far from the entrance and I headed up the stairs to the restaurant where my husband was seated on the second floor, in the outside patio by a heat lamp. It was great seeing people on the pier, from all walks of life, seeing kids, dogs, teens wearing shorts, sweatshirts and flip flops, everybody on their own journey and different paths.
The first to arrive were the coconut shrimp. They were piping hot and needed a few minutes to cool off so they could be eaten. The batter was tight and stuck to the shrimp. They were perfectly crisp on the outside and the shrimp was meaty. It’s sweet and sour sauce was a nice accompaniment.
The next batch of food was the chicken Caesar, the seafood pasta and the grilled salmon. The winner of the evening was the pasta dish. There were lots of chunks of seafood and the Alfredo sauce had a bit of heat to it. The salmon was also quite good, perfectly grilled and lightly seasoned with a side of tasty cilantro rice and mixed green beans. The chicken Caesar salad with chicken was good but of all the dishes, could probably be skipped on our next venture.
Jose took us on the rooftop which has a fantastic view of the Ferris wheel, the pier and the ocean. I think once the kitchen staff, the servers and the host tighten up, this place will be a force to be reckoned with as the view is sensational. Yes, it’s located in a very touristy area but it doesn’t have offensive tourist trap prices and the food is actually quite good. Seaside on the Pier is on my Must Watch list.
Seaside on the Pier
250 Santa Monica Pier
Santa Monica, CA 90401
After a very grueling TRX/Pilates combo class, I was beyond famished and was thinking of healthier eats so as not to complete negate my morning workout. I remembered that California Fish Grill was just around the corner from Yogaworks so off I went.
My favorite is their swai with brown rice, French fry split and grilled zucchini. The garlic butter sauce adds an added layer of fat and flavor which is acceptable in light of my workout. The fish is always cooked perfectly, slightly charred and yet moist. The rice is fluffy and the fries are crispy. The grilled zucchini rounds out the meal which bumps up the health factor a bit.
For a total of $10.17, it’s definitely a bargain on this side of town and is a very well rounded meal where one does not feel deprived. For a healthy budget friendly meal, one can’t go wrong at California Fish Grill.
California Fish Grill
730 S. Allied Way
El Segundo, CA 90245
https://www.cafishgrill.com/
I came upon Rasselbock on Yelp as a New & Noteworthy restaurant in close proximity to our neighborhood. I waited a bit until we were in the right mood for the German treats that it had to offer. I made the reservation through Yelp and lucky for us that we did, because on arrival for our 8 pm Friday night dinner reservation, we overheard that there was an hour wait.
Our server came over to take our drink order shortly after we were seated. We quickly ordered our dinner entrees after our drinks arrived at approximately around 8:15. We didn’t get our food until around 30-35 minutes later which seemed excessive for what we ordered except the other tables around us had also not been served their dinners so I would recommend more kitchen staff for weekend evenings, space permitting.
The food was actually quite delicious. I ordered the Jager schnitzel with Brussels sprouts and spicy green beans. The fried chicken breast was perfectly crispy and breaded on the outside and was quite juicy and tender on the inside. The mushroom sauce coating the top was really quite exquisite, giving it just a bit of umph to take it to the next level. The Brussels sprouts were perfectly cooked and dense, very subtly seasoned. The spicy green beans had a bit of kick but even I could tolerate it with my sensitive tummy. My husband ordered the Rasselbock burger with perfectly crispy seasoned fries. He said it was a solid burger.
All in all for a total of $76 with tax and tip, it was a very reasonable Friday dinner out. The clientele was ethnically diverse but not overly eclectic. It was a very lively scene with a few TV’s up for the sports enthusiasts. Even though the kitchen took a while, we would definitely be back to just chill out, take in the scenery and eat some really solid relatively inexpensive German specialties.
Rasselbock
3817 Grand View Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90066
https://www.rasselbocklb.com/
I’ve been wanting to try out Ramen Joint for quite some time. It’s not too far from home, the prices are reasonable and it’s casual. With me suffering from a cold for the past 3 months and with my husband finally succumbing to the vicious cold and flu season, I chose tonight to finally check out this hidden gem. It’s not easy to find as it’s off of Truxton in a small street in a Westchester strip mall area. There’s plenty of parking in the lot close by so that’s not an issue.
The restaurant is quite small with a 6 top, a 4 top, around 4 deuces and a wraparound counter seating which can seat about 16 people. However, thanks to the handy Yelp app, one can be added to the waitlist prior to arrival which is what we utilized, minimizing our on-site wait time. When we arrived, 2 parties of 2 were ahead of us. We likely waited about 10-15 minutes and once seated, we ordered and the food came out fast and furious.
The first items which to be served were the steaming hot edamame and the very tasty seaweed salad.
Next up were the 4 shrimp spring rolls which had a light and crispy wrapper accompanied with a tasty spicy mayo and the chicken karaage which were thick chunks of chicken with a somewhat crispy batter and a savory garlic aioli.
The main event of this dinner were the shoyu tonkotsu and shoyu chicken ramen entrees which were both ordered with a seasoned soft boiled egg and crispy garlic chips. My tonkotsu had an array of ingredients but was light on the tasty and savory broth. My husband’s spicy chicken ramen had quite a bit of noodles and spinach but was sparse on the chicken.
Our total bill was around $46 so with tip, it was $28 per person and I still have half of my ramen and half of the chicken leftover. For those who have had ramen in Tokyo as we have of late, I should warn you that this is not that. Nothing can compare to the technique utilized by the Japanese in preparing their broth and the quality of their noodles. However, considering the efficiency and effectiveness of the Yelp waitlist, the super attentive service combined with the fast turnaround of the food and the reasonable prices, The Ramen Joint will definitely be on our shortlist of favorite local haunts in the days, weeks, months and years to come.
The Ramen Joint
6220 W. 87th Street
Los Angeles, CA 90045
http://www.theramenjoint.com/menu
One would be hard pressed to find fault with Don Chuy’s Taco Tuesday special. I did a search of the best Taco Tuesday special and discovered that Don Chuy’s, a mere 5 minute drive from home, offered 99 cent tacos!
Since it was mid afternoon, the chances of the restaurant being busy were fairly slim, I leaped out of bed like a kid on Christmas morning and made my way out the door. I got there, parked in the first parking space in the very small parking lot, went in and ordered my 3 tacos: carnitas, al pastor and carne desebrada totaling $3.25 with tax. In less than 5 minutes, with soft tacos, chips and salsa in hand, I made my way home to indulge in my afternoon treat.
Each taco delivered a unique story, taste and tribute to Mexican cuisine. The al pastor was quite lean and tender with the small chunks of meat having a slight tomato aftertaste. The carnitas screamed pork juices and the pork bits were silky and unctuous mixed with a bit of citrus. The shredded beef was lean and tender like the al pastor but was a bit drier with a hint of onion.
Taco Tuesday at Don Chuy’s is definitely one to be applauded and celebrated. The food has always been sensational but the added bonus and bargain of Taco Tuesday makes it a true winner!!
Don Chuy’s Restaurant
11800 Jefferson Blvd.
Culver City, CA 90230
http://donchuysrestaurant.com/
Grace Gambin
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