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!
Stark’s is the beautiful replacement to the drab Jerry’s Deli which was a mainstay in the area for many moons. It was a surprise when it finally left but it had served its purpose, the area had evolved significantly and change was long overdue.
The entrance was moved from the right side to the center of the property facing the main parking lot. Walking in, it looks and feels like some of the more upscale restaurants in Santa Monica and Manhattan Beach. The inside of the restaurant looks completely different from its former inhabitant and the clientele looks to be more upwardly mobile. All were great signs from the onset.
Our server “Tweety” and his assistant were really on their game. What happened next was not at all their responsibility. We sat down and ordered drinks which we received fairly promptly. The table to my left ordered a dirty martini and got a very clean but full to the brim martini. The drink was sent back. Our neighbors to my right had not received their meal for some time and when they finally received their salads, one was supposed to not have dressing on it so that was sent back.
Our orders of Margarita flatbread and Caesar salad with chicken had not arrived 25 minutes after our order. What did arrive were our prime steak and pork chop entrees. Two minutes afterwards the starters arrived.
I took one bite of my steak and decided to stop eating it right then and there. I had recently bought prime steak from Costco just down the street and my home cooked steak was much more tender and flavorful than the hockey puck I had just consumed.
I tried the flatbread which had a crispy crust but soggy middle.
The Caesar salad was missing the chicken breast we ordered and my husband’s pork chop was a bit too pink in the middle.
I got up and looked for our server who I brought back to our table. I explained our issues and he asked what I wanted to do. I asked for the fish dish which could be cooked the fastest.
It took about another 20 minutes for the salmon, mashed potatoes and asparagus to arrive. The mashed potatoes were creamy and the salmon was moist, unlike the steak, but it lacked any seasoning. The asparagus was pretty good, a bit charred and smoky. I mentioned that the salmon was lacking in flavor but the texture was far improved.
To our server’s and the manager’s credit, my meals were comped. Before leaving, we spoke with an older couple sitting in the corner booth and asked how her steak was. She said it was good and much better than her husband’s chicken. We asked the couple to my left how their steak was and she had ordered it medium rare and cut it with a butter knife because they forgot to give her a steak knife but she thoroughly enjoyed it and was taking her leftovers home.
All in all, for the first week, there is much to be desired from the kitchen staff primarily. The meals took too long to be served and the food was inconsistent. The servers may be great but a restaurant cannot survive on service alone on the very competitive Westside. There needs to be a major reevaluation and reassessment of the kitchen crew before I would return to Stark’s.
At this point, I cannot recommend Stark’s for anything other than a casual drink at the beautiful bar. Yard House just down the street would be a better bet for those wanting a reliable reasonably priced dining experience and for those looking for a more upscale dining experience, Ruth’s Chris is far superior in quality with exemplary service.
Stark’s
13181 Mindanao Way
Marina del Rey, CA 90292
Grace Gambin
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