surf n turf Archives | A Travel Foodie's Journey

June 2, 2019 in Local Eats

Slaying it at Slay

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

May 17, 2019 in Local Eats

Marvelous Meal at Margot

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.

Margot is where you go to see and be seen. It’s where pretty people eat and drink. Everything about it screams “notice me” but in that subtle nondescript Culver City way. There are people of all ages who come to eat and imbibe, all fashionably dressed but in a subtle, refined and understated manner. Nobody is looking to stand out too much but there are a few with their bare midriffs and teeny shorts who are the exception.

The interior design of the restaurant, its outdoor patio and its indoor and outdoor bars is a nod to the years of yesteryear, evident in their choice of nostalgic Moroccan inspired patterns for table tiles, and retro rustic lighting and furnishings.

It was quite packed when we arrived. Luckily, we had made reservations on Resy and were whisked to the last indoor half booth/table before the outdoor patio. It gave us ample opportunity to people watch.

Our server was fabulous. She was attentive as one would expect at a top notch venue. Our food came out in batches. First to arrive were the asparagus a la plancha and charred broccoli. Of all of our orders, the asparagus was likely the weakest offering as it didn’t offer as much diversity in texture or flavor. It was served with ajo blanco, Marconi almonds and grapes. Perhaps the goal was to have a more subtle subdued flavor and if that was the case, then the dish was a success. The broccoli however was quite exceptional. It had a slightly smoky taste and mixed with the tzatziki sauce and feta, it had a creamy aftertaste. The pastas came next and were the stars of the evening. We ordered the cappelini with truffle and the tagliarini with seafood sausage. Both were spectacular in their different but complementary ways. The truffle, well it goes without saying, that it was light but powerful and decadent. The pasta with seafood sausage made from shrimp was surprisingly robust, had a bit more tomato base and definitely stood toe to toe with the truffle pasta.

The main entrees of whole grilled sea bream and American wagyu zabuton with fingerling potatoes were definitely quite good as would be expected. The fish was amazingly tender, subtly covered in tarragon aioli and salsa verde. The steak was exceptionally juicy and cooked perfectly medium rare and the accompanying fingerling potatoes had a nice crisp toasted outer layer which had a dipping sauce combo of horseradish cream and paprika butter.

For dessert, we ordered the tiramisu tres leches. It had a strong coffee flavor with a creamy filling and tasted quite light on the tongue. It was the perfect way to end a perfect evening.

Margot is definitely someplace I would spend all my special moments as it’s close to home and has a bit of class and a sexy vibe beckoning you in to partake in the beauty that is the Mah-velous Margot.

Margot 8820 Washington Blvd., Suite 301

Culver City, CA 90232

https://www.margot.la

Archive surf n turf Archives | A Travel Foodie's Journey

Slaying it at Slay

Grace Gambin