Beach April 2018

April 12, 2018 

Volume 48, Issue 36 

Best of the Beach 

Dining and Entertainment 

The Food Barans

Stocking Dealer 

South Bay’s oldest lumber yard 

• Trim 

• Doors 

• Siding 

• Decking 

• Lumber 

• Windows 

• Hardware 

• Referrals 

Free parking in our 6th Street lot 

635 Pacific Coast Highway - Hermosa Beach 

310-374-3406 

Call Our Dexperts

April 12, 2018 

Volume 48, Issue 36 

ON THE COVER 

Baran’s 2239 brothers Jason 

and Jonathan Baran and chef 

Tyler Gugliotta. 

Photo by David Fairchild 

12 Baran’s landscape by Ryan McDonald 

A look into the workings of the South Bay’s most talked about new 

restaurant. Forget what you’ve seen on “Hell’s Kitchen.” 

18 2018 Best of the Beach Dining and Entertainment 

Glimpses into our readers’ picks for their favorite places to dine and be 

entertained. 

A VOTE OF THANKS 

Best of awards are really gratitude ceremonies. They are 

an expression of appreciation for those whose extra effort 

makes life a little bit richer than it would be otherwise. 

Just how much richer is evident in the stories and 

photos of restaurants and clubs described on the following 

pages. 

Nearly 5,000 readers participated in this year’s Best of the 

Beach Dining and Entertainment balloting. It’s notable that 

almost all of the honorees are independent restaurants and 

clubs. 

- Kevin Cody, Publisher 

BEACH LIFE 

10 Beach calendar 40 Summer Camps 

47 Home and Garden 

STAFF 

PUBLISHER Kevin Cody, ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Richard Budman, EDITORS Mark McDermott, Randy Angel, David 

Mendez, and Ryan McDonald, ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Bondo Wyszpolski, DINING EDITOR Richard Foss, 

STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS Ray Vidal and Brad Jacobson, CALENDAR Judy Rae, DISPLAY SALES Tamar Gillotti, 

and Amy Berg, CLASSIFIEDS Teri Marin, DIRECTOR OF DIGITAL MEDIA Hermosawave.net, 

TYPESETTER Tim Teebken, DESIGN CONSULTANT Bob Staake, BobStaake.com, FRONT DESK Judy Rae 

310.937.3902 700 S. Aviation Blvd. 

Manhattan Beach 

EASY READER (ISSN 0194-6412) is published weekly by EASY READER, 2200 Pacific Cst. Hwy., #101, P.O. Box 427, Hermosa 

Beach, CA 90254-0427. Yearly domestic mail subscription $150.00; foreign, $200.00 payable in advance. POSTMASTER: Send 

address changes to EASY READER, P.O. Box 427, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254. The entire contents of the EASY READER newspaper 

is Copyright 2018 by EASY READER, Inc. www.easyreadernews.com. The Easy Reader/Redondo Beach Hometown News 

is a legally adjudicated newspaper and the official newspaper for the cities of Hermosa Beach and Redondo Beach. Easy Reader 

/ Redondo Beach Hometown News is also distributed to homes and on newsstands in Manhattan Beach, El Segundo, Torrance, 

and Palos Verdes. 

CONTACT 

n Mailing Address P.O. Box 427, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254 Phone (310) 372-4611 Fax (424) 212-6780 

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6 Easy Reader / Beach magazine • April 12, 2018

April 12, 2018 • Easy Reader / Beach magazine 9

S O U T H B AY 

CAL ENDAR 

Saturday, April 14 

Scottish Fiddlers 

The Scottish Fiddlers of L.A. 

37th annual Spring Concert 

and CD release celebration. A 

fiery program of marches, 

strathspeys, reels and jigs in 

the rousing Scottish tradition 

performed by the 40-member 

orchestra featuring fiddles, cellos, 

drums, piano, bagpipe, 

dancers, and Gaelic song. 

Tickets $12 at the door. Kids 

under 13 free. 7:30 p.m. Hermosa 

Beach Community Theatre, 

710 Pier Ave., Hermosa 

Beach. For tickets and information 

call (310) 266-8080 or 

visit scottishfiddlers.org. 

Sunday, April 15 

Summer show 

The Palos Verdes Art Center’s 

Malaga Cove Summer Art 

Show features paintings, jewelry, 

ceramics, photography, 

wearable art and prints from 

artists from the seven art 

groups affiliated with the Art 

Center. One weekend a 

month, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. on scenic 

Palos Verdes Drive West 

between Via Chico and Via 

Corta. Plenty of free parking. 

Next show May 19, 20. pvartcenter.org/malaga-cove. 

Shorts for your eyes 

The Torrance Cultural Arts 

Foundation presents the annual 

Pacific Coast International 

Film Festival. Audience 

members vote for the ‘Best of 

the Fest’. General admission 

tickets $10. 7 p.m. For additional 

information, film descriptions, 

and ticket purchase, 

call (310) 781-7171 or visit Torrancearts.org. 

Tuesday, April 17 

YEA! Investor panel 

Panel of 8 investors from 

local businesses will hear 

pitches from talented local 

high and middle school students 

in a competition based 

on “Shark Tank”. YEA! (Young 

Entrepreneurs Academy) is an 

intensive training where students 

develop business ideas, 

write business plans, conduct 

market research, pitch their 

plan, and launch and run their 

own real, legal, profitable fully 

formed companies and social 

movements. 5 - 8 p.m. Mira 

Costa High School, 1401 Artesia 

Blvd., Manhattan Beach. 

Email Brandon Oates, MB 

Chamber Director of Sponsorship 

at brandon@manhattanbeachchamber.com 

or call 

(310) 545-5313 if you are interested. 

Meet the grunions 

The Cabrillo Aquarium will 

open at 8 p.m. and a film on 

grunion begins at 9 p.m. in the 

John M. Olguin Auditorium. 

Prior to the predicted run, 

everyone will gather on the 

beach to await the grunion. 

The program cost is $5 for 

adults and $1 for seniors, students, 

and children. Warm 

clothing is recommended. 

3720 Stephen M. White Dr., 

San Pedro. For information call 

(310) 548-7562 or visit cabrillomarineaquarium.org. 

Wednesday, April 18 

Coffee with a cop 

Join your neighbors and police 

officers for coffee and conversation. 

8 - 10 a.m. The 

Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, 

2521 Artesia Blvd., Redondo 

Beach. Free. For questions 

email mike.diehr@redondo. 

org or call (310) 379-2477 ext. 

2493. 

Earth Day 

Free event highlights community 

environmental initiatives 

and provides opportunities 

to learn more about water 

conservation, storm water pollution 

prevention and energy 

efficiency. Fun and educational 

activities, giveaways and 

free paper shredding available. 

3 - 6 p.m. Promenade on the 

Peninsula fountain area, 550 

Deep Valley Dr, Rolling Hills 

Estates. For more information 

contact Alexa Davis at (310) 

377-1577, ext. 111, 

alexad@ci.rolling-hills-estates.ca.us. 

Keep it clean 

Attend the Keep the Esplanade 

Beautiful Mixer and 

get updated on the 2017 Keep 

the Esplanade Beautiful accomplishments 

and plans for 

2018. Appetizers, a silent auction, 

special raffle and a no 

host bar. RSVP to 

KEB4RB@gmail.com. 5:30 - 

7:30 p.m. HT Grill, 1701 South 

Catalina, Redondo Beach. 

Get cookin’ 

Satisfy your inner gourmand 

at the Manhattan Beach Library 

to sample delicious Vietnamese 

street food, prepared 

by Chef Vivien Phung. 6:30 - 

8:35 p.m. Manhattan Beach Library, 

1320 Highland Ave., 

Manhattan Beach. For questions 

call (310) 545-8595 or 

visit colapublib.org. 

10 Easy Reader / Beach magazine • April 12, 2018 

Thursday, April 19 

Leader sign ups 

Those interested in signing 

up for the Leadership Manhattan 

Beach Class of 2019 should 

attend the Leadership MB Information 

Night. LMB offers a 

comprehensive 9-month leadership 

program to educate and 

develop future community 

leaders. Techniques learned 

are put to immediate use to 

connect with city officials lead 

teams, and manage the final 

class project. 6:30 - 8 p.m. City 

Council Chambers, 1400 Highland 

Ave., Manhattan Beach. 

Refreshments, snacks provided. 

For additional information, 

visit leadershipmb.org. 

Friday, April 20 

Legends by the sea 

The Circle, support group of 

the Palos Verdes Art Center, 

presents the annual Palos 

Verdes Homes Tour. Three 

homes reveal the amazingly 

different lifestyles in Portuguese 

Bend. 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. 

today and Saturday, April 21. 

Tour shuttles take attendees to 

and from PVAC and tour 

homes. Lunch is included in 

the admission price. There will 

also be a Plein Air painting exhibition, 

a collectibles sale and 

boutiques. Free event parking 

at Peninsula Community 

Church, 5640 Crestridge Road, 

next to PVAC. Tickets $70 presale, 

$65 for PVAC member, 

$75 day of. 5504 Crestridge 

Rd., Rancho Palos Verdes. 

pvhomestour.org. 

Earth Day 

Celebrate Earth Day at the 

library with a special family 

storytime and a recycled art 

activity, balloon powered race 

cars. For children and families. 

3:30 - 4:30 p.m. Hermosa 

Beach Library, 550 Pier Ave., 

Hermosa Beach. For questions 

contact Kelley Wantuch at 

(310) 379-8475 or visit colapublib.org. 

Saturday, April 21 

Take your mark 

The El Segundo Council of 

Parent Teacher Associations 

(PTA) 27th Annual Run for Education 

5K/10K and Kids’ Fun 

Run. Categorized starting line 

corrals, new this year, will provide 

a safe start. Registered 

participants receive race t- 

shirts and finishers medals 

plus 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place 

finishers in all men’s and 

The grunion be a runnin’. But April and May are closed seasons, so you may not take 

them! Cabrillo Marine Aquarium hosts a grunion program April 17 at 9 p.m. (Cabrillo- 

MarineAquarium.org) or check out www.wildlife.ca.gov/fishing/ocean/grunion for a 

pamphlet of expected 2018 runs. 

women’s age groups. Both 

courses are USATF certified 

featuring electronic chip timing. 

Register at esrun4education.com. 

8 a.m. El Segundo 

High School, 640 Main St., El 

Segundo. For questions email 

info@esrun4education.com. 

Volunteer and follow us on 

Facebook @esrun4education. 

Chalk art 

The King Harbor Association 

8th annual Earth Day 

Chalk Art Challenge. All-ages 

welcome. Free and open to the 

public. Participants of all levels 

are invited to create a chalk art 

drawing to commemorate 

Earth Day. The first 100 people 

to sign-up on the day of the 

event will receive free nontoxic 

chalk and a reusable canvas 

tote bag that they can 

customize with paints supplied 

by King Harbor Association. 

The SEA Lab mobile touch 

tank and Waterfront Education 

will be on site for visitors to 

learn about local sea life and 

waterfront activities. 10 a.m. - 

2 p.m. Redondo Beach Marina, 

181 N. Harbor Drive, Redondo 

Beach. For more information 

visit VisitKingHarbor.com or 

call (310) 374-3481. 

3rd Rock Hip Hop 

Join 3rd Rock Hip Hop as 

they teach kids about environmental 

awareness through hip 

hop music. Free. Hands-on activities, 

bouncy houses, games, 

free giveaways and much 

more. 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. Dockweiler 

Youth Center, 12505 

Vista del Mar, Playa del Rey. 

For questions call (310) 726- 

4128 or visit beaches.lacounty.gov. 

Let ‘em roll 

The Redondo Beach Rotary 

Club presents Rock & Roll 

Casino Night. Casino-style 

gambling, bites, beverages and 

a silent and live auction. 

Dance to local band, Feed the 

Kitty. Dancing lessons will be 

available. 6:30 - 11 p.m. 

Crowne Plaza, 300 North Harbor 

Dr., Redondo Beach. $95 

per person and includes two 

drink tickets and self parking. 

For information and ticket purchase 

visit facebook.com/ 

events/728724743984108/. 

Sunday, April 22 

Walk for Water 

The Samburu Project Walk 

For Water annual fundraising 

event to grow awareness of the 

worldwide water crisis and to 

provide access to clean water 

in Kenya. The Hermosa event 

includes a 4-mile walk or run 

on the Hermosa Beach Strand 

between the Hermosa and 

Manhattan piers. Celebratory 

pancake breakfast at American 

Junkie follows, with entertainment, 

games, raffle and prizes 

for top fundraisers. 8 a.m. 68 

Pier Ave., Hermosa Beach. For 

event info and registration go 

to thesamburuproject.org or 

call (310) 881-7265. 

4th Sunday flea 

Torrance Antique street faire 

features 200+ sellers offering 

antiques, collectibles, vintage 

clothes, jewelry, LP’s, toys, 

tools, plants, home decor and 

more. Rain or shine, free and 

pet friendly. 8 a.m. - 3 p.m. 

1317 Sartori Ave., Torrance. 

(310) 328-6107 or visit torranceantiquefaire.com. 

B


each food 

Everything 

in its place 

by Ryan McDonald 

Blue corn-crusted barramundi at Baran’s 2239 awaits a hungry diner. The restaurant epitomizes the “farm-to-table” trend transforming the South Bay dining 

scene. Photos by David Fairchild 

Baran’s 2239 in Hermosa Beach has become one of the most desirable 

reservations in the South Bay. How do they stay on top? 

On a recent Tuesday evening at Baran’s 2239 in Hermosa Beach, the 

first table to pay their bill was not the first table to be seated, nor 

the second, but the third. Judging by wisps of their conversation, 

they were three friends, one of them in town on business. They were open 

to their server’s suggestions — their first choice of chardonnay was possibly 

more “minerally” than what they had in mind, he told them — and they 

proceeded steadily through wine and shared plates. Altogether, they were 

in the restaurant for barely an hour. 

The first guest to step through Baran’s doors that night, a woman, sat by 

herself at a table near the restaurant’s northwest corner until her male companion 

arrived. They grazed on barramundi and Brussels sprouts at a pace 

closer to snacking than savoring, as though procuring the dishes involved 

nothing more than walking from the sofa to the cupboard. They had arrived 

with the sun still high enough to cut through the marine layer, and they left 

in the dark of a night threatening rain, arms linked and laughing easily. 

Since it opened two years ago, Baran’s has become perhaps the most desirable 

reservation in Hermosa, and has helped define the South Bay’s culinary 

renaissance. Heaps of positive reviews, including this publication’s, 

have praised its inventive menu and warm ambiance. It is now sustained 

by both devoted regulars and a growing number of food pilgrims from other 

parts of California and the nation. Last year, Frank Bruni, a political columnist 

for The New York Times and the paper’s former restaurant critic, 

tweeted, “This place rocks. One of LA area’s best.” Social media fervor ensued. 

The buzzy momentum has relieved the do-or-die-stress of a young 

restaurant, only to replace it with the challenge of seating everyone who 

wants to come. 

Last month, I spent a night observing the cooking, serving, eating and 

drinking that happens at Baran’s in an effort to understand what makes a 

restaurant successful in an industry notorious for thin profit margins and a 

high rate of first-year failures. 

Co-owners Jason and Jonathan Baran and executive chef Tyler Gugliotta, 

also a partner, still exhibit the hunger of a startup, but they are not blind to 

their success. 

“It’s awesome how many people still say they have never heard of us. 

We’re full, but it’s exciting to know how many people still haven’t been 

here,” Jonathan said. 


On the one hand, running a restaurant involves the same sort of calculated 

decisions about timing, inventory and branding as any other business, 

and Baran’s makes them exceptionally well. In an effort to differentiate 

themselves when even vending machines are being touted as “farm-totable,” 

the restaurant recently began a partnership with a Palos Verdes 

Peninsula farm. On the night I was there, the red Russian kale from the 

farm was probably the most frequently ordered dish. 

But, unlike running a warehouse or a factory, much of the critical information 

is a permanent mystery. Consider the non-linear order in which the 

parties on that Tuesday night entered and exited. None of this was evident 

when they set foot in Baran’s. And particularly at a place like Baran’s, asking 

someone how long he or she plans to stay would pierce the veil of romance 

that elevates dining above mere filling up. A meal passed with an 

eye on the clock provides about as much charm as taking a number at a 

deli. 

Running a restaurant is a balance 

between professionalism and 

artfulness; it is part hedgehog, 

part fox. George Orwell’s first 

book, “Down and Out in Paris and 

London,” recounts his time as a 

plongeur in the dining room of a 

haute Paris hotel. To this day it 

provides some of the best journalistic 

descriptions of restaurant 

work: 

“By its nature it comes in rushes 

and cannot be economised. You 

cannot, for instance, grill a steak 

two hours before it is wanted; you 

have to wait till the last moment, 

by which time a mass of other 

work has accumulated, and then 

do it all together, in frantic haste. 

The result is that at meal times 

everyone is doing two men’s 

work, which is impossible without 

noise and quarrelling. Indeed 

the quarrels are a necessary part 

of the process, for the pace would 

never be kept up if everyone did 

not accuse everyone else of idling. 

It was for this reason that during 

the rush hours the whole staff 

raged and cursed like demons.” 

Orwell’s book remains a revealing 

look at how restaurants function 

— many restaurants, that is, 

but not Baran’s. 

The space to be 

It’s a requirement for restaurant 

critics to comment on the oddity 

of Baran’s location, in a strip mall 

on Pacific Coast Highway. A 

writer for LA Weekly began his 

highly favorable 2016 review by remarking 

that, having failed to make 

a reservation on his first attempt to eat there, he found himself admiring 

dinner service from in front of the Purple Haze Smoke Shop to the north, 

and had to settle for Lebanese rotisserie chicken at the joint to the south. 

Jason, Jonathan and Gugliotta say they love the space, and that they did 

not develop the concept for the restaurant until after they saw it was available. 

Like just about everything else at the restaurant, Baran’s appearance 

is the work of its close-knit crew. They either did things themselves, like 

the painting, or they found help through friends and family. Their plumber 

was recommended by Pennywise guitarist Fletcher Dragge. 

The restaurant is laid out east-to-west. A sturdy set of double glass doors 

and large windows face the highway. A sliver of ocean peeks through in 

the distance, over the crest of Fifth Street. A four-stool bar faces the dining 

room and stores wine bottles and glasses. Two- and four-person tables line 

the north and south walls, while a large communal table dominates the 

middle. 

Jason and Jonathan estimate that three-quarters of their business during 

the week comes from reservations, and the figure rises above 90 percent 

on weekends. Seating them all, along with leaving room for the walk-ins, 

can be a dizzying challenge. 

“If someone shows up 15 minutes late it really throws the whole thing 

off,” Jason said. There is the somewhat rare instance, Jason admitted, when 

a no-show works in their favor, as when a table lingers unusually long. But 

trying to predict when this will happen is as dicey as betting on who won’t 

show up at all. “And we’re so small. If someone makes a reservation and 

doesn’t show, it costs a lot.” 

Long before the first table cloth is laid, every restaurant must decide how 

much space to devote to the eating of food, and how much to its preparation. 

In high-rent markets, it is not 

unusual to cram the kitchen into 

as little space as possible, in order 

to allow for a greater number of 

diners up front. Navigating the 

kitchen of a busy South Bay 

restaurant can feel like a spelunking 

expedition: hot, narrow and 

crowded with obstacles. 

Baran’s made a different calculation. 

Gugliotta, who has cooked 

in well-regarded kitchens 

throughout Southern California, 

said Baran’s has a higher ratio of 

kitchen-to-floor space than any 

restaurant he has worked at so far. 

Committing this much square 

footage to the back of the house 

reflects the emerging view of food 

quality that Baran’s embodies. 

Where once fine dining meant 

eating apart from the sweating 

and grunting needed to make it, 

“open kitchens” visible to patrons 

are now common. At Baran’s, the 

kitchen is impossible to hide: the 

sound of the dishwasher’s sidespray 

hose emerges, like a hissing 

snake, during quiet moments in 

the dining room. 

The benefit of the large, open 

kitchen is that it is easier to put 

out the food. The downside is the 

crew is reminded, everyday, of 

how much more business they 

could be doing. 

“That kitchen, we could possibly 

handle another 30 to 40 seats,” 

Gugliotta said. 

Brothers Jonathan and Jason Baran opened the restaurant with executive chef Mise en place 

Tyler Gugliotta in 2016. 

At the rear of Baran’s dining 

room, tucked between the server’s 

kitchen entrance and an oversized chalkboard with illustrations of the beer 

offerings, is a bookcase with glass doors. 

The authors are all chefs, among them Marco Pierre White and Anthony 

Bourdain. White, an Englishman and the youngest chef ever to garner three 

Michelin stars, was the original culinary “bad boy.” He demanded impossible 

hours from sous chefs, stormed into the dining room to rage at difficult 

customers, and bullied to the point of tears a young Gordon Ramsay, now 

host of “Hell’s Kitchen” and a noted restaurant grouch himself. Bourdain 

hosts “Parts Unknown,” on CNN. Along with Orwell, he cites White as an 

influence in his “Kitchen Confidential,” a memoir that pulled open the 

swinging door to the inner sanctum of a chef’s life. Bourdain described a 

world of questionable cleanliness and Dionysian excess, recalling at one 


point how, while cooking at a posh New York restaurant, he dispatched 

Puerto Rican busboys to score heroin. 

It is hard to imagine two personalities who would be more out of place 

at Baran’s. It was 9 p.m. before I saw Jason take a sip of wine, and sheepishly 

at that, when it was offered by a customer who had brought a bottle 

and decanted it at the table. The place is far from dull, but it hums along 

with a quiet functionality. 

Inside the kitchen, the three sous chefs and a dishwasher stand in a rectangle, 

with executive sous chef Corey Cryer in the middle. Cryer eyed the 

progress of each dish. Unlike many restaurants, in which the ticket rail is 

suspended at eye level, Cryer has it at waist level, to the side of a cutting 

board. (This improves sightlines and seemed to encourage eye contact.) 

Each sous chef is constantly announcing what he is doing. Times are called 

out with surprising precision, and most statements begin or end with the 

word “chef.” (“45 seconds on that kale, chef.”) The repetitive, almost mundane 

level of communication evoked the road crew scenes from “Cool 

Hand Luke.” (“Takin’ ‘em off here, boss.”) But it works. I heard no raised 

voices or groans about a finicky order. Good-natured ribbing is constant. 

(“I can see I’m never hanging out with you again, chef.”) Not coincidentally, 

to handle matters like music and temperature, the kitchen has embraced 

Amazon’s virtual assistant, which one activates by addressing as “Alexa.” 

Gugliotta attributed the lack of drama to the work that goes in before a 

customer sets foot in the door. 

“The crew is here prepping for about five hours before service starts. It’s 

all about mise en place, ‘everything is in its place,’ organized,” he said. 

Among the items Baran’s make on-site are the sausage and focaccia 

bread, two things I frequently saw heading out of the kitchen. This level 

of readiness, though, does not come cheaply. Prep time to produce that 

quality of food translates to some 20 hours of wages before the restaurant 

even opens — money that must be paid regardless of whether a single customer 

walks in the door. Along with the ever-present risk of spoilage, it’s 

part of the complex calculus of financing a restaurant. 

This was especially apparent during the restaurant’s first few months, 

which were tough. Whole evenings passed with only a few tables, and 

what visitors they had were often friends or family. But despite the considerable 

pressure to reduce costs, they stayed firm, reflecting the confidence 

they had in their work. 

“We didn’t change the quality. When things are slow, that’s something 

you’ll see a lot of people do, cut back,” Jason said. 

“Actually, we did the opposite,” Gugliotta interjected. “We got nicer stuff. 

We tightened everything up.” 

Time at last 

Both regular customers and employees referred to the “family” atmosphere 

of Baran’s. The word can border on meaningless in the restaurant 

industry, but feels earned here. Along with Jason and Jonathan, their sister 

Jenna works there full time, and their other brother, Jeff, occasionally 

busses tables, as do Jason’s wife and Jonathan’s girlfriend. Gugliotta has 

known Cryer for 20 years, and his other sous chefs for more than a decade. 

The culinary connections stretch across generations. Gugliotta’s father 

worked as a chef, and a family link helps him secure the coveted produce 

of Weiser Family Farms in Tehachapi. The number attached to the restaurant’s 

name, 2239, comes from the Colorado Boulevard address of Jonathan 

and Jason’s grandparents’ Pasadena restaurant, The Brotherton’s Farmhouse, 

which ran for half a century before closing in the ‘80s. 

Growing up in restaurant families has clearly influenced their approach. 

In the little spare time Jonathan has, he teaches restaurant management at 

Rolling Hills Country Day School. The goal of the course, he said, is “opening 

students’ eyes to everything it takes — to the fact that food doesn’t just 

come out.” And although his pupils are middle-schoolers, he acknowledges 

that the rest of the population has plenty to learn. 

“The hospitality industry has such a cloud over it, that, ‘You’re a server 

or a bartender or you’re a cook, that’s a part-time job, it’s not a career.’ And 

I think that’s a misconception. Front of the house, back of the house, 

they’re all careers,” he said. 

Jonathan said that the image of the industry is gradually shifting, something 

he credits to the rise of the celebrity chef, and the bureaucratization 

Barans cont. on page 17 


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Server Chris Shaw is part of a small but dedicated staff. 

Barans cont. from page 14 

of large restaurant groups. But it is also bound up in the increasing scrutiny 

people — especially wealthy people — give to their food. 

When he is on the floor, Jonathan points out features of a dish as he 

drops it off at a table. At first this can seem odd: the food is already there, 

and it is too late to influence the diner’s decision. Seen again and again, 

though, it becomes clear that he is guiding the customer on what to savor, 

the way a museum docent points out little-noticed facets of a painting. 

But even as we obsess more and more about what goes into our mouths, 

fine dining is shedding the aristocratic frills of its haute and haughty past. 

Thirty years ago, at a place with food of Baran’s quality, cooks would don 

toques blanches and the waiters would stalk the floor in white jackets. 

Today, Jonathan and Jason scurry about in black T-shirts. Gugliotta and 

Cryer wear ergonomic aprons they designed themselves. And, critically, 

customers can order chicken wings. 

Behind both of these trends is a breaking down of the physical, socioeconomic 

and, in many restaurants, linguistic barriers that divide the front 

of the house from the back. 

“There’s usually animosity between the two,” said Jason, who has 

worked in restaurants throughout the South Bay. Everything about the way 

Baran’s is set up depends on that not being the case. 

“We all hang out outside of work. And if we need an extra pair of hands, 

everyone is willing to come back and do whatever,” Gugliotta added. 

On a busy evening, this means communication and constant travel between 

the two realms, a stack of small sharing plates always in hand. 

Jonathan went back and forth to the kitchen to explain, in surprising and 

sentimental detail, information he had gleaned from his talk with a table. 

It was a process repeated over and over, but there was still a bit of guesswork 

to be done. 

“Is it a first date? What are they doing here? After the first few bites, I 

get a sense of it,” Jonathan said. “I know how long it takes to make each 

dish. What I have to figure out is how long it’s going to take to eat.” B 


2018 Dining & Entertainment 

Best 

of the Beach 

Independent 

coffee shop 

Java Man 

If you have to meet up with someone in 

Hermosa Beach, and the occasion does not 

call for alcohol, odds are good you’ll meet 

at Java Man. Just blocks from the beach, 

Javaman retains the feel of a bungalow, and 

just about everyone manages to make themselves 

at home. Step inside at 9 a.m. on a 

random weekday, and you will hear people 

talking about their latest venture, reconnecting 

with old friends, and maybe even 

a local journalist conducting an interview. 

They hunker down with a coffee and a 

freshly baked pastry or one of the cafe’s 

much-loved breakfast burritos. But the favorite 

meet-up also does a booming graband-go 

trade. It’s not uncommon to see a 

line snaking out the door as people make 

their way to work, a fitness class, or take a 

break from walking the dog. People often 

make fast friends as they wait for their 

drinks. The baristas crank out a head-spinning 

variety of lattes and various Italianate 

variations. It seems that everyone can agree 

on the best place to get their caffeine fix. 

Java Man 

157 Pier Ave., Hermosa Beach 

(310) 379-7209 

Javamancoffeehouse.com 

>> Runner-up: Hi-Fi Espresso 

227 Pacific Coast Hwy. 

Hermosa Beach 

Hifiespresso.com 

Coffee chain 

Java Man’s Manuel and Jesus. Photo by Ryan McDonald 

Manhattan Beach Starbucks’ Yvette Hernandez, Brandon Reynoso, Bryanna 

Montoya and Autumn Chumley. Photo by Ryan McDonald 

Third generation owner Mickey Mance and Jorge Najera. Photo by Ryan 

McDonald 

Starbucks 

Starbucks has been around since the 

early 1970s, but started to make it big in 

the early 1990s when they brought the vibe 

of European coffee houses to the masses. 

That’s around when the first one in the 

South Bay opened, at the corner of Manhattan 

Beach Boulevard and Highland Avenue. 

It was an instant hit, and its appearance 

became synonymous with the 

increasingly sophisticated (and high-end) 

Beach Cities. Dodger great Mike Piazza 

was pictured at the Starbucks in a Los Angeles 

Times story about athletes living in 

Manhattan. 

Many other Starbucks have popped up 

locally. That first South Bay Starbucks is 

still standing, a testament to the innovation 

and customer service that allows the 

world’s largest coffee purveyor to push 

through “third wave” coffee and retain a 

dedicated following. 

“Monday through Friday, most business 

happens in the morning. But this is really 

a huge weekend store,” said Flavio Jauregui, 

store manager for the Manhattan location. 

People of all ages linger around a Starbucks. 

Earlier this week, with students at 

Mira Costa on Spring Break, the store was 

getting more youth visitors at midday than 

it was used to, Jauregui said. Good weather 

also brings people out. 

Jauregui lives in the area and has managed 

eight different stores in the last two 

years, and said he is happy to be where he 

is. He’s glad that he and his employees get 

to see people come in with their families 

in a good mood, instead of just grumpy 

people muttering “Gimme coffee” on their 

way to work. He speculates that it the proximity 

of the ocean might have something to 

do with it. 

“I like that when you’re feeling overwhelmed, 

you can head down to the Pier 

for a bit and just clear your head,” Jauregui 

said. 

233 Manhattan Beach Blvd. 


(310) 545-2709 

And various other locations 

>> Runner-up: 

Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf 

Various locations 

Deli & 

Sandwiches 

Mickey’s Deli 

This month, Mickey’s Deli will mark 65 

years in Hermosa Beach. They celebrated 

with a nostalgic day of in-the-past prices, 

including 65-cent slices of pizza. But for 

many in the South Bay, Mickey’s holds 

such an unshakeable place in their memory 

that they don’t need a special day to 


Best American 

Contemporary 

Zane’s 

The Bull Pen 

Best Seafood 

Fishbar 

Quality Seafood 

Captain Kidd’s 

Rock’N Fish 

Best Hamburger 

Hennessey's Tavern 

Ercoles 

Best Steak 

over/under $30 

Zane’s 

The Bull Pen 

Best Italian 

Old Venice 

Stars of the Beach are some of the 

most prominent businesses 

in the South Bay. 

In addition to our 

Best of the Beach winners 

The Stars are businesses that are 

very popular with our readers and 

have been awarded the 

Stars of the Beach recognition 

Best 

Outdoor Dining 

Hennessey's Tavern 

Best 

Neighborhood Bar 

Ercoles 

Hennessey’s 

Best Fish & Chips 

Fishbar 

HB Fish 

Captain Kidd’s 

Best Happy Hour 

Zane’s 

Sharkeez 

Best Cocktails 

Ercoles 

Zane’s 

Shark’s Cove 

send them tripping down memory lane. Legions 

of young surfers remember scrounging 

together 25 cents for sauce sandwiches, 

or pieces of fresh-baked bread for a nickel. 

The South Hermosa establishment continues 

to provide old school charm with its 

made-to-order deli sandwiches and Italian 

favorites like pizza and lasagne. It even got 

a boost in recent years when it sold the 

winning California Lottery ticket, netting 

some lucky customer $27 million. That’s a 

lot of sauce sandwiches. 

Mickey’s Deli 

101 Hermosa Ave. 

Hermosa Beach (310) 376-2330 

mickeysdeli.com 

>> Runner-up Neighborhood deli: 

Ashley’s 



(310) 376-6729 

ashleysdeli.com 

>> Runner-up Sandwich shop: 

Jersey Mike’s 

561 N. Pacific Coast Hwy. 

Redondo Beach (310) 374-4900 

jerseymikes.com 

Caterer 

Lisa’s Bon Appetit 

Lisa's Bon Appétit is a standout in event 

production and unique cuisine for nearly 

40 years. Lisa’s offers pickup and delivery 

catering and full-service event catering, 

ranging gracefully along cocktail, buffet 

and family styles. It’s known for its themed 

stations, “chef’s table” service and plated 

dinners. As a side project, Lisa's has organized 

“Txokos,” a “secret” gastronomical society 

with limited ticket sales for each 

event. Txokos meets at various venues 

around greater LA, where executive chef 

Oscar Gonzalez prepares unique eight-to- 

12 course meals, paired with beverages 

from local wineries and breweries. 

Lisa's Bon Appétit Catering & Events 

3535 Lomita Blvd., Suite C., Torrance 

(310) 784-1070 

lisasbonapetit.com 

>> Runner-up: Critic’s Choice Catering 

& Event Production 

2806 Phelan Ln., Redondo Beach 

(310) 545-1144 

criticschoicecatering.com 

Best 

Mexican Food 

Riviera Mexican 

Best Asian Fusion 

W’s China Bistro 

Best Ice Cream 

MB Creamery 

Best New Restaurant 

Tower 12 

Best Sports Bar 


Best Bar Food 


Best Pizza 

Valentino’s 

Best Dance Club 

Strand Bar 

Employees Carlos Sanchez and Gracie Morissette with a freshly baked Italian 

meat lovers pie. Photo by Ryan McDonald 

Pizza 

Paisano’s 

Paisano’s Pizza can provide a filling midday meal, or a rallying point at the end of a long 

night. No matter what time or mood you enter, an authentically New York experience 

awaits. Posters of the New York Dolls and Frank Sinatra’s mugshot deck the walls. A gangster 

movie is likely unfolding on the television screen. And a slice of New York-style pizza, 

thin and eminently foldable, awaits. 

Server Gracie Morissette has been working at Paisano’s for seven years. She had just fin 


ished a 25-day “cleanse” last week, and the 

first thing she ate was a slice of Paisano’s. 

“That’s my prize. I wouldn’t be working 

here if I didn’t think the pizza was great.” 

Paisano’s 



(310) 376-9883 

paisanospizzahb.com 

>> Runner-up: Beach Pizza 

3301 Highland Ave., Manhattan Beach 

(310) 546-5401 

eatbeachpizza.com 

Dance Club 

Chelsea Pub and Lounge 

Chelsea Pub and Lounge turns itself into 

the South Bay’s best dance club on weekend 

nights. The English-style pub is connected 

to the Underground on Hermosa 

Avenue, and boasts an ocean view, craft 

cocktails, and DJ dancing that made one 

online reviewer rave, “DJ was awesome. 

Manager and staff are amazing… Drinks 

are a great price, especially compared to 

most South Bay bars.” Others praised the 

mix of EDM, hip hop, rock and old school 

music. “This is the perfect bar for a beach 

town. The vibe is very down-to-earth and 

casual,” one fan wrote. 

Chelsea Pub and Lounge 

1334 Hermosa Ave., Hermosa Beach 

(310) 937-2598 

chelseapubandlounge.com 

>> Runner-up: The Strand House 

117 Manhattan Beach Blvd., 


(310) 545-7470 

thestrandhousemb.com 

Yogurt Shop 

Yogurtland 

Yogurtland’s teams of “flavorologists,” develop proprietary recipes for more than 80 highly 

customized flavors, from traditional to exotic. Yogurtland also uses quality ingredients – beginning 

with creamy, fresh, pure California milk, free from antibiotics or added hormones. 

Yogurtland 

1570 Rosecrans Ave., Manhattan Beach 

(310) 536-9562 

271 Avenida Del Norte, Redondo Beach 

(310) 944-9572 

yogurt-land.com 

The legendary Jay Leno is a familiar 

face at Comedy and Magic 

Club. 

>> Runner-up: Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt 

2515 Artesia Blvd., Redondo Beach 

(310) 370-4888 

menchies.com 

Comedy 

The Comedy & Magic Club 

For nearly a half-century, owner Mike 

Lacey has brought the hottest national 

headliners to Hermosa Beach, including 

such luminaries as Jay Leno (almost every 

Sunday), Jerry Seinfeld, Garry Shandling, 

Kevin Nealon and Robin Williams. Lacey’s 

formula is simple: know what funny is, and 

respect the comedians,. Comedians have 

long raved about the care and feeding they 

get from Lacey, comparing him favorably 

to LA club proprietors whose approach is 

more, well, coldly businesslike. When the 

club had an occupancy issue before the 

Hermosa City Council, Garry Shandling 

showed up at City Hall to address the council 

and press Lacey’s case. 

The Comedy & Magic Club 


(310) 372-1193 

comedyandmagicclub.com 

>> Runner-up: Pancho’s Restaurant 


(310) 545-6670 

panchosrestaurant.com 


Bo Bridges’ photograph of professional 

volleyball player Angie Akers. 

Art Gallery 

Bo Bridges Gallery 

Bo Bridges introduced a new aesthetic to beach photography when he opened a 

gallery in downtown Hermosa Beach in 2008. Beach photography had long been 

characterized by warmly lit, nostalgia inducing, and neatly framed images of piers, 

volleyball players and surfers. 

Bridges applied his background in shooting extreme sports to finding angles that 

caused his volleyball players and piers to bleed off the page, often with dark ominous 

lighting. Even when he does pretty there is a dreamlike quality that borders 

on the dangerous. Since moving his gallery to downtown Manhattan Beach in 2013, 

Bridges has continued expanding the boundaries of beach photography in the same 

way new chefs have expanded the boundaries of local dining. 

Bo Bridges Gallery 

1108 Manhattan Ave., Manhattan Beach 

(310) 937-3764 

bobridgesgallery.com 

>> Runner-up: Riley Arts Gallery 

1007 Manhattan Ave., 


(310) 372-3681 

rileyartsgallery.com 

that mix, Petroshanoff said. 

“They make a great margarita, and I’m 

picky,” said Keirstin Selvage, a boutique 

owner and stylist in Riviera Village who 

was splitting a mid-afternoon drink with a 

friend. “They don’t make it too sweet, and 

they keep it going.” 

And going, and going – Riviera is likely 

to go through about 25 bottles of tequila a 

week, thanks to the fandom their margaritas 

have gathered. 

“It’s just perfect,” Selvage said. 

Riviera Mexican Grill 

1615 S. Pacific Coast Hwy., 

Redondo Beach 

(310) 540-2501 

rivmex.com 

>> Runner-up: Pancho’s Restaurant 


(310) 545-6670 


Fast-food 

burger 

Margarita 

Riviera Mexican Grill 

Believe it or not, the key to a perfect 

margarita isn’t how special the tequila is. 

“The secret is in the mix,” said bartender 

Ritchi Petroshanoff. 

It’s a simple mix, common to most margarita 

mixes: sugar, lemon and lime juices, 

and water, mixed just right. Just about any 

tequila would make a good margarita with 

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Expires May 31, 2018 

Neighborhood business owner Keirstin Selvage sips a Cadillac Margarita. 

Photo by David Mendez 

$ 7 5 

Rooter Service - Main Line 

Must have clean-out access. Some restrictions may apply. 

Expires May 31, 2018 

Thank You 

For Your 

Vote! 

In-N-Out Burger 

Beaches, palm trees, freeways, In-N-Out 

Burger. Few things are as emblematic of 

Southern California culture as its homegrown, 

family-owned burger chain – save 

for, perhaps, the drive-thru lines wrapping 

around the building, reminiscent of drivetime 

traffic. 

The company’s simple menu (which 

only recently added hot cocoa) and relatively 

low prices have helped ensure that 

the In-N-Out empire will continue its slow 

march across the Western United States, 

In-N-Out Burger 

3801 Inglewood Ave., Redondo Beach 

20150 Hawthorne Blvd., Torrance 

(800) 786-1000 

locations.in-n-out.com 

>> Runner-up: Fatburger 



(310) 316-9205 

Ice Cream 

Parlor 

D E P E N D A B L E • P R O F E S S I O N A L • A F F O R D A B L E 

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M e n t i o n t h i s a d w h e n 

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3 1 0 . 5 4 3 . 2 0 0 1 

2013 

ON CALL 

24 HOURS 

7 DAYS 

Handel’s Homemade Ice 

Cream 

Bridget Gray isn’t personally crazy 

about ice cream, but she’s happy to give 

her kids the occasional sundae. 

“If you’re going to have a treat, you 

might as well go all out,” Gray said. “I 

don’t eat much sugar, but I guess it says a

Siblings Sena and Stirling Gray eat sundaes at Handel’s. Photo by David 

Mendez 

lot if I’m not a sugar fan that I take my kids 

here.” 

Handel’s owner Paul Danylik appreciates 

that testament to the quality of his 

shop’s ice cream. 

“Overall, it comes down to the product… 

we have very good ice cream, and we take 

every step possible to make sure we have 

very good ice cream,” Danylik said. 

That quality (and the year-round sunshine 

in Redondo Beach) have combined to 

make his Handel’s the top performing store 

in the country. 

I can assure you we have the best quality 

available,” Danylik said. “It could be 60 degrees 

out — we’ll have people dressed like 

it’s 20 below, but they’ll still be out here.” 

Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream & Yogurt 



(424) 247-8861 

>> Runner-up: Manhattan Beach 

Creamery 


(310) 372-1155 

mbcreamry.com 

boutique wine shop in October 2001 – 

“probably the worst time we could have 

opened,” Fred said – but the last 16 years 

have led to a dedicated clientele that treats 

the shop like a second home. 

“I don’t think it’s just for the wine; it’s 

for Fred, and the people…this is the closest 

Entertainment cont. on page 25 

Spring Sale...Designer Wool Carpet and Flooring 

• Carpet & Flooring 

• Kitchen & Bathroom Remodeling 

• Design & Construction 

Wine Bar 

Serving the South Bay 

for 38 years! 

Friends of the Vine 

It’s just after 5 p.m. on Tuesday – shortly 

after Friends of the Vine opens – and already 

one of the wine bar’s regulars, Stella, 

is in her usual seat at the corner of the bar. 

“[She’s] the reason we’ve been open this 

long,” owner Fred Eguchi joked. 

Friends of the Vine owners Tracy and 

Fred Eguchi opened the Riviera Village 

Showroom 310-375-4545 

Warehouse 310-523-3648 

www.AmericanCarpetInc.com 

Service is Our Best Product 

23837 Hawthorne Blvd 

Torrance 

1617 Rosecrans Ave 

Gardena 


Sports bar food 

Bartender Kyle Soto prepares for a thirsty Happy Hour crowd. Photo by 

Ryan McDonald 

Tequila Bar & Martini Bar 

Palmilla 

During Happy Hour on a recent Friday 

afternoon, a customer was sipping a cucumber-jalapeño 

martini made with Hendrick’s 

gin. She imbibed slowly, both out of caution 

for its potency, and out of reverence for its 

taste. 

“It’s delicious,” the woman pronounced. 

“Delicious” takes on a whole new meaning 

inside Palmilla, an upscale Mexican 

restaurant that opened on Hermosa Beach’s 

Pier Plaza in fall 2011 and has been packed 

ever since. First-timers rave about the refined 

take on street food classics such as 

tacos and enchiladas. Repeat customers 

warn not to fill up on the warm tortillas and 

honey butter (although you should have at 

least one). Cutting through these pungent 

flavors, and stimulating appetites and conversation, 

are the restaurant’s signature 

cocktails. 

There is a constantly updated list of margaritas. 

And for those who prefer it straight, 

bottles of tequila and mezcal in all shapes 

and sizes line the bar’s back wall. Some, like 

Don Julio 1942, are meant to be savored, not 

downed in a shot. 

Owing to demand from South Bay clientele, 

tequila is just a starting point. Vodka 

and other liquors are liberally incorporated 

by Palmilla’s inventive bartenders. 

The customer sipping the martini recalled 

how, when she came in the restaurant’s 

early days, the restaurant was at the leading 

edge of the cucumber-jalapeño margarita 

trend. Overtime, the restaurant’s bartenders 

adapted it in a variety of ways, including the 

gin-based martini she was then enjoying. 

“I don’t do well with tequila,” the woman 

said with a knowing smile. 

“Ah, me too,” laughed another customer 

at the bar. 

The two were surrounded by tequila, but 

nonetheless, they seemed thoroughly at 

home. 

Palmilla 

39 Pier Ave. 


(310) 374-4440 

palmillarestaurant.com 

>> Runner-up, tequila bar: 

Coyote Cantina 

531 N. Pacific Coast Hwy. 


(310) 376-1066 

coyotecantina.net 

>> Runner-up, martini bar: Mangiamo 



(310) 318-3434 

Mangiamorestaurant.com 

Grunions’ 

“unofficial models” 

Danielle and 

Sharon stand in 

front of the bar’s 

Friday menu 

board. Photo by 

Ryan McDonald 

Female bartender 

Kristina Cordova 


Kristina Cordova has been working at 

Coyote Cantina for almost 16 years. That’s 

a long time in today’s economy, and even 

more uncommon in the restaurant industry. 

What keeps her coming back, she said, is 

the customers. 

“Honestly, I don’t feel like I’m going to 

work. I feel like I’m going to hang out with 

friends or family,” Cordova said. 

Coyote Cantina is “more of a Southwestern 

restaurant,” as opposed to a traditional 

Mexican restaurant, Cordova said. Glancing 

at the menu, one sees less anxiety about 

mixing the novel and the traditional than 

might be found at a more fastidious restaurant. 

The result is that some of the restaurant’s 

favorite dishes are mash-ups, like the 

Mexican lasagne and the brie-and-mango 

quesadilla. For Cordova, what brings it all 

together is the way what comes out of the 

kitchen matches up with what’s behind the 

bar. 

“The menu is unique, with a lot of eclectic 

dishes. And tequila just pairs so well 

with that type of food,” she said. 

Cordova would know. She has to keep 

track of more 100 different types of tequilas 

behind the bar. Her favorite thing to use 

them for, and one of the customers’ favorite 

ways to consume them, is the famed “silver 

lightning” margarita. It’s a double shot of 

100 percent agave tequila, the restaurant’s 

patented margarita mix — “the secret is that 

it’s not as sweet as at a lot of places,” Cordova 

revealed — and a floater of orange 

liqueur. Think of it as a Cadillac margarita 

with a Corvette engine under the hood. 

Whether it’s a night on the town or a 

quick beer before dinner, a good bartender 

makes a good time easier to have. Cordova 

said she appreciates being selected, and 

Grunions 

It’s no longer unusual for bars to have 

great food, but Grunions has been doing it 

since before the word “gastro pub” was on 

everyone’s lips. Take a gander at a copy of 

the printed menu from 1974 that the restaurant 

keeps around. Then as now, the 

cheesesteak was the specialty. And, at 

$10.25, it’s still a bargain. (It definitely got 

beat by the Consumer Price Index.) That’s 

not to say the cheesesteak hasn’t gotten 

some company in the intervening years. 

Regulars will steer you toward the carnitas 

tacos. They are the perfect finger food to accompany 

the restaurant’s highly competitive 

trivia night. And an ever-changing menu of 

daily specials provides enough variety to 

keep things interesting for even the most 

loyal of patrons. 

1501 N. Sepulveda Blvd., 


(310) 545-9910 

grunionssportsbarandgrill.com 

>> Runner-up, North End Bar & Grill 


(310) 379-5379 

northendbar.com 

plans to keep building relationships, one 

drink at a time. 

“We work really hard to make our customers 

feel...they’re not clients. They’re like 

our family, our friends,” she said. 


531 N. Pacific Coast Hwy., 


(310) 376-1066 

>> Runner-up: 

Kathy Doel, Zane’s Restaurant 


(310) 374-7488 

zanesrestaurant.com 

Kristina Cordova holds a Day of 

the Dead-themed bottle of KAH 

Tequila before she whips up another 

of her famed margaritas. 

Photo by Ryan McDonald 


Neighborhood business owner Keirstin Selvage sips a Cadillac Margarita. 

Photo by David Mendez 

Entertainment cont. from page 23 

thing to family and home,” Stella said. “It’s 

that feeling of after work, you come home, 

sit down and have a drink, but you get to do 

that with all of your friends.” 

Friends of The Vine 

Riviera Village Music 

221 Avenida Del Norte, Redondo Beach 

(310) 792-5940 

friendsofhevine.net 

>> Runner-up: Barsha Wines 

and Spirits 

917 N. Sepulveda Blvd., 


(310) 318-9080 

barshawines.com 

Poke 

DJ Black Sheep keeps the lights 

down and energy up. 

DJ 

DJ Black Sheep 

Diego “DJ Black Sheep” Rodriguez holds 

down residencies at Sharkeez, Tower 12 

and American Junkie, and is in talks to add 

a summer gig in the LA area or Vegas. “I 

try to incorporate every genre during my 

sets to keep it fun and unexpected,” he 

said. His 12 years of experience, he said, 

have given him “the ability to adapt to any 

audience they put in front of me.” 

DJ Blacksheep 

>> Runner-up: KC Campbell Vox DJ 

Jus' Poke 

There’s a certain rightness to Jus’ Poke 

winning this category, since they have been 

serving it since the days when most people 

didn’t know what it was and thought the 

name rhymed with “joke.” Folks know otherwise 

now because it has become wildly 

popular, but the first specialist keeps leading 

the pack by a mile. They keep it simple, 

serving six variations of marinated tuna 

with different condiments and greens and 

one tofu version. There are a few, small 

side items and soft drinks, but that’s it. 

And that’s all that needs to be there, because 

their small dining area and patio are 

filled just about any time they’re open. 

Jus’ Poke 

501 N. Pacific Coast Hwy., Redondo 

Beach 

(310) 379-1133 

juspoke.com 

>> Runner-up: Hermosa Beach Fish 

Shop 

Plaza Hermosa 


(310) 372-3480 

thefishshophermosabeach.com 

If daily deals aren’t meeting 

your cosmetic goals, maybe it’s 

time to consider a relationship 

with Celibre. 


Male 

bartender 

Joe Del Riego, 

Shellback Tavern 

There are a select number of professions 

in the world that one might call almost 

spiritual in nature but not in the least bit 

priestly — the taxi or rideshare driver who 

makes new friends nightly, the hairdresser 

who takes your head in his or her hands 

every few months and hears your tales of 

woe, and of course, the bartender at your 

favorite local spot who not only is a reliable 

source of good cheer but can also concoct 

a drink that soothes your very soul. Joe Del 

Riego’s ministry as a bartender has been a 

source of soulful comfort locally for three 

decades, including when he founded the 

Side Door bar in downtown Manhattan 

Beach, later when he further perfected the 

fine art of his martini-making at Mangiamo, 

and finally when he found his natural 

home at the Shellback Tavern. He’s 

been awarded best bartender at every stop 

along the way. Del Riego is a Manhattan 

Beach native who in his youth traveled the 

globe in the U.S. Navy and realized the 

best place in the world was where he 

began. He started bartending after leaving 

the military as a means to get through 

school before realizing it was his calling. 

“I needed to make money while I went 

to school full time,” he said. “It kind of 

seemed like it fit my personality, you 

know? So it started out as a part time thing 

to get through school and figured out what 

I wanted to do. I’ve been doing it over 30 

years now. At some point I said to myself, 

‘You know, this is what I am. I’m not looking 

to do something else. I am a bartender. 

I like meeting people, I like talking to people, 

I like making drinks.” 

Del Riego hopes the Shellback is his last 

stop. “I tell people, this could theoretically 

be my last job,” he said. “I’m 53. If [owner] 

Bob Beverly and Rico, the manager — if 

they keep me around another seven to 10 

years, I could retire from this place.” 

In the meanwhile, not a shift goes by he 

doesn’t feel grateful to be bartending in the 

old heart of his hometown. As far as he’s 

concerned, the Shellback has it all — he 

has a cast of stalwart regulars he’s known 

for years, and an international cast of newcomers 

who arrive nightly, allowing him to 

travel the world from his perch above the 

beach. 

“People fly into LAX from all over the 

world and they say, ‘We want to go see the 

beach.’ Where do they go? Shellback on a 

Friday night,” Del Riego said. “We get IDs 

from all over the world — Asia, lots of Australians, 

Europe. It’s a really good reminder 

of how fortunate I am to still be here. This 

is really a cool place.” 

Joe Del Riego (Shellback) 



(310) 376-7857 

shellbacktavern.com 

>> Runner-up: Mike Benevidez (Ercoles) 


(310) 372-1997 

Joe Del Riego behind the bar at Shellback Tavern. 

Photo by Mark McDermott 

Sports Bar & 

Neighborhood Bar 

Shellback Tavern owner Bob Beverly. Photo by Kevin Cody 


Almost everything changed in Downtown 

Manhattan Beach over the last couple 

decades as the formerly sleepy, little beach 

town became an affluent and even fashionable 

destination. The Shellback abides, as it 

has for 53 years now. Despite occupying one 

of the most valuable pieces of land in Southern 

California, perched just above the pier, 

the Shellback has transcended even its status 

as a local institution; it has become bastion 

of the resistance, a place one can still 

find the ramshackle old soul of Manhattan 

Beach. 

“Something we hear all the time, people 

say that coming in to the Shellback to get a 

beer and to sit back and look at the pier — 

it could be the ‘40s, the ‘50s, or the ‘60s, because 

that view has not changed,” said 

owner Bob Beverly. “It’s when you look the 

other way, that’s where the changes are. It’s 

like the Led Zeppelin song, ‘Look to the 

West’... We try to keep it pretty simple. I always 

figured all businesses are kind of the 

same — offer a decent product at a fair price 

in a friendly environment, and you can’t go 

wrong.” 

Several times over the years big offers 

have come in to buy the Shellback, but to 

Beverly this is about more than money. 

“I’ve lived in Manhattan Beach all my 

life, and most of my employees are from 

Manhattan Beach,” he said. “We just try to 

keep something alive in an ever-changing 

downtown. I’m 65 now, and I’ve tried to 

keep some of what I loved about old Manhattan 

Beach here. We’ve seen the rent skyrocket 

over the last ten years, but people 

keep coming in masses, at new volumes, and we manage to pay the rent. There’s not much 

left over for the owner, but that’s okay.” 

As for winning best sports bar, even the loquacious Beverly was left somewhat speechless. 

But one look out that window to the west shows a little bit of what voters were thinking — 

you don’t have to look at a bank of television sets to see sports, just look to the beach. And 

it’s a place where you just might run into a professional athlete, as Dallas Mavericks owner 

Mark Cuban famously did when he bumped into former Clipper star Blake Griffin at the 

Shellback when he was in the process of trying to steal teammate DeAndre Jordan from 

LA. Who needs a TV? 


126 Manhattan Beach Blvd., Manhattan Beach 

(310) 376-7857 


>> Runner-up: Grunions Sports Bar & Grill 

1501 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Manhattan Beach 

(310) 545-9910 

grunionssportsbarandgrill.com 


Kat Koontz serves 

up two Naughty 

Incredibles at 

Pancho’s. Photo by 

Mark McDermott 

Cocktails 

Pancho’s Restaurant 

Pancho’s victory in this category is a testament to the fact that a cocktail is more than 

what a bartender pours into a glass. The iconic restaurant on the corner of Rosecrans and 

Highland in Manhattan Beach has achieved institutional status locally for a number of reasons 

— its beautiful food, of course, as well as its live music and comedy and a staff that is 

unfailingly friendly and very, very good at what they do. And yes, Pancho’s serves a variety 

of cocktails and serves them well. But let’s not kid ourselves: drinkwise, the margaritas are 

what has put Pancho’s on the map. “It’s a Pancho’s recipe that has not changed in 40 years,” 

said bartender Kat Koontz, who is relatively new to the establishment but inherits a tradition 

a number of legendary bartenders have upheld for decades. 

There are variations, of course, including a delicious jalapeño margarita and the famous 

Naughty Maggie, which contains a shot of Cuervo gold and a float of Grand Marnier. Then 

there is the appropriately named Naughty Incredible, a 42 ounce margarita that will change 

your world. 

But again, these drinks are more than the sum of their parts. It’s about the experience of 

sitting in the restaurant’s unique bar, where regulars are enshrined in the “Boys at the Bar” 

plaque that honors “Big Dave,” who passed away in 1988, and “Duffy,” who passed away 

in 2014. 

“I’ve been coming here 35 years,” said Big John, a fishing buddy of owner Ab Lawrence, 

whose name is also on the plaque. “The food really stands out. The Wednesday night taco 

deal is great. The live music is great. And it’s a great place to have a drink.” 

Pancho’s Restaurant 


(310) 545-6670 


>> Runner-up: North End Bar & Grill 


(310) 379-5379 

northendbar.com 


Live music club 

Citizen Cope playing Saint Rocke. Photo by Veronica Sardo 

Saint Rocke 

There’s something almost mystical about certain rooms that invite the spirit of live music. Plenty of rooms have stages and great 

sound systems and the other technical components meant to make amplified music transcendent; very few have that unnameable 

quality that makes songs come to life. Saint Rocke has it, and locals know it; the Hermosa Beach club founded by Allen Sanford 

has won this award for 10 years running. 

“Creating a good room requires some essential ingredients like sound systems and stages, but a great room is made by vibe and 

culture,” Sanford said. “It’s a room full of songs and 

memories, and each person who comes and creates a 

memory adds to the energy of a room. When I mention 

Saint Rocke in conversation, there is always 

someone with a story — ‘Remember that show? Remember 

this show?’ Over time, that energy contributes 

to the mysticism of a great room.” 

The venue has also been successful because of its 

bookings; its local shows, ranging from reigning local 

rock goddess Kira Lingman to the happily never-ending 

Cubensis jam to the epic appearance of Pennywise, 

are expertly curated. Just as significantly, Saint 

Rocke is the only local club where nationally touring 

bands perform. Bands that rarely play in such intimate 

settings regularly appear at Saint Rocke — last 

month, for example, the truly legendary Lee “Scratch” 

Perry graced the stage. 

“Saint Rocke literally saved live music in the South 

Bay,” Sanford said. “I went to Club Caprice in its waning 

days when I turned 21, and I didn’t see another 

live ticketed show locally until I opened Saint Rocke. 

I love live music, and I love Naja’s and other places 

that do live music, but there is something about seeing 

bands you’ve heard on the radio or grew up listening 

to in person. Saint Rocke has become the de 

facto place for live shows in the South Bay, and I think 

that’s worked for our community… an alternative to 

driving north to see live music.” 

Saint Rocke 

142 Pacific Coast Hwy., Hermosa Beach 

(310) 372-0035 

saintrocke.com 

>> Runner-up: Lighthouse Cafe 


(310) 376-9833 

thelighthousecafe.net 

Wine shop 

wine shop on the corner of Pier Avenue and Monterey Boulevard in Hermosa Beach, has 

reached this status. The shop is a pervasive presence in the larger community, providing wine 

for dozens of charity events each year. The storefront itself has become a community hub, 

particularly with its weekly calendar of events, capped off by its almost legendary Friday 

night gatherings — some featuring winemakers, others focusing on certain regions, and, the 

most popular, wine pairings with Girl Scout Cookies. Uncorked has a wine club with a membership 

of 700 people; tellingly, only five of those members have their wine shipped to them. 

The rest come to the shop. 

“That is how local our business is,” said Kathy Knoll, who co-founded the shop along with 

Jeff Bonafede and Gerry Vasquez. 

Many of those customers don’t need to drive to Uncorked. They can simply take a nice 

stroll for a glass of wine. 

“It’s not cheap to live at the beach,” Bonafede said. “When people come home, they don’t 

want to get back in the car to go somewhere. It’s great to come hang out at Uncorked.” 

Uncorked is reminiscent of the little wine shops that so enliven life in Europe. There is not 

a whiff of pretension in the air, just a genuine love for sharing good wine, and a small staff of 

folks who make a point of learning their customers’ tastes. 

“We are really blessed to have a great staff,” Knoll said. “They are very knowledgeable, and 

they love sharing new discoveries with customers. Our manager, Anjilla, is amazing. People 

come to see different staff members certain days and nights.” 

Customers Debbie Fogel and Melinda Jackman join Uncorked staff members 

Janelle Sanchez, Nancie Hemminger, Jeff Bonafede, and Anjilla Piazza 

in a toast featuring the shop’s very own vintage, Pier Avenue. 

Photo by Mark McDermott 

Uncorked 

The rarest and most rewarding thing that can happen for a business is when it becomes 

both a vital part of a community and a community unto itself. Uncorked, the neighborhood 


Uncorked The Wine Shop 


(424) 247-7117 

uncorkedhermosa.com 

>> Runner-up: Bacchus 


(310) 372-2021 

bacchuswinesla.com

Buying or Selling 

“Since 1992” 

Don Ruane 

Serving the South Bay Beach Cities and beyond 

Office: 310.546.3441 

Cell: 310.643.6363 

Email: Donruane@verizon.net 

DRE#01036347 

Slider stop sliders are almost too cute to eat. Photo by JP Cordero 

Sliders 

Slider Stop 

People love Slider Stop because everything 

about the experience is fun. Little 

sandwiches are served with a dizzying variety 

of flavors, and you can mix and match a 

few and have a varied and interesting lunch. 

When the sliders arrive they’re not only 

tasty, they’re cute. Any time you stop in 

you’ll see people taking pictures to upload 

to their social media. 

American 

BBQ 

Slider Stop 

2315 Artesia Blvd., 


(310) 214-5200 

sliderstop.com 

>> Runner-up: Baja Sharkeez 


(310) 318-0004 

3600 Highland Ave., 


(310) 545-8811 

Sharkeez.com 

Lucille’s 

The hardest thing about dining at Lucille’s 

used to be finding a parking space, 

but since they moved that is less of an 

issue. Instead you have to grapple with 

what to order, since they have a remarkable 

variety of meats and flavors to choose from. 

Their giant smoker holds hundreds of 

pounds of beef and pork ribs, brisket, tritip, 

sausage, and two types of chicken, one 

marinated in cider. You could start at the 

top of the menu and work your way down 

on multiple visits, but the best thing to do 

is get a bunch of friends and family members 

together and order one of their multiitem 

feasts. Bring a lot of people, get a lot 

of food, and pay less than you’d expect – 

it’s Lucille’s recipe for success. 

Lucille’s Smokehouse Bar-B-Que 

21540 Hawthorne Blvd., #401B, 

Torrance 

(310) 370-7427 

lucillesbbq.com 

>> Runner-up: HopSaint Brewing 

Company 

5160 W. 190th St., Torrance 

(310) 214-4677 

hopsaint.com 


New & Eclectic 

Tower 12 

Wait, say some people who haven’t been there. A place on the Pier Plaza has won best 

eclectic restaurant and best new restaurant? Yes it has, and deservedly so. The second floor 

restaurant is decorated like a hangout for an art-loving surfer, and the menu has burgers 

and pizzas like the bars on the block. But there are also American favorites like chicken pot 

pie and braised short ribs, and upscale items like scallop risotto a rich pasta carbonara, 

and real smokehouse barbecue. It’s enticing on the menu and even better in your mouth, a 

measure of how far standards have risen in the area. 

Tower 12 

53 Pier Ave., 


(310) 379-6400 

tower12hb.com 

>> Runner-up, eclectic: Baran’s 2239 

502 Pacific Cst. Hwy.., Hermosa Beach 

(424) 247-8468 

barans2239.com 

>> Runner-up, new: Rabano 

2516 Pacific Coast Hwy, Hermosa Beach 

(310) 318-1998 

rabano.com 

HopSaint partner Christina Oliva. Photo by Brad Jacobson 

(CivicCouch.com) 

Tower 12 owners Ron and Greg Newman, feeling right at home. Photo by 

Brad Jacobson 

Ethnic BBQ & Korean 

Gen server Kassandra Martin with beef brisket. Photo by Brad Jacobson 

Gen 

Gen is Korean for “The Beginning,” and it’s an appropriate name for reasons that the 

founders may not have considered. It is a good place for newcomers to tabletop grilling or 

to Korean food, because they offer a mild version of that cuisine served by fluent and helpful 

servers. It’s also the beginning of a culinary dialog that extends the style to other cultures. 

You can sample meats marinated in Hawaiian teriyaki sauce, Cajun spiced, or just plain 

enjoy natural flavors. Every culture has their variant on grilled meat, and here is where inquisitive 

diners can sample global grilling to their hearts’ content. 

Gen Korean BBQ House 

Crossroads Shopping Center 

24301 Crenshaw Blvd., Torrance >> Runner-up, BBQ: Silvio’s Brazilian BBQ 

(424) 328-0388 


genkoreanbbq.com 

(310) 376-6855 

Silviosbbq.com 

>> Runner-up Korean: The Standing Room Restaurant 


(310) 318-1272 

thestandingroomrestaurant.com 

If the bagels at Manhattan Bread and Bagel are green is must be St. 

Patrick’s day. Photo by Kevin Cody 


East of Sepulveda restaurant 

HopSaint 

190th Street starts at the top of a hill with a view of the ocean and ends at Figueroa in 

downtown Los Angeles. There's only one noteworthy restaurant along its entire length, and 

perhaps that contributes to what makes HopSaint special. All the creativity and culinary 

passion along those many miles is channeled into one place that bursts with energy. Steve 

Roberts and his team offer house-brewed beers alongside quirky but successful takes on 

American roots cooking. There’s a heavy influence of Southern cooking here, but also an 

irreverent experimentalism, and the daily specials show that the innovation keeps coming. 

There’s a great reason to dine east of Sepulveda, and its name is HopSaint. 

HopSaint Brewing Company 


(310) 214-4677 

hopsaint.com 

Bagel shop & Bakery 

>> Runner-up: Barans 2239 

502 Pacific Coast Hwy, Hermosa Beach 

(424) 247-8468 

barans2239.com 

Manhattan Bread and Bagel 

The cult of the bagel has moved around the world. New Yorkers associate them with 

Eastern Europe, Californians associate them with New York, and South Bay residents associate 

them with a strip mall in Manhattan Beach. That‘s where Manhattan Bread & Bagel 

has been baking since 1992, and they’ve developed a loyal following in the ensuing quarter 

century. They have all the popular flavors and doughs, plus handmade spreads so whether 

you like sweet or savory, they have you covered. And if you don’t feel like a bagel, they 

offer artisan breads that include their superb pepper parmesan and a fine whole wheat 

loaf. Whatever you’re looking for that involves bread flour and yeast, look no farther. 

>> Runner-up bakery: Panera 

1511 Hawthorne Blvd, Redondo Beach 

(310) 793-4129 

panerabread.com 

Dessert bakery 

Becker's Bakery 

If your grandfather went to a bakery in the South Bay, it was probably Becker’s. They’ve 

been serving baked goods since the 1940s, and their reputation is as solid as the old brick 

building that houses their ovens. This isn’t the place to go for wild or trendy items, but if 

you appreciate classic baked goods and techniques it’s a destination. South Bay residents 

start salivating as soon as they see the pink bakery box. 

Becker’s Bakery & Deli 


(310) 372-3214 

Beckersbakery and deli.com 

Manhattan Bread & Bagel 

Sepulveda Shopping Center 

1812 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Manhattan Beach 

(310) 545-7553 

manhattanbread.com 

>> Runner-up bagels: Noah’s Bagels 

330 Manhattan Beach Blvd. Manhattan Beach 

(310) 937-2206 

Noahs.com 

>> Runner-up: Torrance Bakery 

1341 El Prado Ave., Torrance 

(310) 320-2722 

torrancebakery.com 

Michael Burstein is a probate and estate planning 

attorney. A graduate of the University of California, 

Hastings College of the Law in 1987, he is admitted 

to the California, Kansas and Oklahoma Bars and 

is a member of the Order of Distinguished Attorneys 

of the Beverly Hills Bar Association. 

As an estate and probate lawyer, Michael has prepared 

approximately 3,000 living trusts and more 

than 4,000 wills. 

An Estate Planning, 

Estate Administration, 

and Probate Attorney 

l Living Trusts 

l Wills 

l Powers of Attorney 

l Asset Protection 

l Veterans Benefits 

l Pet Trusts 

l Advance Health 

Care Directives 

l Insurance Trusts 

l Probate 

l Conservatorships 

l And Much More! 

Call us to schedule an appointment or for our 

FREE Guide: 

Selecting the Best Estate Planning Strategies 

111 North Sepulveda Boulevard, Suite 250 

Manhattan Beach, California 90266 

310-545-7878 


Bar food 

Restaurant hamburger 

Ercoles 

Our winner for bar food has what is almost 

undoubtedly the smallest selection in 

the South Bay. If you like burgers, tacos, or 

hot dogs you’ll be right at home, because 

that’s the whole list. The burgers and tacos 

use meat fresh from Manhattan Meat Market 

next door, and it’s top quality. The portions 

are generous and prices are almost 

comically low, making this a great dinner 

deal even if you don’t have a drink. You 

probably will, and perhaps another one to 

follow it because they’re modestly priced 

and the classic cocktails are well made. It 

will be more trouble deciding what to have 

because the selection is so much larger, but 

that’s a problem you probably won’t mind 

having. 

Ercoles 


(310) 372-1997 

m.mainstreethub.com 

>> Runner-up: Baja Sharkeez 


(310) 318-0004 


(310) 545-8811 

sharkeez.net 

Breakfast omelet 

“Ode to Ercoles,” by Bob White. 

Photo by Kevin Cody 

A burger in name only. 

Chili 

Standing Room 

Our definitions of what a burger is have 

exploded during the last decade. It no longer 

raises an eyebrow when a chef tosses something 

outrageous on top of that beef patty. 

Or maybe it’s a turkey patty, or lamb, 

chicken, veggie, ostrich, or whatever else 

didn’t get out of the way fast enough. You 

can’t stand out on novelty alone, but you can 

on the dexterity with which you combine 

flavors. Many burgers at Standing Room 

have a distinct Asian fusion influence, with 

sweet, spicy, and herbal notes that pair off 

superbly. The standard burgers are formidable 

too. They’re huge, with the thick meat 

patty cooked just as you like it. The Standing 

Room serves much more than burgers, 

but that’s where they built their reputation. 

The Standing Room Restaurant 


(310) 318-1272 

thestandingroomrestaurant.com 

>> Runner-up: Hennessey’s Tavern 


(310) 372-5759 



(310) 546-4813 

1712 S. Catalina Ave., Redondo Beach 

(310) 540-8443 

hennesseystavern.com 

At Martha’s, it’s all about presentation. Photo by Chelsea Schreiber 

Martha's 

Could it be that the omelets at Martha’s 

taste a little better because of the ocean 

breeze, or perhaps their sunny patio or 

homey interior? We don’t know, but we suspect 

that there’s at least some effect. Perhaps 

the cooks and servers are a bit more 

inspired to do their best by their environment. 

Either way the egg pancakes are unusually 

light and fluffy, the fillings fresh and 

flavorful, and the hash browns on the side 

show up with the right balance of crisp and 

soft. An omelet here is a full meal, and 


based on the number of bicycles parked 

here any time they’re open, a lot of patrons 

are working them off as soon as they depart. 

Martha’s 22nd St. Grill 

25 22nd St., Hermosa Beach 

(310) 376-7786 

>> Runner-up: Eat at Joe’s 

400 N. Pacific Coast Hwy., Redondo 


(310) 376-9570 

originaleatatjoes.com 

HopSaint 

We hope you get hungry for chili only once a week, because that’s how often 

HopSaint serves it. Orders start coming out of the kitchen on Sunday at noon, and it lasts 

until it’s gone. On rare occasions they have some left over which they serve on Monday, 

but don’t count on it. This is so good, the long-simmered stew accented by smoky shreds 

and chunks of the burnt ends of meat from their barbecue. It’s served in a hot skillet topped 

with chopped purple onion, a dollop of sour cream and decorative cilantro leaf. On the 

side is the best, corniest cornbread you’ve ever had. It’s worth putting a recurring reminder 

in your phone’s calendar that tells you to head to HopSaint on Sunday for the best chili this 

side of Texas – any maybe there. 



(310) 214-4677 

hopsaint.com 

>> Runner-up: Good Stuff 

1286 The Strand, Hermosa Beach 

(310) 374-2334 

1617 S. Pacific Coast Hwy. Ste. 102 Redondo Beach 

(310) 316-0262 

131 W. Grand Ave., C, El Segundo 

(310) 647-9997 

Promenade On The Peninsula, 

550 Deep Valley Dr., #151, Rolling Hills Estates 

(310) 544-8000 

EatGoodStuff.com

Brewery 

King Harbor Brewing Company’s Tom Dunbabin, Phil McDaniel and Will 

Daines at their Redondo Brewery. Photo by Brad Jacobson 

(CivicCouch.com) 

King Harbor Brewing Company 

The South Bay is awash in really good beer. Beginning with the OG legends Strand Brewing 

and El Segundo Brewing nearly a decade ago, the area became an epicenter for the craft 

beer revolution that subsequently swept the country. King Harbor Brewing Company arrived 

on the scene exactly four years ago. Their taprooms at the brewery in North Redondo and 

on the International Boardwalk in King Harbor developed a vibrant social scene to go along 

with their extraordinarily companionable beers, such as The Quest, Swirly, and Abel Brown. 

“It’s more about the experience than just the beer,” said Tom Dunbabin, who co-founded 

KHBC with Will Daines and master brewer Phil McDaniel. “We are all about the quality 

of the beer. But we never wanted it to be about getting a beer and sitting by yourself. Drinking 

that beer should be part of hanging out after surfing the Cove all day, or hitting the golf 

course, and sitting down and talking about it with your friends…. Ultimately the most important 

things are: is the beer delicious, and are you having a good time? If those two boxes 

are checked off that’s all that really matters.” 

KHBC found the right brewer to carry out this vision. McDaniel has an all-star resume. 

He attended the Siebel Institute of Technology in Chicago and Munich, then worked as a 

shift brewer at industry-leading Stone Brewing and then became the lead brewer at Bruery. 

McDaniel has pushed the boundaries on just how fun a beer can be. Their Tiki Hut IPA 

has become popular as a tap handle throughout the South Bay, and their take on a Mexican 

lager, Cerveza Hermosa, is an historical revelation. “Growing up in Southern California, 

Mexican beer was a staple — crack open a Negra Modelo and instantly it's like going on a 

trip to Baja. That’s what we wanted to do. Our take on it was really to investigate the style 

— those Mexican beers were German, Austrian, and Czech lagers brought over more than 

200 years ago. Mexican beers later became big corporate beers, and they cut some corners 

for profit. We took it back to its roots and made a dark Mexican lager and named it after 

our favorite beach town, Cerveza Hermosa.” 

KHBC just keeps becoming more companionable, last year launching a canning operation, 

which means you can now take their beer to the beach, to the golf course, or for a sail out 

of King Harbor. It’s also about to be distributed in chains, including Whole Foods and Vons, 

and in beloved local liquor stores such as Oceanview. 

“Every business starts off with an idea, then sees what works and change what doesn’t,” 

Dunbabin said. “When we started, the main thing was doing something awesome in the 

South Bay. That is the one thing we’ve really stuck to, and we’ve constantly been trying to 

find ways to do it better. We are excited to be voted best local brewery again; it sort of reinforces 

that we are doing the right things.” 

King Harbor Brewery Company 

2907 182nd St., Redondo Beach 

(310) 542-8657 

kingharborbrewing.com 

>> Runner-up: El Segundo Brewery Company 

140 Main St., El Segundo 

(310) 529-3882 

elsegundobrewing.com 


Craft beer establishment 

Steak under $30 

The Bull Pen 

For decades, The Bull Pen has been as renowned for its steaks, in a variety of cuts, as it 

is for its “world-famous” burgers. “The quality of the meat is what he prided himself in,” 

said Josh Miner of his grandfather Cliff, the Bull Pen’s original owner. “It’s why we don’t 

do too much, as far as seasoning… we want the steak to stand out by itself.” 

In 2018, the Bull Pen will celebrate its 70th year. “We’re just an old-school steakhouse, 

with three generations of clientele,” Miner said. 

Bull Pen 

314 Ave., I, Redondo Beach 

(310) 375-7797 

bullpenredondo.com 

HopSaint brewmaster Brian Brewer. Photo by Brad Jacobson 


HopSaint co-founder Steve Roberts was 

hip to craft beer long before it was even 

called craft beer. When he started Cafe 

Boogaloo in the mid-‘90s, most small independent 

breweries didn’t distribute beyond 

their own towns. So Roberts hopped in his 

truck and drove to the breweries. His tap 

handles in 1996 — which included the truly 

legendary Pliny the Elder — would still look 

like expert curation in 2018. But Roberts, 

being who he is (visionary isn’t too strong 

of a word), didn’t stop there. HopSaint took 

things to another level entirely. Its food is, 

of course, spectacular — smoked BBQ and 

other Southern-tinged flavors with an authenticity 

the South Bay has never seen before, 

all of which of course pairs beautifully 

with good beer. And this is where HopSaint 

has truly set a new standard. Co-founder 

Brian Brewer is flat out one of the best 

brewers on the planet. In the coffee world, 

it’s called the Third Wave: first there was 

Folgers, then Starbucks, and now a host of 

small roasteries have taken the art to a level 

akin to fine wines. 

HopSaint represents the Third Wave of 

brewing. Brewer’s beers have a level of delicacy 

and detail capable of involving a beer 

palate entirely. Brewer said the trick is to 

adhere to traditional, time-tested brewing 

methods for different styles of beers while 

still being innovative and at the same time 

staying true to HopSaint’s ethos — which 

is all about finding the best ingredients. 

Liquor Store 

BevMo 

It’s not complicated to explain why one 

of the biggest corporate beverage outfits won 

Best of the Beach, even in a community that 

embraces its mom and pops shops. BevMo 

offers more than 3,000 types of wines, 1,500 

“We see that as a challenge, doing something 

new and still adhering to the flavor 

profiles we like,” Brewer said. “We want a 

lot of flavor in our beer, and we want it distinct 

and clean… We don’t want any brash, 

off flavors.” 

The HopSaint Pure Intention Pale is a 

model of clean, sharp flavor, while newer 

brews, such as the Kickstart My Tart is a 

wheat beer in the style of Berliner Weiss, 

but re-fermented with raspberry and two 

types of cherries. Always on the cutting 

edge, Brewer’s Don’t Cryo ‘Bout It IPA uses 

newly developed cryogenically processed 

Simcoe and Amarillo hops, resulting in a 

beer that is nothing short of elegant. 

“He is so good at what he does,” said 

Roberts. “It’s where the bar is set now, as 

far as I’m concerned — I’m not trying to 

brag about it, but I’ve been wanting to do 

this a really long time, and to have a brewer 

as good as Brian makes it all possible. He 

pays attention to all the details, all the little 

things, and that is why his beers are so 

good.” 



(310) 214-4677 

hopsaint.com 

>> Runner-up: Tower 12 


(310) 379-6400 

tower12hb.com 

types of spirits, and 1,200 types of beers. 

They were pioneers in the liquor megastore 

business, and added the innovation of having 

their own wine curator, Wilfred Wong, 

a wine writer and industry analyst who 

tastes 8,000 bottles a year (that’s 40 a day). 

He’s become the corporate equivalent of 

Mexican under $30 


Coyote Cantina’s Mexican food is far from traditional fare. “The menu is very different… 

it’s more southwestern, with a southwestern Tex-Mex spin on all of our dishes,” said manager 

Kristina Cordova. There’s the Mexican Lasagna: triple-layered pasta stuffed with ground 

turkey, corn, black beans and ricotta cheese. Coyote Cantina also has a seafaring spin on 

enchiladas, wrapping crab and Maine lobster in corn tortillas, topped with tomatillo salsa 

and lime sour cream. 

“We’re very much a word of mouth kind of place,” Cordova said. “Which is great – we 

love the recommendations from people that come in and tell their friends to come, it’s really 

cool.” 


531 N. Pacific Coast Hwy., Redondo Beach 

(310) 376-1066 


Robert Parker, giving wines his own ratings 

and identifying overlooked gems. 

"He is not a shill,” Robert Smiley, the director 

of Wine Studies at UC Davis, told the 

LA Times. “He knows what he’s talking 

about when it comes to wine.” 

>> Runner-up: Shellback Tavern 



(310) 376-7857 


Bullpen steak. 

>> Runner-up: El Burrito Jr. 

919 S. Pacific Coast Hwy., Redondo Beach 

(310) 316-5058 

21141 Hawthorne Blvd., Torrance 

(310) 944-9200 

BevMo Redondo 

Beach sales associate 

Jeff Pedersen, 

manager 

Justin Johnson and 

assistant manager 

Steve Sandoval. 

Photo by 

David Mendez 

BevMo! 

bevmo.com 

>> Runner-up: Roberts Liquor 


(310) 372-8200 


Original Band 

Andy and Renee and Hard Rain. Photo courtesy Andy and Renee 

Andy and Renee 

It’s become axiomatic that one must put in 10,000 hours to master any craft. Andy Hill 

and Renee Safier have probably doubled or tripled that number just as musicians and songwriters, 

but they’ve also put their time in on stage. They’ve been playing together since 

1986 and — along with their band, Hard Rain — have become one of the South Bay’s musical 

treasures. Their set list features 466 songs, including originals from their 16 albums 

and well-picked songs from the Americana/folk/rock ‘roll songbook. Combine that with a 

33-year musical marriage, and you’ve got the ingredients for a walloping good show each 

night Andy and Renee take the stage. 

“There are two benefits [of their long collaboration], one musical and one completely 

out of left field,” Hill said. “The musical benefit is the sheer number of songs we know 

how to play...Each gig uses 25 to 35 songs, so now we could do 10 nights in a row and not 

repeat a single song if we had to. The benefit that is unexpected is when you stay together 

a long time as a band, social groups form around you. You meet new people and those new 

people meet new people and they come to your shows, and become friends with more people, 

and then you’ve got a sizable number of folks who have gotten to know us and gotten 

to know each other.” 

It’s like a moveable musical feast, epitomized by the star-studded but almost family-like 

annual gathering that Andy and Renee have assembled called Dylanfest. Its 28th iteration 

is May 6. 

“Everybody makes a special effort to come to Dylanfest, some from out of the state or 

even out of the country,” Hill said. “There’s a real emotional and a little bit of a spiritual 

quality in getting all these people together in the same room and realizing as we look out 

over the audience that this is a gift music gave to us, without us asking or planning for it… 

. All these like-minded, generous, fun loving, life-embracing, celebratory folks.” 

The show goes on weekly as well, of course, every Friday at Ports of Call in San Pedro, 

and frequent Wednesdays at Chez Melange in Redondo Beach, where Andy and Renee can 

also be found at Orlando’s occasionally. 

Andy & Renee-Hard Rain 

(310) 346-9383 

andyandrenee.com 

>> Runner-up: Feed the Kitty 

feedthekitty.com 

Manhattan Meats, Inc 

Gourmet Meat & Seafood 

Our quality meats surpass any other for the best price around. 

Always the freshest foods to enjoy! 

1111 Manhattan Ave., Manhattan Beach, CA 90266 (310) 372-5406 


Breakfast Muffin 

Servers 

Good Stuff server Gaby Donato, with a Coconut Pineapple muffin 

Good Stuff 

There’s no one muffin to single out at 

Good Stuff. The muffin menu at each 

restaurant seems to vary by the whims of 

the management, but that’s part of the 

charm. 

“It depends on the suggestions we get,” 

Athena Marin, the manager of Good Stuff 

Redondo Beach, said. “Some days, I’ll ask 

if we can do an Oreo Banana muffin, and 

we’ll have it the next morning. We always 

switch it up.” 

The combinations can sound odd, but 

work. Take, for instance, the coconut 

pineapple muffin. The exterior is chewy, 

with a slight crunch along the sharper 

edges, while the interior is soft, moist and 

gently sweet, with small chunks of pineapple 

throughout. Served warm with a pat of 

whipped butter on the side, it was reminiscent 

of the best aspects of a vanilla wafer. 

The holidays can see even stranger combinations, 

such as St. Patrick’s Day’s cantaloupe-flavored 

green muffin. 

“It sounds different, but it was good, and 

very sweet,” Marin said. 

Good Stuff 

1286 The Strand, Hermosa Beach 

(310) 374-2334 

1617 S. Pacific Coast Hwy. Ste. 102 


(310) 316-0262 

131 W. Grand Ave., C, El Segundo 

(310) 647-9997 

Promenade On The Peninsula, 

550 Deep Valley Dr., #151 

Rolling Hills Estates 

(310) 544-8000 

EatGoodStuff.com 

>> Runner-up: The Kettle 


(310) 545-8511 

thekettle.net 

Contemporary American 

Good Stuff 

Good Stuff’s roots trace back to a burger stand in West LA, and have spread to the South 

Bay, where its menu has evolved with the increasingly health conscious local residents. The 

menu has a variety of Blue Zones-inspired options, as well as flavorful wraps, bowls, salads 

and entrees that range well beyond what you’d expect for beach-side fare. 

Burgers are still an option, but even those options have evolved. The traditional burger 

hangs out alongside a Guacamole and Green Chile burger and a gluten-free veggie burger. 

Good Stuff 

EatGoodStuff.com 

>> Runner-up: HopSaint Brewing Company 


(310) 214-4677 

hopsaint.com 

Good Stuff Palos Verdes servers Hannah Saint and Tadeo Gonzalez. Photos 

courtesy of Good Stuff 

Hannah Saint, 

Tadeo Gonzalez 

Good Stuff Palos Verdes 

“They’re customer oriented, they’re very 

accommodating, and they’re comfortable in 

what they do. They both have a great sense 

of reading customers, knowing how much 

they want to be engaged,” Good Stuff owner 

Cris Bennett said of servers Hannah Saint 

and Tadeo Gonzalez. He said the two exemplify 

the Good Stuff ideal, with friendly 

smiles and “the ability to multitask,” allowing 

them to stay calm and comfortable even 

Bowls 

Paradise Bowls 

With locations just off the beach in both 

Manhattan and Hermosa, Paradise Bowls’ 

superfruit bowls and smoothies are a hit 

among beach goers and particularly the fitness 

minded. Acai, pitaya and bee pollen 

are popular ingredients, alongside more 

common berries and citrus fruits. 

“We’re a family-owned business, so we 

see plenty of family, friends and regulars,” 

said manager Rachel Quane. “But summer 

is our busiest time… the line will go out 

the door. 

“People order, go to the beach for an 

hour, come back and enjoy their bowl,” 

Quane said. 

Paradise Bowls 


(310) 374-5284 


(310) 798-7100 

Paradisebowls.com 

>> Runner-up: Rabano 

2516 Pacific Coast Hwy. 


(310) 318-1998 

rabano.co 

when the heat is on. 

>> Runner-up: Stephanie Hawks 

(Rock’ N Fish) 



(310) 379-9900 

Rocknfishmb.com 

>> Runner-up: Phil Baranchik (The 

Strand House) 



(310) 545-7470 


Crepes 

Creme de la Crepe 

While Creme de la Crepe has spread 

across Southern California, opening outlets 

as far south as San Diego, the Hermosa 

Beach-born restaurant is still the crepe king 

of the Beach Cities. 

Creme de la Crepe offers 38 varieties of 

fruit-filled breakfast crepes, decadent 

dessert crepes and savory crepes from 

morning to evening. The rest of the menu 

is filled out with waffles and quiches, sandwiches 

and salads, and house-special entrees. 

Creme de la Crepes 


(310) 937-2822 

1708-½ S. Catalina Ave. 


(310) 540-8811 

Cremedelacrepe.com 

>> Runner-up: Yellow Vase 

1805 S. Catalina Ave., Redondo Beach 

(310) 373-0013 

31248 Palos Verdes Dr. West 

Rancho Palos Verdes 

(310) 377-8813 

yellowvase.com 


Chinese 

Farm to table 

French/ 

Continental 

PF Chang's 

We’re more interested in bright, accessible 

flavors than obsessive authenticity in 

the South Bay, which is why the Chinese 

restaurant co-founded by a steakhouse 

owner gets the nod. Paul Fleming of Fleming’s 

Steakhouse liked Chinese food and 

teamed with a famous restaurateur to help 

create modern Chinese fusion, and they are 

credited with creating some dishes and introducing 

Americans to others like Dan 

Dan Noodles. Their culinary creations 

range widely, with some dishes showing 

distinct Thai, Vietnamese, and Japanese influences. 

Every dish has recognizable Chinese 

heritage, and that’s the way the world 

eats Chinese food now. 

Hook & Plow 

The name says it, the menu promises it, 

and the kitchen delivers. The cooking here 

is all about subtly accenting the flavors of 

top quality produce, and they blend raw 

and cooked ingredients with skill and flair. 

A few items are always on the menu because 

things like furikake-dusted french 

fries and beer-braised pulled pork aren’t 

seasonal. But there are frequent surprise 

offerings that take advantage of seasonal 

produce. The next time someone says there 

aren’t actual seasons in California you 

might take them here, because they can 

learn about the flavors of whatever is in the 

market right now. 

Hook & Plow 


(310) 937-5909 

thehookandplow.com 


Company 


(310) 214-4677 

hopsaint.com 

Dominique's 

Chef Dominique Theval is the South 

Bay’s French treasure, a renowned culinarian 

who cooked in France and Asia before 

settling in Redondo. Nobody would have 

been surprised if someone with his resume 

had turned out ultra-fancy and fussy dinners 

with stratospheric price tags. Instead 

he has championed country French ideas 

with Californian and Italian accents, and 

the prices are moderate. Most main courses 

Entertainment cont. on page 39 

PF Chang’s China Bistro 

2041 Rosecrans Ave., Ste#120 

El Segundo 

(310) 607-9062 

3525 W. Carson St. R7 #166, Torrance 

(310) 793-0590 

Pfchangs.com 

>> Runner-up: Bobo Chinese Deli 


(310) 546-3859 

Restaurant 

dessert 

Old Venice 

Everybody likes dessert, but there’s a 

special joy when you eat it as the Italians 

do. Don’t wait until after dinner, when 

your taste buds have already had a workout. 

The afternoon is a perfect time for 

espresso and dolci, like crisp, freshly made 

cannoli or a rich tiramisu that has the right 

balance of chocolate, liqueur, and sweetness. 

Old Venice will be happy to cater to 

your cravings with both Italian desserts 

and crisp Greek baklava or creamy rice 

pudding. Those who are watching the calories 

can enjoy gelato or other treats. They 

serve all of those and more at dinner too, 

but there’s something so decadent about 

eating this while the sun is high in the sky. 

Old Venice 


(310) 376-0242 

oldveniceonline.com 

1001 Manhattan Ave. • Downtown Manhattan Beach 

Reservations Recommended • (310) 376-0242 

www.oldveniceonline.com 

>> Runner-up: Cheesecake Factory 

605 N. Harbor Drive, Redondo Beach 

(310) 376-0466 

thecheesecakefactory.com 


Southern / Cajun 

Stephen Domingue announces Ragin Cajun’s return to Hermosa during the 

St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Photo by Kevin Cody 

Original Ragin Cajun 

They’re back in Hermosa, and back at 

the top of our poll. Stephen Domingue has 

been an ambassador for the authentic flavors 

and hospitality of Western Louisiana 

since 1992, and along with his sister Jeanine 

they keep the place authentic. The Southern 

roadhouse on Pier Avenue is where most of 

us first tried this richly flavored cuisine. Try 

their famous gumbolaya, étouffée, a thick 

and juicy blackened ribeye… heck try 

Happy Hour 

Tower 12 

Some places that offer a happy hour give 

with one hand and take with the other – 

the prices are lower on a few items, but the 

portions are smaller. Tower 12 is different, 

offering the same generous portions on 

most of their starters and full pours at less 

than full price. You can easily make a meal 

on these, and it will be a delightful one. If 

the low prices aren’t enough to get you to 

schedule a visit between 3 and 6 p.m. Monday 

through Friday, consider this: there 

will probably be no wait for a table, which 

won’t be the case later. 

Tower 12 


(310) 379-6400 

tower12hb.com 

>> Runner-up: Coyote Cantina 

531 N. Pacific Coast Hwy., 


(310) 376-1066 



everything, because it’s all good. 

Original Ragin Cajun 


(310) 376-7878 

ragincajun.com 


Company 


(310) 214-4677 

hopsaint.com 

Italian 

Bottle Inn Hermosa 

A change in ownership last year hasn’t 

done a thing to dim locals’ enthusiasm for 

the original Bottle Inn Hermosa. On the 

contrary, there are rave reviews for the updated 

look at the same time as there is relief 

that the award-winning cuisine didn’t 

change much. There are a few new items, 

but the bedrock of the menu is still the sophisticated 

versions of pastas, risottos, and 

other classic dishes. Both decor and food 

were modernized just enough not to alienate 

old fans while attracting a new audience 

The Bottle Inn Hermosa 

26 22nd St., Hermosa Beach 

(310) 376-9595 

thebottleinnhermosa.com 

>> Runner-up: North Italia 

840 S. Sepulveda Blvd., #110, 

El Segundo 

(310) 469-7695 

northitaliarestaurant.com 

Seafood (other than sushi) & 

Specialty Salad & Seafood Soup 

Hermosa Beach Fish Shop 

Hermosa Beach Fish Shop can do no 

wrong when it comes to all things seafood. 

Our readers voted them tops when it comes 

to fish restaurant in general, seafood soup in 

particular, and also for specialty salad because 

their grilled fish over a salad is a 

hugely popular item. Fish Shop’s strategy is 

to put fish in just about everything but the 

beer, and if somebody starts making a 

salmon ale this is where we might expect to 

see it first. They go beyond other local 

places in variety, serving three different 

soups alongside a velvety clam chowder. 

Their seafood chowder with sausage is 

smooth, rich, and satisfying, and the fish 

shop stew – cioppino by another name -- is 

about tomato broth goodness with seafood, 

celery, scallion, and a pinch of red pepper. 

At least a dozen kinds of fresh fish and shellfish 

are available, and you can get them in 

stews, soups, tacos, sandwiches, salads, raw, 

fried, in ceviche, or grilled. 

Hermosa Beach Fish Shop 


(310) 372-3480 

thefishshophermosabeach.com 

The Hermosa Fish Shop crew. 

Outdoor dining & Best View 

Strand House 

The Strand House has a fantastic view of 

the ocean from almost every table, but a few 

people each night enjoy it from a unique 

perspective: the three or four tables perched 

on the outside balcony. They get to enjoy the 

ocean breeze, or for the few weeks of winter 

we get, they bundle up against it. It has to 

be worth it even if you have to wear gloves 

and a scarf, the better to contrast untamed 

nature and the ultimate civilized dining experience 

in the area. To watch the sunset 

from this vantage point makes you feel like 

>> Runner-up Seafood: Bluewater Grill 

Seafood Restaurant 

665 N. Harbor Dr., Redondo Beach 

(310) 318-3474 

bluewatergrill.com 

Thai / Southeast Asian 

Phuket Thai 

Even in the fast-moving South Bay restaurant 

scene some things don’t change. Phuket 

Thai has won or been a close second in this 

category for over a decade. It certainly isn’t 

their location, which is in a nondescript 

multi-use building and lacks the gaudy architecture 

of Southeast Asia. Their curries 

have the characteristic Thai balance between 

heat, tartness, herbal fragrance, and 

richness, their salads burst with citrus, 

basil, garlic, and freshness. Thai cooking has 

changed the way Americans perceive flavor, 

>> Runner-up salad: Good Stuff 

and Phuket Thai leads the way in the South 

Bay. 

Phuket Thai Restaurant 

901 N. Pacific Coast Hwy., 100 B 


(310) 374-9598 

phuketthairedondobeachca.com 

>> Runner-up: Bamboo Thai Bistro 

2208 Artesia Blvd., Redondo Beach 

(310) 798-4618 

bamboothaibistro.com 

the luckiest person in the world, and in that 

moment, it’s just possible you are. 

The Strand House 

117 Manhattan Beach Blvd., Manhattan 


(310) 545-7470 


>> Runner-up: Blue Water Grill 

665 N. Harbor Dr., Redondo Beach 

(310) 318-3474 

bluewatergrill.com

Entertainment cont. from page 37 

on his menu are less than twenty-five 

bucks, which is amazingly moderate for 

this level of cooking. Dominique’s is the 

place locals go when they decide they deserve 

to treat themselves and those they 

love, and our area is better for it. 

Dominique’s Kitchen 

522 S. Pacific Coast Hwy. 


(424) 247-9054 

dominiqueskitchen.com 

>> Runner-up: Creme de la Crepes 


(310) 937-2822 

1708-½ S. Catalina Ave., Redondo 


(310) 540-8811 

Cremedelacrepe.com 

Indian 

Addi's Tandoor 

The cuisine of Goa, a former Portuguese 

colony in India, has been coming into the 

spotlight over the last few years, because 

the Mediterranean-Indian fusion style is 

unique. We in the South Bay can proudly 

say we were first in the LA area to support 

it, because we’ve been dining at Addi’s 

Tandoor for 15 years. The flavors of Goa 

shine here, particularly the delicate seafood 

curries enlivened with spices and cooled 

with coconut milk. This is one of the few 

parts of India where beef is eaten, and you 

can get it with the famously spicy vindaloo 

sauce that was invented in this region. 

Even if you don’t know much about Indian 

food, you can sense that something different 

and interesting is going on at Addi’s. 

Addi’s Tandoor 

800 Torrance Blvd., #101 


(310) 540-1616 

addistandoor.com 

>> Runner-up: Bombay Tandoori 

5713 4111,CA-1, Torrance 

(310) 303-3185 

bombaytandooriandbanquet.com 

Mexican 

(over $30) & 

Sunday Brunch 

Palmilla 

The interior is startling, unlike any Mexican 

restaurant you’ve seen before, and 

that’s appropriate. It sets your expectations 

higher, and those expectations are met. 


summercamps 

uCAMPS & SCHOOLS FOR SUMMER FUN 

AdventureCamp 

Begins April 9 

w Annually voted the best "Kids Land Camp" in the South Bay, AdventureCamp at 

AdventurePlex allows kids to do what they love: have fun! It offers a variety of 

healthy, heart-pounding activities for kids to enjoy, like a five-level play structure, 

ropes course, rock wall and sports court. What's more, campers are also treated 

to fully chaperoned field trips to destinations like amusement parks and the beach. 

Younger campers, ages 4-5, enjoy camp programming tailored to their interests 

and needs, with activities ranging from instructor-led yoga and movement classes 

to an inflatable obstacle course and trips to the park. All activities are led by CPR 

and first aid-certified staff. 

(310) 546-7708 

Adventureplex.org 

Palmilla’s atmosphere immediately raises expectations. 

Palmilla serves Mexican food with mellow 

but flavorful sauces that enhance quality ingredients 

like fresh seafood and prime beef. 

It’s almost counterintuitive that this works, 

since our expectations are so different, but 

once you try items like the ceviches, achiote 

salmon, or slow-braised short ribs the wisdom 

of the strategy is clear. They offer premium 

tequilas and cocktails to wash it all 

down, making this your place to go for Mexican 

food with high style. 

Mediterranean /Middle Eastern 

& Rotisserie Chicken 

Palmilla Cocina y Tequila 


(310) 374-4440 

palmillarestaurant.com 

>> Runner-up: Ortega 120 

1814 S. Pacific Coast Hwy., Redondo 


(310) 792-4120 

ortega120.com 

Poulet de Jour 

We would like to inform our readers that 

people in the Middle East eat things other 

than roast chicken. We feel that this is necessary 

because the same two restaurants 

won in both of those categories, which we 

don’t think has ever happened before. The 

chicken at Poulet du Jour is of course worthy 

of the win, juicy inside with a crisp 

herb-rubbed skin that has just the right 

amount of give when you bite into it. It’s fall 

off the bone tender, and fantastic with or 

without their lethal creamy garlic sauce. 

Share a whole bird or order a half, or even 

a chicken sandwich, and enjoy the rice pilaf 

and salad that come with it, but spare a 

thought for the delicious falafel, regular or 

spicy hummus, and the delicious fried cauliflower. 

This is simple but perfect Mediterranean 

cooking, the flavors of one sunny 

land flourishing in another. 

Poulet De Jour 

233 N. Pacific Coast Hwy., Hermosa 


(310) 376-6620 

pouletdujour.com 

>> Runner-up: Chicken Maison 



(310) 725-0035 

3901 Pacific Coast Hwy., Torrance 

(310) 465-1050 

50-B Peninsula Center 

Rolling Hills Estates 

(310) 541-8080 

chickenmaison.com 

Aqua Surf 

Begins June 11 

w Beach fun, and surfing for kids and teens. Aqua Summer Camps instill ocean 

safety and surfing skills while creating lifelong skills, incredible lasting memories, 

and treasured friendships. Instructors tailor the experience based on the needs of 

each individual, while maintaining a group/family-style atmosphere. Aqua Surf 

accommodates complete beginners to kids and teens learning to surf at a prolevel 

with a 3 to 1 ratio (students to teacher) to ensure the highest quality of safety 

practices and personalized attention for each student. Students can either attend 

by the day or by the week. Summer camps run Monday - Friday, for the entire 

summer break. Half days run from 9 a.m. - noon. or noon - 3 p.m. and full days 

are from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. 

(310) 902-7737 

AQUASURF.com 

info@aquasurf.com 

Beach Cities Volleyball 

Begins July 9 

w Established in 2000, the mission statement of Beach Cities Volleyball is to "Teach 

life skills and volleyball skills to young people." BCVC works very hard to help 

create successful, well balanced adults through wonderful volleyball experiences. 

BCVC teaches beginning, intermediate, and advanced players from different communities, 

ethnicities, and income levels. Priorities are to have fun and build volleyball 

skills. Players are placed in groups of similar age and experience, and then 

progress from station to station, followed by spirited competition allowing the players 

to practice the skills they just developed. 

(310) 546-9150 

BeachCitiesVBC.com 

BeachSports 


w Make your summer awesome! Starting at age 4, BeachSports Summer Camps 

are designed with parents and campers in mind. BeachSports collaborated with 

lifeguards and local school teachers to create a program that is inclusive, fun, educational 

and, most importantly, safe for all their campers. Camp activities include 

surfing, boogie boarding, beach volleyball, ocean safety exercises, Jr. Lifeguard 

skills, skateboarding, various age-appropriate games and more! The flexible day 

pass system and extended hours make parents’ lives easy and allow campers to 

experience all the fun activities BeachSports has to offer. 

(310) 372-2202 

BeachSports.org 


summercamps 


Camp Surf 

Begins June 4 

w Camp surf is "Los Angeles' Premier Surf School", according the LA Business Journal. 

It offers surf instruction in Manhattan Beach for all ages and abilities, with 

both private and group lessons. Lessons include summer surf camps, after school 

programs, birthday parties and corporate events. Instruction is available year round 

with a 1:4 instructor to surfer ratio. Surfboards and wetsuits are provided. Camp 

Surf also offers youth and adult volleyball classes and clinics through their Camp- 

Volley programs. 

(424) 237-2994 

Campsurf.com 

Destination Science 


w The fun science day camp for curious kids! Top notch, enthusiastic educators 

and leaders make STEM learning an adventure! Topics include: Science Makers 

& Inventors; Amusement Park Science; Transforming Robots; Rovers Rocketing to 

Space plus special Minecraft 101: Mod Design for campers entering 5th, 6th, 

7th grade only. Enroll now save $20/wk. Enroll for 3 weeks and save an additional 

$10/week. 

South Coast Botanic Garden - 26300 Crenshaw Blvd, Palos Verdes 

Richmond St School - 615 Richmond Street, El Segundo 

United Methodist Church - 540 Main Street, El Segundo 

Trinity Lutheran Church - 1340 11th Street Manhattan Beach 

Valor Christian Academy - 525 Earle Lane, Redondo Beach 

(888) 909-2822 

destinationscience.org 

The Academy by Ed! 

June 18 – July 20 

w Get it done and have some fun! Registration for the 2018 Academy by Ed! is 

open now! Browse the course catalogue to find enrichment classes for elementary, 

middle, and high school students, as 

well as high school advancement and 

credit recovery courses. Two sessions 

offered and both in-class and online 

options. With options ranging from 

college prep, writing workshops, cooking 

classes, photography, science and 

Spanish, your student is bound to find 

something to keep them engaged this 

summer. 

(310) 615-2650 ext. 1705 

ESEdF.org/academy 

Our Lady of Guadalupe 

School 


w Entering its 9th season in summer 

programming, Our Lady of 

Guadalupe offers 6 weeks of fun and 

learning. The program is divided into 

a 2-week Summer Adventures Camp 

and 4 weeks of Summer 

School/Camp for students entering 


2018 SUMMER INDOOR VOLLEYBALL CAMPS 

Beginning & Intermediate 

Five Locations: Palos Verdes, San Pedro, Torrance, Manhattan Beach, and Brentwood 

Dates: 7 week-Long Programs starting Monday July 9th through Monday August 20 

Players (boys & girls) separated into groups of similar ages & skill levels. Priorities 

are to have fun, develop volleyball skills, have fun! 

Beginning Camps for young athletes (7 or older) starting up! 

Intermediate Camps for players with some experience. 

TO REGISTER ONLINE PLEASE VISIT 

www.BeachCitiesVBC.com 310.546.9150 

SUMMER AT OLG 

PLAY • LEARN • GROW 

Our Lady Guadalupe 

Summer School Camp 

We are offering 6 weeks of fun and learning: 

• 2 week Summer Adventures Camp 

• 4 weeks of Summer School/Camp 

Academics, Enrichment, 

Performing & Visual Arts, and Summer Camp 

Join us this summer for learning, fun, 

friends, and great memories! 

Ages K-8 

Summer Registration please visit: 

summeratolg.com 

340 Massey Street, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254 • 310-372-7486 • ourladyofguadalupeschool.org 


summercamps 


grades K-8 and their families. Offerings include academics, enrichment, performing 

and visual arts, and summer camp! Your summer at OLG will be filled with 

learning, fun, friends, and great memories. 

(310) 372-7486 

340 Massey St., Hermosa Beach 

summeratolg.com 

• Private Parties 

• Private Lessons 

• Summer Surf Camps • Corporate Lessons 

• Birthday Parties • Group Lessons 

Our instructors are all CPR and First Aid Certified 

Los Angeles' Premier Surf School 

and 

The Official Surf School for the City of Manhattan Beach 

424-237-2994 info@campsurf.com 

Create a chalk art 

drawing to commemorate 

Earth Day. On 

Saturday, April 21, the 

King Harbor Association 

hosts its Earth Day 

Chalk Art Challenge. 

Free and open to all 

ages. 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. 

Redondo Beach Marina, 

181 N. Harbor Drive, 

Redondo Beach. For 

more information visit 

VisitKingHarbor.com or 

call (310) 374-3481. 



summercamps 


Palos Verdes Performing Arts Conservatory 

w This summer, the acclaimed PV Performing Arts Conservatory will offer a series 

of exciting theatre camps for all ages and experience levels, and the opportunity 

to perform in a fully-staged, Broadway-style production of “Grease.” Camp Curtain 

Call, which introduces musical theatre to children ages 5-11, has three fun-filled 

sessions of Disney favorites: “The Lion King Jr.” (June 18-29); “Aladdin Jr.” (July 9- 

20) and “Mulan Jr.” (July 23-Aug. 3). Summer Master Class sessions and Dance 

Intensives provide professional training for students ages 10-18 who want to advance 

to the next level to become true triple threats. “Grease” auditions (ages 12- 

18) are May 10-11. 

(310) 544-0403 ext. 303 

27525 Norris Center Dr., Rolling Hills Estates 

PalosVerdesPerformingArts.com/SummerPrograms 



HIGH 

PERFORMANCE 

CAMPS 

Five Locations: Palos Verdes, San Pedro, Torrance, Manhattan Beach, and Brentwood 

Dates: 7 week-Long Programs starting Monday July 9th through Monday August 20 

For experienced Players from 12 to 15 looking to their high school careers, and high 

school players looking to potential college careers. 

Beach Cities Volleyball graduates consistently receive college offers each year, and 

are playing for their colleges across the country. 

TO REGISTER ONLINE PLEASE VISIT 

www.BeachCitiesVBC.com 310.546.9150 

summercamps 


PCH Skateboard Camps 


w Learn to skateboard or take your skating to the next level! Summer camps in 

Manhattan and Redondo Beach provide beginner to advanced skateboarding 

instruction for boys and girls age 5 and up. Safety is the number one priority. All 

campers are required to wear a helmet, elbow pads, knee pads and closed toe 

shoes. The first-aid and CPR certified coaches are very talented skateboarders with 

a lot of knowledge to share with their campers. Don’t have pads or a skateboard? 

No worries! The camp offers boards and pads to loan! Campers also have access 

to BeachSports programs as well with their flexible day pass system. 

(310) 372-2202 

PCHSkateCamps.com 

Performing Arts Workshops 


w Winner of BEST Summer Camp “LA Parent Magazine!” It’s the ultimate arts experience 

for kids ages 5-14. PAW teachers are nurturing, skilled instructors who 

have or are working towards their Bachelors or Masters degrees in their respective 

disciplines. Their teaching experience and knowledge combined with the PAW 

philosophy provides students with a level of training comparable to private studios 

and conservatories. “Our kids don’t need to be experts – just have a curiosity and 

love for performing,” says Cheryl Appleman, PAW President. “In each session 

campers participate in a creative performance which is free and attended by family 

and friends.” Award-winning camps include Musical Theater, Guitar, Laugh 

Out Loud, Rock The Mic, Filmmaking, Magic, Photography, Stage F/X Makeup 

and Debate Camp. Camps located in Manhattan Beach, Redondo Beach, El Segundo, 

West LA, and the Valley. 

(310) 827-8827 

PerformingArtsWorkshops.com 

South Bay Art 

Department 

Ongoing 

w South Bay Art Department aims to 

nurture individuality and confidence 

through personal, creative expression. 

Art classes encourage students to work 

from personal experience and interest, 

to enjoy the process of making art. 

There’s no right or wrong. SBAD offers 

inspiration and guidance to help students 

develop their own unique artistic 

voice. For younger students, classes 

are dedicated to preserving and celebrating 

a purity of artistic vision. More 

advanced students seek to reawaken 

this innocent spirit, allowing them to 

see the “same old things” in creative 

new ways. 

1075 Aviation Blvd., 


(310) 379-5879 

sbartdept.com 

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HOME & 

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Tour 3 distinct homes in the Portuguese Bend area on the PV Art Center’s 

Legends by the Sea homes tour April 20 and 21. Morning and afternoon 

shuttles depart from PVAC. Tickets $70 presale, $65 for PVAC member, 

$75 day of. Lunch included. pvhomestour.org. 

Catalina Paints 

Catalina Paints, formerly known as Supreme Paints, is a destination for top quality 

house paints as well as wallpaper and window coverings. The Manhattan Beach 

location recently started carrying Farrow and Ball paints, and both the Redondo 

Beach and Manhattan locations carry Benjamin Moore, Cabot Stains, Hunter 

Douglas and a whole lot more. 

1002 S. Pacific Coast Hwy., Redondo Beach. (310) 540-4456 

708 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Manhattan Beach. (310) 376-2444 

Catalinapaintstores.com 

Custom Design & Construction makes 

remodeling fun and easy 

Custom Design & Construction has taken the stressful process of home remodeling 

and made it fun and easy. Begin with the Discovery phase, where an award-winning 

team works with you to explore all options within your budget range. By 

working with a single company that provides both design and construction under 

one roof, you don’t have to be the middleman and your exact final price is in 

place before work begins. That means no surprises down the road. Ask about 

easy in-house financing and if you aren’t sure where to start, enjoy a free home 

remodeling seminar or stop by the Design Center. Call Custom Design & Construction 

today! Lic. #524561 

2001 E. Mariposa Ave., El Segundo 

(310) 815-4815 

VisitCustomDesign.com 

Destination: Art 

Experience Destination: Art’s first big art exhibition of 2018, “Spring Fling.” Art 

lovers, interior designers, and home and garden enthusiasts are invited to a Gala 

Public Reception Saturday, April 28, 4 – 7 p.m. for this special show and sale, 

celebrating the natural beauty of the South Bay and the work of local artists. This 

event can help you explore your “personal art signature” as you begin, or enhance, 

the use of art in your home. Visit this unique studio and gallery concept, 

open Thursdays - Saturdays 11 a.m. - 5 p.m., and Sundays 12 - 4 p.m. 

(310) 742-3192 

1815 W. 213th St., #135, Torrance 

destination-art.net 

Best Paints and 

Window Coverings 

1002 S Pacific Coast Hwy, Redondo Beach | (310) 540-4456 

708 N Sepulveda Blvd, Manhattan Beach | (310) 376-2444 

Handyman Schatan: avocation a vocation 

Matt Schatan helped several of his friends on their home-based projects, and he 


q 

HOME & 

GARDEN GUIDE 

r 

often listened to their suggestions that he start his own company. Schatan did just 

that in July 1998. Handyman Schatan prospered from the start. It has meant a lot 

of work, but also a lot of satisfaction.”I am overwhelmed sometimes with the 

amount of work I have,” says Schatan, noting that he is often answering the telephone 

at 10 p.m. Work has been “busier than expected” and the rewards have 

been gratifying. He is on call from sunup to sundown. His goal to create a thriving 

enterprise has been quickly realized. 

(310) 540-4444 

Mattucci Plumbing 

At Mattucci Plumbing, the level of service you receive is a guarantee. For plumbing 

repairs and installations in the South Bay and Greater Los Angeles, Mattucci’s professional 

technicians are all about making services and equipment work as great 

as possible. Customer satisfaction is their #1 priority. Call today or book an appointment 

online. Their professional team is available whenever you need them 

and a live person will gladly assist you 24 hours a day. 

(310) 543-2001 

mattucciplumbing.com 

Pete Fer Plumbing Heating & Air Conditioning 

offers repairs, remodels 

Pete Fer Plumbing is a complete mechanical contracting company, providing 

plumbing, heating and air conditioning for new construction, remodeling, service 

and repair to commercial and residential customers. They provide 24 hour service, 

seven days a week through an automated emergency dispatch paging system. 

Mention Beach magazine to one of their service technicians and receive $20 off 

1815 W. 213th St, #135, Torrance 

310-742-3192 

HANDYMAN 

SCHATAN 

• Reasonable & Reliable 

• All types of jobs 

welcome 

• No job too small 

MATT 

NOW 

OPEN 

310 540-4444 

unlic. 


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HOME & 

GARDEN GUIDE 

your first service call. 

r 

(310) 831-0737 

2020 S. Mesa St., San Pedro 

Peveler’s Custom Interiors 

Peveler's Custom Interiors has been serving the South Bay and beyond for over 

38 years. A full service design-build construction company, their scope of work includes 

additions, second floors, complete house renovations, new construction, 

kitchen and bath remodeling. They manufacture their own custom cabinetry. Fully 

insured, licensed and bonded, as are all of their subcontractors. Peveler’s is not 

going to be the lowest price nor will it be the highest price in town. They will be 

the company that provides high value for your investment. Please visit their showroom. 

(310) 214-5049 

4203 Spencer St., Torrance 

pevelers.com 

Shilpark Paint more than green 

Shilpark Paint has excellent custom color matching skills, so you’ll always get the 

right color or find the perfect color to make your living space truly your own. Offering 

personalized, professional service, Shilpark makes unequaled customer satisfaction 

its highest priority. Being family owned and operated means their goal is 

your satisfaction. Shilpark is a proud dealer of Benjamin Moore Paint to deliver 

the finest products, with ease of use, longest durability, with the lowest V.O.C.’s, 

that meet the all the green standards! 

15617 Hawthorne Blvd., Lawndale. (310) 676-6760 

23134 Normandie Ave., Torrance. (310) 784-1920 

shilparkpaint.com 

Classifieds 

HANDYMAN 

Handyman 

Services… 

Fix It Right 

the 

First Time 

What we do… 

Plumbing, Electrical, 

Drywall, Painting 

& more. 

Valente Marin 

310-748-8249 

Unlic. 

STONE 

MORRIS 

Cleaning & Restoration 

• Marble polishing 

• Travertine & Limestone 

honing & polishing 

• Tile & Grout 

cleaning & sealing 

Free Advice 

& Estimates 

Call George 

310-545-8750 

www.CleanRestoreProtect.com 

Lic. #1005861 

424.269.2830 

PHOTOGRAPHY 

Linda Oreb Photography, LLC 

Phone (310) 528-6025 

www.lindaorebphotography.com 

PLUMBING 

• Serving the South 

Bay for over 35 years 

• Full Service Contractor 

• Complete Installation 

• New Construction 

• Remodeling 

• Second Floors 

• Additions 

• Cabinets 

4203 Spencer St., Torrance, CA 90503 (310)214-5049 • www.pevelers.com 

Appointments Are Recommended 

Showroom Hours: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday 10-5 • Friday 9-3 • Monday by Appointment 

Closed Saturday and Sunday • License #381992 

Visit Our 

Kitchen & 

Bath 

Showroom 

WINDOW 

CLEANING 

TOTAL SATISFACTION 

GUARANTEED!! 

KIRBY’S 

WINDOW CLEANING 

THE SCREEN DOCTOR 

SINCE 1978 

PRESSURE WASHING 

SERVICES 

• RELIABLE & PROFESSIONAL 

TECHNICIANS 

• EXCELLENT REFERENCES 

FREE 

WEATHER TOUCH UPS 

FREE ESTIMATES 

310-374-7895 

CALL TODAY 

KirbysWindowCleaning.com 

your space in 

Reserve this section 

the next 

Beach Magazine 

Pub Date: May 10 • Deadline Date: April 27 

424-269-2830

Beach April 2018

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