The Lobster
For dineLA.com
There’s nothing more idyllic in LA than a drive down PCH on a warm summer’s day—or even a warm winter one for that matter. Because SoCal is sun-kissed year-round, it’s helpful to have more than one back-pocket plan for a nice meal along the way. Whether the mood calls for white-linen tablecloths or lobster bibs, the options are abundant.
Moonshadows, photo courtesy of Rocco Ceselin
Starting deep in Malibu and moving south, Neptune’s Net (Neptune’s Net, 42505 Pacific Coast Hwy., Malibu, 310.457.3095, neptunesnet.com) is pure Beach Boys-era Americana. Since 1958, generations of surfers, bikers, families and tourists have frequented this county-line joint for hearty burgers, beer-battered fish and chips and an entire “seafood side” of the restaurant dedicated to fresh crustaceans and New England clam chowder.
Discreetly tucked away inside the Point Dume Shopping Center, is Savory (29169 Heathercliff Rd., Malibu, 310.589.8997, savorymalibu.com), a foodie destination with an unpretentious neighborhood vibe. Seasonal bounty like a grilled peach salad and white corn soup stand out under the tutelage of chef/owner Paul Shoemaker, who worked the kitchens at Bastide and Providence before opening his own place.
The Pepperdine-adjacent Malibu Country Mart (3835 Cross Creek Rd., Malibu, 310.826.5636, malibucountrymart.com) is a collection of eclectic eateries and trendy shops. Tra di Noi (3835 Cross Creek Rd., Malibu, 310.456.0169, tradinoimalibu.com) is the type of place where the waiters not only welcome substitutions, but they insist that guests feel very much at home making them. Not that anyone would need to—dishes like homemade gnocchi in a rustic veal ragu and tasty skirt steak are just fine as is.
Nearby John’s Garden (3835 Cross Creek Rd., Malibu, 310.456.8377, johnsgardenmalibu.com) is known for umpteen healthy sandwich and salad combinations, including the triple-decker Malibu club featuring tuna salad, avocadoes, tomatoes and optional lettuce or sprouts, which has been a menu staple since day one in 1975.
Across the way, the Malibu Kitchen (3900 Cross Creek Rd., Malibu, 310.456.7845) is a local lunch stop for everything from New York’s famous H&H Bagels, imported Mediterranean gourmet products, hot steam-tray house specials like well-seasoned pulled pork, and the No. 1 selling turkey, brie and thick cranberry relish sammy.
The Malibu Inn (22969 Pacific Coast Hwy., Malibu, 310.456.1160, themalibuinn.com), not to be confused with David Geffen’s “Billionaire’s Beach” hotel, is a roadside dive with a patio party scene and live music and DJs inside on weekends. Made from a “vintage” blend of chuck, brisket and aged fat, the burger is one of the best in the area. The menu, consulted on by Top Chef alum Angelo Sosa, is also popular for meaty wings.
Situated on one of the prettiest perches along the coast, Moonshadows (20356 Pacific Coast Hwy., Malibu, 310.456.3010, moonshadowsmalibu.com) has always had the advantage of a superb location, but it wasn’t until current owner Andrea Bullo took it over in 2001 that the food quality found equilibrium with the views. He describes his approach as a restaurateur as “simple, but appealing,” which is evident in dishes such as the occasional-special hamachi in eel sauce with black lava salt, and menu-staple black cod with green tea rice.
Hungry Cat
The Palisades-adjacent pocket of Santa Monica Canyon boasts a pair of fabulous side-by-side restaurants, Sam’s By the Beach (108 West Channel Rd., Santa Monica, 310.230.9100, samsbythebeach.com) and the Hungry Cat (100 West Channel Rd., Santa Monica, 310.459.3301, thehungrycat.com), perhaps two of the most aptly named venues on this list. The former, offers Cal-Med cuisine to an under-the-radar, celeb-friendly crowd; the latter, a Hollywood seafood haven since 2005, finally has an L.A zip code matching its seafood-centric menu.
The Santa Monica sister restaurant of downtown’s Water Grill, Ocean Avenue Seafood (1401 Ocean Ave., Santa Monica, 310.394.5669, oceanave.com), prints its menu daily to reflect its fresh-catch. Popular mainstays include albacore poke with a kick and Tom Hickey’s smoked trout (exclusive to the venue). Look for outstanding soft shell crab and Copper River salmon in season.
For little tastes of Spain, Bar Pintxo (109 Santa Monica Blvd., Santa Monica, 310.458.2012, barpintxo.com) serves a wide variety of small plates such as creamy deviled eggs in Basque vinaigrette; aged Spanish hams; and garlicky gambas (head-on shrimp). Owner Joe Miller explains, “Bar Pintxo was inspired by the tapas bars in San Sebastian, which is [along the coast]. The seafood is plentiful there, and there was a space available in Santa Monica by the ocean, so I thought it would be a perfect fit."
The Market (395 Santa Monica Pl., Santa Monica, 310.260.8300, themarketsmp.com) opened in May 2011, attracting throngs of hungry shoppers from the adjoining Santa Monica Place mall, with the long-term goal to make it into its own destination. Piero Selvaggio, who helms two concept restaurants inside says, “We are calling it ‘the Market on Fourth. You can valet for three hours free with a meal, and then you don’t even have to enter the parking garage.”
His two eateries are Primi (395 Santa Monica Pl., Santa Monica, 888.530.5204, primialmercato.com), a small plates venue with an emphasis on house-made pastas, and Norcino (395 Santa Monica Pl., Santa Monica, 888.530.5202, norcinosalumeria.com), LA’s first authentic salumeria. Other purveyors include a soufflé bar and bakery, the “Cookie Guru,” and hip wine shop Venokado. Think of it as LA’s more modern answer to the Ferry Building in San Francisco.
Given the Lobster’s (1602 Ocean Ave., Santa Monica, 310.458.9294, thelobster.com) pier-front location, sweeping sunset views and high-energy ambiance, the food wouldn’t need to be a focal point. But it’s actually quite good. While the lightly dressed Dungeness crab salad is light and refreshing, it’s not surprising that the butter-poached namesake crustacean is what keeps many patrons coming back to this 1923 historical landmark time and time again.
Shutters on the Beach (1 Pico Blvd., Santa Monica, 310.458.0030, shuttersonthebeach.com) is a great hideaway for drinks and small bites. Arrive early to start with a cocktail out on the patio off the Lobby Lounge, with the waves crashing right below. Then finagle a window table at One Pico. Must-try dishes include the lemon-y sea urchin toasts; stuffed squid with chorizo and borlotti beans; and the surprisingly light but buttery sheep’s milk ravioli.
Jody Maroni (2011 Ocean Front Walk, Venice, 310.822.5639, jodymaroni.com), the “Sausage King” has since expanded throughout the state and in select locations across the Southwest, but Venice Beach is still his 1979 flagship. Unusual menu items include Toulouse garlic pork and chicken pomegranate.
Vu, photo courtesy of Jim Bartsch
Café del Rey (4451 Admiralty Way, Marina del Rey, 310.823.6395, cafedelreymarina.com) is turning 20—still with second-to-none Marina del Rey vistas. The house-cured salmon app, one of chef Daniel Roberts’ signature dishes, pairs perfectly with a shot of basil-lemon limoncello (it comes with it). For entrees, an excellent pan-roasted duck breast delicately balanced the salt and fat of the protein with a sweet blueberry gastrique.
The nearby VU (4175 Admiralty Way, Marina del Rey, 310.439.3033, jamaicabayinn.com) restaurant at the remodeled Jamaica Bay Inn is daring in its menu of molecular gastronomy cuisine. Additions to the existing specials include sea scallops with almond pudding, beef tartare with Funyuns, and tuna with uni mayo.
Further afield in Playa del Rey, the chef/partner team of Brooke Williamson and Nick Roberts has opened The Tripel (333 Culver Blvd., Playa del Rey, 310.821.0333, thetripel.com), an appealing gastropub with popular dishes such as grilled chicory and fennel salad, ale-steamed mussels and a gourmet house burger with three types of meat.
Mar'sel, photo courtesy of Terranea Resort
M.B. Post (1142 Manhattan Ave., Manhattan Beach, 310.545.5405, eatmbpost.com), short for the space’s former incarnation as the Manhattan Beach Post Office, is one of the hottest restaurants around. The pub-like space buzzes with youthful energy as foodies revel in chef/owner David LeFevre’s eclectic yet accessible menu.
Homemade bacon and cheddar biscuits set the artisan tempo (a side of truffle honey is recommended). From there, even the simple-sounding dishes—such as asparagus with a poached egg—are enlivened by crème fraiche mustard sauce. Ditto on cous cous with lavender feta that pops with pomegranate seeds. There’s also pork jowl and lamb belly for more daring palates.
Meanwhile, the original Rock’N Fish (120 Manhattan Beach Blvd., Manhattan Beach, 310.379.9900, rocknfishmb.com) remains a local’s hangout for its diverse menu, including oak-grilled artichokes, barbecued shrimp and teriyaki chicken. A visit wouldn’t be complete without a Navy Grog, the signature rum-based tropical drink.
Sustainable tuna is the name of the game at Sashi (451 Manhattan Beach Blvd., Manhattan Beach, 310.545.0400, sashimb.com), which is located inside Manhattan Beach’s tony Metlox complex. Though the menu is varied and includes everything from a market-fresh beet salad to a tasting of gobo root five-ways, the highlight here is the Kindai Bluefin tuna, a sustainable alternative to the endangered wild species, and one that is served as both medium-fatty and fatty tuna sashimi, as well as in select specialty rolls.
Hermosa Beach’s Hot’s Kitchen (844 Hermosa Ave., Hermosa Beach, 310.318.2939, hotskitchen.com) is mostly known for its wacky taco selection, which may feature everything from Hawaiian to Cuban styles, but there’s also full menu of fancy burgers, wings, salads and even kids’ meals. The laidback eatery is loved by surfers—who hang their boards on a rack in the front—along with area families and singles.
Moving down to Redondo, good old Chez Melange (1611 S. Catalina Ave., Redondo Beach, 310.540.1222, chezmelange.com) has settled nicely into its more ocean-adjacent home after more than two decades in PV. The locavore movement is in full swing here, with many “seed to plate” vegetables from the menu grown onsite at the Palos Verdes High School garden. The new-ish “Bar Comida” area born out of the Chez lounge serves its own menu of Spanish tapas and Spanish wine.
Mar’sel (6610 Palos Verdes Dr. S., Rancho Palos Verdes, 310.265.2800, terranea.com) refers not to a master chef, but to the flagship fine-dining eatery at the Terranea Resort, which is named after the Spanish and French words for sea and salt, respectively, of which it balances both. This remarkable little find is much more than a traditional hotel restaurant, it’s unexpected destination-dining. The main room is stately, with its clean lines and fireplace; the terrace overlooks the Pacific.
The menu lacks missteps; each dish is spot-on. The crispy confit of Shelton Farms duck leg with artichokes four ways introduces new and beguiling textures with each bite, while nicely charred rib-eye cap puts many steaks to shame.
Sir Winston’s, Queen Mary
The Queen Mary has enjoyed a storied history, from its time as a luxurious ocean liner in the 1930s to its noble time spent as a military passenger vessel in WWII. Sir Winston’s (1126 Queens Hwy., Long Beach, 562.499.1657, queenmary.com), named after the former British Premier Churchill, is a testament to what it might have been like to dine on the grand dame in her glory days. More modern specials, like a surprisingly light lobster salad, are good. But the real deal here is the “classics” section, such as a medium rare beef Wellington with a flaky, truffle-sauce-lined pastry crust.
Just across the harbor, the aptly named Queensview (435 Shoreline Village Dr., Long Beach, 562.432.6500, selectrestaurants.com) sits three floors atop longtime tourist mecca Parker’s Lighthouse. Almost exclusively dedicated to the steakhouse experience, Prime bone-in beef is a solid choice, though the Caesar salad, with its delicate white anchovies, almost steals the show.
