Restoration Kitchen

My brother from another mother, Bob, is as much of a food lover and cuisinier as I am, so when he said, let's go to to Restoration Kitchen, I simply asked him to send me the address :) Restoration kitchen opened as a wine bar, but they got so well known for their food that they are now more of a restaurant than wine bar. The owners know their wine, and when they asked me what I liked, they regretfully said, they used to stock Old World Bordeaux but it did not sell so they offered me tastes of three that they thought I might enjoy with similar flavors. They picked three nice possibilities, and I chose the last offering of a 2014 Colome Argentinian Malbec for $14. They offer flights of red or whites for $12.50-$16.50 of any wine offered by the glass. Their bottle prices are very reasonable for the quality, a 2014 Duckhorn Merlot was only $63 which is only slightly more than if you were to buy the bottle in a wine shop.

I had never been to Old Town Torrance before and I loved the small town feel with all the small businesses on walkable streets. It felt like an old town, with many places to eat, shop, and hang out within a few blocks. 

Bob suggested we start with the wild mushroom flatbread, topped with arugula, fontina, mozzarella, lemon zest, and thyme for $12.50. It was a generous appetizer, shareable by more than than two, or easily a meal for one.

I chose the lamb lollipops with a basil pesto, hummus, cherry tomatoes, and flatbread for $12.50 as my main dish. They did not ask me how I wanted my lamb, but it came out a perfectly nice medium rare. I found the meat needed more sear and char, but I like the basil pesto. The hummus and flatbread were uninspired versions, but not bad either.

The hit of the evening was the crispy confit chicken leg with farro and mushrooms for $12.50, which was Bob's favorite, but he generously shared :)

It was a great balance of textures, flavors, and aromas. If you only order one dish here, this should be it!

I usually don't eat sweet desserts, but Bob could not resist the the chocolate pot de creme with toasted Swiss meringue, olive oil, and sea salt for $6.50 There was also a secret ingredient that added texture and crunch.Bob did some sleuthing with the chef and found out what it is but he was sworn to secrecy!

I think Old Town Torrance will become a regular stop on my eating and shopping itinerary:)