Manna Korean BBQ

When chef Molly asked me if I wanted to meet her at a Korean BBQ place, the only correct answer was "Yes"! Manna may be located in in Little Tokyo, but it is quintessentially Korean BBQ with the American twist of all you can eat for $25. Aside from Brazilian Churrascarias, I don't frequent "unlimited food" places, mostly because the food is usually not anything I would eat even small quantities of, much less eat enough to warrant a limitless supply. 

Manna offers Angus and KOBE beef and KOBE pork selections for $25, along with all the side dishes, a hot and cold buffet, and a relatively smoke free space (smoke from the grills not from tobacco). For $18 you can get a smaller selection of meats without the Kobe choices. Aside from the SIX birthdays loudly announced over the loudspeaker throughout our meal, it was a very pleasant experience. If you go alone, they do have a set menu, but it is much more fun to share with a group of friends. If you can round up just one other person, the unlimited deal prevails (if you prefer shabu shabu they offer that as an unlimited option also but it was 90 degrees at night and definitely BBQ weather).

They have validated free parking (park on the 4th floor to cross the footbridge) and they also have waitstaff (conveniently summoned with buzzers on the table) who will bring you kimchee, steamed rice, and whatever meats you wish. I ate about three plates of the kimchee by myself! All the other accompaniments are at a self service hot & cold buffet.

Some of the other small plates:

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Salad was also brought to the table in a large bowl and had a light dressing.

Condiments are all on the table, and Chef Molly made me a great sesame oil and seasoned salt dip.

This is a steamed egg bowl that you can order (no extra cost).

The self service buffet tables were full of classic choices.

If you wanted "sushi" or rice noodles, they were available at the buffet bar as well.

For starch there was fried rice and potatoes, as well as the rice paper wrappers and rice bowls that are served with your orders.

Fried tempura looked the least appetizing of all the food at the buffet.

We got about six orders of marinated kalbi beef and two of marinated chicken (they will replace the grills and replenish the meat as many times as you wish).

Pork belly can be grilled to crisp bacon.

The marinated Kalbi was definitely my favorite, but the beef tongue was good too (with some seasoned salt). It amazed me that I kept up with Molly in the amount of food eaten (she weighs a little more than I do, but is at least 8 inches taller)! I know most people would love to have the problem of putting ON weight, but she literally loses weight overnight, even eating like this nonstop!

All told I think we ordered a total of 12 meat orders for 6 people with multiple trips to the banchan buffet bar for sides, so I can't think of a better place to take meat loving friends for value; even with three huge beers for the table, our bill including tax and tip was $33 per person. My chef friends always know the best places to eat and Molly's suggestion of Manna was no exception!

Dominique's Kitchen

Dominique's Kitchen in Redondo Beach is far enough away from the water to put their money into their food instead of their rent, and with their very low corkage fee of $10, locals are flocking to this place like seagulls. There is a tiny lot, but plentiful street parking, and the dining area is warm and inviting. Make reservations if you want a seat because even on a weekday night, it is fully booked.

Some of my friends have known me since I was too young to drink (in the US) and as we have grown up, our tastes have evolved, as well as our skills in the kitchen. Finding a place we all like wouldn't be difficult if we had unlimited resources, but part of the fun of eating out is finding a hidden restaurant gem that doesn't cost as much as a car payment. Six of us ate all of the dishes below for about $40 per person including tax and tip (we brought our own wine). At prices like this, do not expect perfection; some of the flavors were muted or mangled, and the plating left a lot to be desired, but there was definitely value and some well executed dishes.

An amuse bouche of kale with cannellini beans and Parmesan started off the evening. Fresh flavors using local and classic ingredients, but with an overwhelming ratio of cheese to the kale and beans.

The generous serving of house made chicken liver paté was delicately seasoned and served with a nice handful of mache in a light vinaigrette, toasted baguette, and crunchy cornichons.

My favorite appetizer was the lamb sausage over a bed of organic quinoa. It was well executed with a nice blend of textures and a savory accent.

The garlic perfume from the escargots was enticing, but it needed a touch of coarse sea salt and I was disappointed by the lack of actual garlic pieces in the garlic butter.

The salmon special was the best main course I tasted. The skin was perfectly crisp, the fish was moist and the flavor of the relish added zest to the fish without detracting from it.

The filet of sole was a close runner up to the salmon, with a beautiful buerre blanc and an enormous serving!

Several people ordered side Caesar salads and although they were freshly made, they were not noteworthy, but for only $2 with an entrée it was a very good value.

The braised short rib was the best of the meat dishes. There was depth and complexity in the flavors of this dish, and the beef was tender from the long slow braise in Pinot Noir.

I ordered the lamb chops and the meat was tender, but I was underwhelmed by the garlic and thyme au jus which tasted of neither and lacked seasoning. I did not eat any of the polenta that came with this dish because it tasted like it was made with MARGARINE! The restaurant contacted me to say they do not use margarine, so if it was butter it was awful. For a place which uses local and fresh ingredients in other dishes, I was very disappointed by this incredible faux pas.

Grilled steak with fries is the classic French bistro dish, and they offer the classic version, as well as a ribeye with green peppercorn sauce. The night we went there was also a skirt steak on special with sweet potato fries. The meat was done to order (very rare) and if you like a rich sauce on your meat, this would fit the bill.

The chocolate mouse was a good choice for people who like their chocolate flavors light (since it was only $4.99, do not expect it to be made with Valrhona).

Since I rarely see it on a menu, I ordered the floating island. The crunch of sliced toasted almonds added nice texture to the fluffy meringue and light Creme Anglaise.

My favorite dessert of the night was the panna cotta with berry compote. The fresh berries added color and tang to the smooth base, providing a good ending to a great night with old friends.

Chocolate, Caramel and Salt

It's my birthday today, so I'm indulging in a post devoted to chocolate :)

As fellow chocoholic Laura Florand will attest, there are countless chocolatiers who craft delectable treats in shapes, forms and combinations that will entice you to try them all. Depending on where I am in the world, I have different favorites, and even those favorites evolve with the arrival of new talent and new discoveries.

I recently discovered Amella's agave chocolate sea salt caramels, made here in California. If you aren't sure you like caramels, or sea salt, or dark chocolate, try these. They are not too sticky, too sweet, too salty, or too rich, so if you like a smooth balance of flavors this is the perfect introduction to caramels and sea salt.

I found these at the Conservatory for Coffee and Tea, but if you have trouble finding them, try their website or Whole Foods.

If you are more adventurous, go to John Kelly Chocolates in either Santa Monica or Hollywood. They are also available online or at Neiman Marcus, but fresh is best. These are everything Amella's are not, with larger pieces (1 oz) and bold rich flavors. 

The three pictured below are all truffled bites: Dark Chocolate Pink Alaea Hawaiian Sea Salt with caramel, Dark Chocolate with Habanero and Jalapeño, and Dark Chocolate with Gray Sea Salt. If you like spicy, they have mild or hot; I chose the hot and loved it, but there is a milder Chipotle and Ancho version.

The gray sea salt interior with rich truffle filling and generous sea salt.

The Pink Alea Hawaiian Salt Truffle bite with a thin layer of caramel.

Of course there is still my favorite all around chocolatier, Madame Chocolat, who will ship her gorgeous glitter truffles throughout the US. I love her regular truffles, even without the glitter :)

Her chocolates are the closest to French chocolatiers I've ever had in the states :)

So many chocolates, so little time :)

Marvelous Mare in Laguna

Even though school has started for many, the Summer lingers on all year long for adults who live by the seashore. My friend Robin recently moved and I went down past the "Orange Curtain" to see her new place and to spend a day by the pool. One of her friends is living on the beach for the month of August, and as the sun set, we decided to go get dinner. Even though I know and love many places in Laguna, like Sapphire and 230 Forest, I'm always happy to try new places suggested by locals.

After going through a list of possibilities, we were driving up PCH when we drove past Mare and both my friends literally swiveled their heads and said, "Let's go to Mare"! Since they both thought it was a better place than the other options they had suggested, we pulled into the one remaining parking spot behind the Holiday Inn. Ok, I admit, going to a hotel restaurant, especially a Holiday Inn hotel restaurant, is not normally my choice for dinner, but when two local food lovers literally decide in chorus that it is the best idea, I put my skepticism aside and enjoyed the journey.

The outdoor space is absolutely lovely with flickering candle lights and a wall of warmth. Triangular canopies provide shade in the day but add a nice architectural feel at night. The style is casually elegant with wrought iron railings and a modern interior. Definitely sit outside if there is a table and wait if there isn't a table.

The first taste of this bright garlic, olive oil, and parsley dip for the bread was addictive. We ate it so fast we asked for a second plate before we even ordered our appetizers.

The second plate of dip ended up being a zesty sauce for the $13 fried calamari we ordered to share as well. The sauces that came with the perfectly crisp squid were fine, but nothing exquisite, so we asked for more lemon and used the the garlic bread dip as our calamari dip!

Since we all loved carpaccio, we also shared the $14 filet mignon and although the picture does not do it justice, this was a great version of the classic, with quality olive oil and generous arugula, capers, and Parmesan.

I ordered the chef's special, a $22 spaghetti verde with shrimp and peppers that was the definition of summer on a plate. The home made pasta was cooked al dente, the shrimp were tender and the zingy little peppers added just enough color and pizazz to make the lemon and butter based sauce sparkle. Everyone at the table loved this dish and I would gladly order it again. After the hearty appetizers, I barely made a dent in this bowl of pasta, so it became my lunch the following day, and it reheated to be as tasty as it was the night before.

The friend who was living on the beach decided while we were still in the parking lot that she wanted the $24 limoncello infused radiatore pasta* with Maine lobster, shallots and a pinot grigio sauce. If I had not ordered the special, I would have ordered this delightfully rich sumptuous dish.

My friend Robin ordered the $19 chicken with portobello mushrooms made with a Sicilian Marsala wine served with sauteed spinach and rosemary potatoes. The chicken breasts were tender and moist and the sauce was complex but I felt it need just a touch of salt.

Since all of us barely managed more than two bites of our entrees after eating all of the bread and appetizers, we all went home with lunch for the following day. And even though we didn't order it for ourselves, one of the friends took home some meatballs for her boyfriend which she said were the best meatballs she has ever eaten. I would have taken an order home if I was not already bursting at the seams with an entree to take home already.

A wonderful night ended with the sight of a full moon as we walked out of the restaurant :)

*For people who are allergic to gluten they offer gluten free pasta for $3.50 more or whole wheat pasta for $2.50 more.