Catalina Kitchen

Mary invited Zohreh and me to celebrate Zohreh's birthday last Friday. She wanted me to make the reservation at Catalina Kitchen at Terrenea Resort. Two days before the reservation, I received a call confirming our time of 4 p.m. The person also informed me that this was a seafood buffet they have every Friday.  I was delighted since all three of us liked seafood. 

We arrived on time and were seated promptly. We were handed the Happy Hour Menu. We looked at it but also informed her we were there for the Seafood Buffet. We were told that the Buffet did not start until 5 p.m. We all looked at each other, not knowing what to do. We then decided to order from the regular menu, but we were informed that dinner did not start until 5 p.m. I got up and saw a man who looked like the manager speaking with an employee.  I told him of our dilemma. What didn't make sense is when the reservation was confirmed, she should have said that the buffet does not start till 5 p.m. We were ready to get up and go to Trump National Golf Club. First, he apologized and assured me the chef could cook dinner for us. So we decided to give it a go.

The dinner menu looked good. We decided to order the Calamari and the Wild Mushroom Flatbread as appetizers. Shortly after we had placed our orders, Ernest Cruz, the manager, brought us another appetizer: the handcrafted hummus with pita bread. We thought that was a nice touch, which we appreciated. We loved the Hummus, Crispy and very light Calamari, and the Wild Mushroom Flatbread, which tasted more like a pizza, which was a good thing!

For our entrées, we all picked the Seabass, which was outstanding. The skin was super crispy, and the most flavorful mushrooms and spinach were present underneath. Both Zohreh and Mary could not finish their seabass. I, on the other hand, had no problem. I must mention that throughout our dining experience, Ernest kept coming to ensure everything was perfect. 

Our servers, Luis and Luisa, were excellent. Mary and I have short torsos, so the chairs were too low for us. Jokingly, I asked for a booster chair. Luisa laughed and said she would get us pillows. She later appeared and apologized that she couldn't find pillows, but she brought us two blankets, which made a big difference. 

They later brought some desserts on the house for Zohreh's birthday. Ernest came by with another server and jokingly said they would sing Happy Birthday but didn't feel they would do a good job. As soon as Ernest walked away, we were able to convince his partner to sing, which he indulged in.

We walked out of the restaurant feeling good. What started out as an unfortunate incident ended up being very fortunate. I was impressed with how the manager, Ernest Cruz, handled the situation. Most restaurants would have just said sorry for the misinformation and left it at that. Mr. Cruz went above and beyond, which made the three of us happy and sure to return in the future.  

Catalina Kitchen is at 100 Terrenea Way in Rancho Palos Verdes, California.

The Steak Library

Sandi treated me to The Steak Library, which was outstanding. The restaurant is in this nondescript mall on Pacific Coast Highway in Lomita. We were delighted by the ambiance when we walked in. A refrigerated section showcased some of the meat with the certificate A5 authenticity. A5, for those unfamiliar with the term, is the highest grade of Wagyu from Japan.

Our reservation was for 3:30 p.m., which was perfect. We were the only ones then and lucky to have Makoto, the manager, as our server.  Shortly after we sat, we were presented with 2 toasted bread with butter and something else, later identified as garlic and herbs. It was delicious. We decided to split a Caesar Salad prepared at the tableside. We also ordered the Cotton Candy A5 Wagyu appetizer as it sounded intriguing. Wow! That was our reaction when it arrived. It was a huge ball of white cotton candy. As Makoto poured some gravy on top, the cotton candy melted, which made a cavity that revealed an egg yolk inside. We mixed it as the yolk was incorporated with wagyu beef slices. Our first bite was mind-blowing. We've never had anything like it, the excellent taste of the beef with the sweet cotton candy; what a combination, but it was genius.

For our entrée, we both decided on the 8-oz Filet Mignon. We could not get over how tender these babies were. Chewing was optional! We had choices on the sauces, even if they did not need any, as they were packed with flavor. I opted for the peppercorn sauce, and Sandi had the garlic sauce. We also ordered a side of mashed potatoes and mac n cheese. We were in 7th heaven. We both finished our steaks; unfortunately, there was nothing to take home.

Makato handed us the dessert menu. We were not sure if we had room but decided that we had to make room. It was unanimously agreed to get the Bananas Foster. I thought for sure this would be their downfall. I was elated to be wrong, as it was one of the best Bananas Fosters I've ever had.

The Steak Library is the ultimate steak place. I've been to some steak places in Redondo Beach, but this takes the cake.  It is pricey, but it is worth every bite. The Steak Library is at 1937 Pacific Coast Hwy. in Lomita, California.

Benji's French Basque Restaurant

It's been a year since we visited Benji's French Basque Restaurant. We were in Bakersfield, and this is our go-to restaurant. We know what to order by this time as we've been there a few times.

The Set-up Menu usually costs $21, but it is included with an entrée. It includes French bread, butter, salsa, soup, beans, fresh marinated tomatoes, French fries, and vegetables. We didn't care much for the green beans in the past, so we just asked for more fries. This alone can be filling, but since we're always game, we also decided to order entrées. You could order a small plate of Tongue for $8 or a plate of Spaghetti for $7. I have had the tongue before; it was tender and delicious.

Sandi had the Veal Medallions with mushroom sauce, and I ordered the Veal Scaloppini also with mushroom sauce. Though the medallions were not quite as tender as my scaloppini, Sandi still enjoyed it, especially the yummy sauce.

This was an enormous amount of food. The prices are very reasonable, which is why the restaurant is always full. The locals know a deal when they see one. We did order the Baked Alaska in advance, but sadly, they didn't offer it that evening, so we tried the Raspberry Souffle. Our server, Kenji, was delightful. He brought the souffle, made a well, and poured the raspberry sauce into it. Unfortunately, we didn't care much for it. It hardly had any raspberry flavor, let alone the white sauce, which puzzled me.

So far, I highly recommend the Baked Alaska and their Crème Caramel (flan) if you have room for dessert. 

Benji's Frenc Basque Restaurant is a must. The food and Service are always good. It is located at 4001 Rosedale Hwy. in Bakersfield, California.

 

Dominique's Kitchen

Our friend Sugar invited us to one of our favorite restaurants, Dominique's Kitchen. Seeing Liza and Dominique is always like seeing long-lost friends. I haven't been to the restaurant in a year, which is a sin! Zohreh, Sandi, and I were elated when Sugar chose Dominique's.

We ordered Garlic Fries to whet our appetites. That went fast. Sugar and Zohreh ordered Mushroom Soup, which was delicious. They both loved it. Since Sandi and I decided to split the Couscous with Burrata, I got too excited to take a picture of their soup. In addition, Sugar ordered an Organic Mesclun Salad, which looked promising.

Zohreh ordered the Salmon with Zucchini, some greens, and some sauce. Sandi and I ordered the Pan-Seared Sole with Spinach and Black Rice. I asked for mashed potatoes instead of healthy stuff. From the first bite, Sandi and I were in heaven. I hardly get excited over fish, but their sole is not just good but outstanding. They've always had this on their menu, and I hope it will always be on their menu! Sugar had the Beef Bourguignon in Burgundy wine, caramelized red onions, and delicious mashed potatoes. I have had that in the past and always enjoyed it.

We were all full, but since they no longer serve their infamous Bakes Alaska, I thought it would be good to share another favorite of mine; Floating Island.  We also had the Latte Panna Cotta. We were all delighted and satisfied.

Dominique's  Kitchen is still very good, and I always recommend it to people. It is at 522 S. Pacific Coast Highway in Redondo Beach, California.

Adore Dessert Café

We already know that Adore has beautiful French desserts, and they are truly delicious. Kaity mentioned that they started Le Goûter Casual Tea the last time I was there. Goûter's translation is "snack."

Our friend Cindy finally got a day off work last Thursday. She asked if we would like to meet her for afternoon tea;  is the Pope Catholic? We were all excited as Kaity asked us many questions, like how we wanted our eggs, whether we ate seafood, whether we had any allergies, etc. She did not tell us precisely what we were to get, only that we would get three savory dishes and three desserts plus a choice of a variety of coffee or tea. The element of surprise made it very interesting.

We ordered our drink and anxiously waited for our surprise. I felt like a kid again on Christmas day, waiting to open presents. Even the drinks looked so good.

Kaity came with three trays, all a bit different. We all had an egg dish and two savory dishes. I absolutely loved my Salmon Rillette, a mixture of smoked and fresh salmon with lemon seasoned with capers, shallots, and fresh herbs with lemon juice. This was topped with thin slices of pickled radish. The other one was a Spanish Sobrasada, the best I've had. 

Cindy's and Sandi's savory dishes were different, but I didn't bother trying them since I was thrilled with mine. They, too, loved theirs. Desserts were all a variety of Tiramisu, Chouquettes filled with cream, another Chocolate Mousse, and a Raspberry dessert.

Kaity, who is always open to suggestions, asked what we thought, and we all thought everything was great at the time. We thought about it later and agreed that having four savory dishes and 2 desserts would be better. The three desserts were just too much. 

Adore has come a long way. They have a nice selection of sandwiches, which we are all eager to try. If you haven't had their quiches, you are missing something! 

Adore is located at 901 N. Catalina Ave. in Redondo Beach, California.

Forma

Forma is one of my favorite restaurants. No one can top their Fried Artichoke Salad, Caccio e pepe, or Tortellini. Sandi and I brought a friend, Carrie, who has never had the pleasure of dining at this restaurant. 

Of course, we started with the uncomparable Crispy Artichoke Salad. It was crispy because the artichokes were fried—fried because everything is better fried! They were mixed with arugula, fennel, snow peas, walnuts, and aged goat cheese. Feel free to ask for extra dressing.

Sandi and I already planned what we would order. We split the salad and had one to go for dinner. We both ordered our favorites, Cacio e Pepe and Totellini. For those not familiar with Cacio e Pepe, they prepare theirs with Chitarra pasta, black pepper, and extra virgin olive oil and finished in the pecorino romano cheese wheel. The Tortellini is prepared with mushrooms, light cream, and truffle oil and then finished in the bela lodi cheese wheel.

Carrie took our suggestion and ordered the Crispy Artichokes and the Cacio e Pepe. Before they brought it out, she was fortunate to watch the man dump the pasta into the cheese wheel while lightly scraping the inside. Oh, mamma!!!!

Our server, Tommaso, was excellent. Grazie per la bella esperienza! Mario, sorry to have missed you again.

Forma has 2 locations, Santa Monica and Venice, California. 

Bluewater Grill

The last time I was at this restaurant was at least 20 years ago. It was nice to know that they were still around, so they must have been doing something right. Amy loves the water, so what better way to celebrate her 95th birthday than to take her to this restaurant. Though you couldn't see the water, the boats were good enough for her.

The menu had many choices. We ordered two appetizers: Calamari and Spicy Edamame. But before that, they brought us warm sourdough bread, which everyone enjoyed. 

Sandi was in seventh heaven when she saw the Walnut-Crusted Halibut with lemon caper, asparagus, and scalloped potatoes. She had no regrets! Zohreh ordered the Snapper with Fried Artichokes. She was happy with her choice. 

The birthday girl, Amy, had Beer-battered Fish and chips. I had a bite of it, and it was delicious. Cindy and I ordered the Sautéed Sanddabs with lemon caper buerre blanc sauce, spinach, and scalloped potatoes. I expected the Sanddabs to be better. They were good but not outstanding—I've had better. The scalloped potatoes were excellent, though.

They presented the birthday girl with a dish of ice cream at the end of our meal. Happy 95th birthday, Amy!

We had a ton of fun. I love that the restaurant does not charge a corkage fee for the first two bottles. Not to worry, we had our very own designated driver, Sandi.

Bluewater Grill is at 665 N. Harbor Dr. in Redondo Beach, California.