Sugo Social

This newly opened restaurant in the Peninsula in Rolling Hills Estates is a welcome treat. It used to be Luna Rossa, situated across from the Regal Theater.

On New Year's Day, Zohreh and I, wearing our polka-dots (for prosperity), decided to have an early dinner.  The place is spacious and inviting. We arrived at 3 p.m., the perfect time, after lunch and before dinner.  We looked at the menu. It was a mix of Italian and Korean.  I am skeptical of restaurants that try to mix cuisines since the last restaurant that did that, which we tried, was a disaster. 

The manager, Frankie, came by and explained the meaning of Sugo. In Korean, it means "You're doing a great job," and in Italian, it means sauce. He further explained the different items on the menu and answered our questions.

He had us try the Pão de Queijo on the house. We were delighted to have these delicious Brazilian Popovers served with tangy lime aioli. We ordered a Modena Salad to share. Butter Lettuce, candied walnuts, goat cheese, shallots, and parsley in a Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing. All these to whet our appetites.

Zohreh ordered the Shrimp Miso Pasta, spaghetti with large prawns, Korean fermented soybean pasta, garlic, and mushrooms. She skipped the bacon. She was happy with her selection. I tried it, and it was delicious. 

I had the Truffle Pasta. Spaghetti with wild mushrooms and pickled egg yolk, bacon, garlic, truffle pasta with truffle shavings. Yummmmm. 

Our server, Chris, was attentive and checked in on us several times. 

We were pleasantly full, but I immediately asked to look at the menu when Chris asked if we wanted dessert. We decided on the Lemon Meringue. It was a good size to split into three, but we finished it. 

I am so excited about Sugo. I can't wait to try the other interesting items on their menu. 

Giorgio's

We celebrated Zohreh's birthday a few weeks after her actual day, as she and her husband Mike had too much on their social calendar. 

We ordered Calamari as an appetizer. We enjoyed a bread basket with the most delicious chopped tomatoes and herbs. Zohreh and I also ordered a Caesar Salad since we enjoyed it the last time we dined there. 

Deciding what to have for our entées was difficult since most items sounded good. Zohreh and I settled on the Veal Romano, which consisted of slices of tender veal layered above fried eggplant in a Marsala demi-glace sauce. This dish was absolutely delicious, and I would not hesitate to order it again. Mike opted for the Ribeye sautéed with mushrooms in a Chianti wine reduction. He had no complaints. 

Zohreh was surprised to get a nice dessert compliments from the restaurant. A generous portion of Tiramisu with chocolate-covered Spumoni. 

We are becoming increasingly fond of Giorgio. This is truly a gem in Rolling Hills Estates. Their address is 777 Deep Valley Dr., Rolling Hills Estates, California.

The Arthur J

Our friend Sugar invited us to celebrate Christmas at The Arthur J. We were all excited, as we had never been there before. 

I brought a nice bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon.  Sugar insisted we have cocktails, so we looked at the menu, and immediately, something caught my eye. The cocktail was called "Diamonds Are Forever"; though not James Bond's choice, it looked fascinating. This was made with Grey Goose Vodka, a lemon twist, and fried olives stuffed with goat cheese, which was served on the side. Those fried olives were the star of the show. They were most delicious. Our server informed us that we could not order that on the side as an appetizer if we wanted, which was unfortunate. 

We all felt tipsy after that one Martini. I later thought it could have been because we had nothing to eat before drinking it. Nothing in our stomachs could absorb the potent drink. Mind you, it was perfect. Mike decided he would not consume wine, as he was the designated driver. We did get appetizers. Sugar insisted we order the Emmental Popovers, puffed crisps with strawberry butter. The Steak Tartare should be good with fresh chile aioli. The Pan Seared Diver Scallops also sounded good, so that was ordered. Sugar mentioned that the Paker House Rolls served with deviled ham, should be tried. That was a lot of appetizers!  A  Classic Caesar salad with white anchovies was also ordered, along with another salad.  All of them were consumed with no complaints. We were very happy at this point.

Three of us ordered the Filet Mignon after all the appetizers; Sugar had the Ribeye as she left us to gorge on all the appetizers. I had mine with Béarnaise sauce, Mike had it with the Arthur J steak sauce, Sugar opted for no sauce, and Zohreh had the Chimichurri. I think she ordered that because she liked the sound of it. We could not have the steak solo; they needed friends to accompany them. A healthy side of Asparagus, Sautéed Mushrooms, and Mac & Cheese were the friends that came along.

We were all stuffed, and I don't know how we were talked into ordering dessert. It was something chocolate, and it was yummy.

We enjoyed the dining experience. The service was good. We thank Sugar for an unforgettable evening. 

The Arthur J is located at 903 Manhattan Ave. in Manhattan Beach, California.

Serendipity

This relatively new restaurant opened recently on Pacific Coast Highway in Redondo Beach. It used to be the Mexican restaurant Ortega 120. I received a flyer that showed the Happy Hour menu. Who could resist $4.99 drinks? We had just seen a movie, and since Sujata's birthday was the day before, it was a cause for celebration.

Zohreh and I ordered a glass of Bonanza (Caymus) Cabernet Sauvignon, which was not bad; it was pretty good! Amy had a Merlot, and Sujata chose the Mango Tango Margarita, which she loved.

We decided to order Brussels Sprouts and Fried Zucchini for appetizers. Three of us settled on Fish and Chips with fries, and Amy had Fried Chicken Bites with Chili Soy Glaze. We were surprised as the entrées came before our appetizers, which defeats the purpose of the definition of "appetizers."

Our fish was a disaster. We all thought it was too bready, and the fish had absolutely no flavor. The fries were good, and the Brussels sprouts were also good, but the zucchini was just like the fish, with no flavor at all. It was just fried. Amy's chicken had flavor, but she did not care for it. 

A young lady came to ask us if everything was good. So I gave her my opinion, which everyone put in their 2 cents worth. She apologized and said she would talk to the chef. Our server was very nice, but he said he was sorry when we told him we were unhappy. 

The question was, would we come back to this place? It was unanimous that no one intended to return. They did not offer to give us a break on the bill, which wasn't much, but it was the principle. Funny, when I mentioned this to Amy's daughter, she commented, "I've had breakfast there before, and it was terrible."

This was unfortunate because it is a nice place. I won't be surprised if they do not last. 

Lobster Guys

Cindy, aka Puts, asked me if I had been to Lobster Guys in Redondo Beach. The answer was no, but my question was where in Redondo Beach. It turns out it was not far away.  While Sandi was still in town, Sandi, Amy, and I went for Happy Hour. 

Amy ordered the Lobster Taco, Sandi had the Shrimp, and I decided to have the Grilled Cheese Lobster with Tomato Soup since it was a chilly day. Having some fries to go with everything was a good idea. 

We were all very happy with our order. I could not wait to return and try one of the heavy-duty Lobster Rolls. Two weeks ago, I ordered the Cali Truffle Roll, which includes chilled Maine lobster/truffle oil, herb, mayo, avocado, cucumber, old bay, and green onions. All their rolls are made with a well-buttered brioche bun. I could not wait to get home to try it. 

The lobster roll had a generous serving of chunks of succulent lobster. It was totally delicious. The only thing was that there was no hint of truffle taste. I called the restaurant after I finished my sandwich to inform them that they had forgotten to add the truffle oil. I spoke to Kyle, who was apologetic and insisted I return the following day and that he would ensure I got the correct order. 

So I returned, and he assured me this was indeed the Cali Truffle Roll. When I got home, I poured myself a glass of champagne to accompany my dinner. I was disappointed I still had not detected any truffle flavor, so I left it at that. If you like truffles, order something else so you will be satisfied.

Their Lobster is genuinely delicious, so after seeing a movie last week, I thought it would be good to return and have Zohreh try the Lobster. Zohreh and Amy did order the Lobster Tacos. I ordered the Lobster Grilled Cheese with the Tomato Soup. No fries this time. We were all very pleased with our choices. 

Kyle was our server, and I told him I really appreciated his efforts the last time in getting my order right. Unfortunately, it had no truffle flavor, but it was not his fault. Kyle entertained us and kept us in stitches. He is also a stand-up comedian on the side. He is from Texas, and we all loved him. He should be running the place. He truly understands people and, most importantly, great service.

Lobster Guys has several locations. The one we went to is located at 800 S. Pacific Coast Hwy. in Redondo Beach, California.