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.

Shrimp By You

This restaurant has been in this little corner of a strip mall for some time now. When Sandi and I first went a couple of years ago, we ordered shrimp, but they were served with their shells on. Neither of us is a fan of peeling shrimp; it takes away from our eating pleasure. So, we asked if they would peel them for us, and they did. Some people think that is all part of the fun; to each his own!

We started going back for their Happy Hour Taco Tuesdays. Tacos are $2.00 each, and a glass of red wine is $5.00. What's not to like? We have tried some of the tacos; by far, the best are the Shrimp and Fish. We also like their French Fries, which go well with the tacos. 

When we first started going, we would only order two tacos, but later, Zohreh and I decided that four was the magic number. It's the perfect place to go after an early movie. We met the owner, Juan Gonzalez, who is hands-on and ensures everything is well done. Our favorite server and always cheerful, Carina, is part of our gang. We admire her beautiful, long nails, and she swears they never get in the way.

Shrimp By You is located at 2755 E. Pacific Coast Hwy., Suite A in Torrance, California.

Crème de la Crêpe

This year, for Zohreh's birthday, her husband Mike invited Sugar and me to join their family in celebrating his wife's birthday.

We enjoyed Truffle Fries, Filet MignonTartare, and Tuna Tartare for appetizers. The French bread with butter was, as always, outstanding. I neglected to take photos of the fries and the tuna from my excitement when the truffle fries arrived.

We were a party of ten. Mike ordered the Beef Filet Mignon with peppercorn sauce, served with their delicious potato gratin. The birthday girl had the Sole with slivered almonds, etc., served with risotto over arugula. I had the beef bourguignon in red wine and wonderful mashed potatoes and so did Amir.

Sugar had her favorite Vegetable Quiche with salad on the side. Leyla ordered the St. Pierre Crêpe with crab meat, shrimp, tomato, bell pepper, and jack cheese. Jaime had the Hamburger with fries, and Nika had the Chicken Burger with bacon. Ayana had the Pesto Fettuccini with shrimp, and Philip had a Burger.

Joelle brought Zohreh a special dessert with fireworks! Numerous desserts were ordered, including a Coffee Lover's dessert with espresso, coffee ice cream, and coffee macaron. Sandi's worst nightmare). Someone ordered a Raspberry sorbet, vanilla ice cream, and their famous Chocolate Cake, which was divine! 

I had the best dessert, the Crêpe Suzette, which I truly enjoyed. 

The evening was outstanding, with superior service. Joelle and Mateo made sure of it!

Crème de la Crêpe is located at 550 Deep Valley Dr., Suite 145, in Rolling Hills Estates, California.