The Strand House in Manhattan Beach with its incredible view and fine dining (6/13)

Looking down on the sand, the rolling waves and the setting sun in the royal blue ocean, in the heart of the jewel, Manhattan Beach, CA.  sits the Strand House.  Restaurants with beautiful ocean views in great locations tend to excel in mediocrity when it comes to their food.  This couldn’t be further from the truth when describing the Strand House.  The food and drinks are as spectacular as the fading orange and raspberry glow of a Southern California sunset, which faces the entire dining room. 

 

The dining room is warm and inviting.  It definitely feels upscale, but it has a casual relaxed atmosphere.  That has a lot to do with the friendly management and staff.  Downstairs is a lounge which is a great place to head after dinner to have one of their fantastic signature cocktails like the Margarita Las Perlas which has Don Benito reposado tequila, Fresno chile, cucumber, cilantro, lime, Cointreau, agave, and topped with a spicy chili rim salt.  Amazing.

 

The produce is proudly purchased from local farms in the area and it shows.  Fresh ingredients in the hands of a master chef are a wonderful combination.  The flavors are clean, fresh, and unpretentious and produce an explosion of flavor with every bite.

Besides the excellent view of the beach we must highlight the set up of the restaurant and probably the most important part, the quality of the service. They were very friendly with a warm environment from the time we entered the restaurant until the time we left.

 

Among the dishes, there are quite a few that standout.

     

      Start off with one of their fabulous appetizers and/or salads- The soft-shell tempura crab was definitely worth the calories; The burrata and local heirloom beets with dates and the Kale salad (yes you have to order this one as you will never taste Kale so good mixed with grapes, goat cheese, farro and candied pumpkin seeds); Lastly, you cannot dine here without ordering our favorite plate- The hamachi crudo with avocado that melts like butter when you put it in your mouth. 

 

From the Mains- The grilled prime filet of beef, perfect texture, juicy and very good presentation served with a potato puree, wild mushrooms and pea tendrils.

·         The Alaskan Halibut was outstanding and accompanied by succotash and morel mushrooms. One of the better pieces of fish we have had in a while in LA.

·         The day boat Scallops were sautéed to perfection and melted in your mouth served with a delicious risotto.

·         Among the Wood Fired Pizzas- Go for the Forest mushroom, very good aroma, display and taste. The mushrooms were from the shiitake happens farm.

·         Side Dishes- The Roasted Brussels Sprouts or heartier Mac n Cheese.

 

·         Desserts- The not to miss petite glazed doughnuts as you get all 3 flavors- peanut butter, lemon, vanilla bean caramel with a chocolate oat crunch.  The ice cream was great and enjoy one of their specialty after-dinner drinks to finish your meal.

 

Overall, this was one of our favorite restaurants we have dined at in LA and we give it a Top Rating. You will love everything from the view to the service to the food.  The Strand House is located at 117 Manhattan Beach Blvd at the end of the street before the pier.   310-545-7470     www.thestrandhousemb.com

Michael Zislis, entrepreneur-restaurateur-hotelier, has captured the essence of Southern California with his well-known and mega successful establishments.

Zislis, a native of Palos Verdes, California, was only 13 years old when he brewed his first beer for a science experiment at school. By the time he was an economics major at the University of Southern California, he was a master brewer. Possessing an insatiable entrepreneurial spirit, Zislis opened a brewery fabrication company and started building breweries all over the world. Zislis parlayed his brewing experience into running his own restaurants, which include, Mucho, Brewco, Rock’n Brews, and Rock’n Fish in three locations: Manhattan Beach, Laguna Beach and at L.A. Live in Downtown Los Angeles. In 2004, Zislis opened Shade Hotel. Listed as Conde Nast Traveler’s #6 reason to visit Los Angeles, the wildly successful luxury boutique hotel also landed on the prestigious publication’s Hot List for 2007, one of only 19 U.S. properties named. A beloved member of the South Bay community, Zislis is committed to supporting local charities and schools. He also sits on the board of Torrance Memorial Medical Center. He says, “Nurturing relationships and building a strong community has always been important to me. In fact, it’s the best form of advertising.”

Always hungry for new adventures, plans are well underway for a second location of Shade Hotel just down the coast in Redondo Beach. These days you’ll find Michael regularly walking the floor of his restaurants, connecting with his customers. Anyone who knows Michael Zislis, recognizes his passion for service, quality and creativity. Just eat in one of his restaurants, you can taste his passion in every bite.