by Richard Foss
The South Bay’s restaurant scene has been defying gravity, remaining vibrant despite higher ingredient and labor costs that have been shifting customers tabs ever higher. Several restaurants opened since my December column appeared, and I’ll start 2026 with a roundup of a few of them.
Japanese specialty, Mideastern comfort: Japanese restaurant Jack Manjiro opened in December in the former Fansea Sushi. The newcomer has a limited menu of sushi, tempura, and their specialty kasu udon, noodle soup made with a beef intestine broth. That broth has an intense beefiness reminiscent of French onion soup, and is available regular or spicy. The restaurant is crowdsourcing their decor, having painted the walls flat white and invited customers to draw or write whatever they want. They have been open only a month and the graffiti is already impressive (302 Rosecrans MB)… Another MB opening was Toranj, which is serving Persian food in an elegant space near the corner of PCH. They offer the traditional kebabs, breads, and stews that are the backbone of this cuisine, plus a few less familiar items. Cocktails and wine are offered with dinner, and this has already become the date night spot for the local Persian community. I was impressed by the food and expect them to do very well (1019 MB Boulevard, MB)…
Huddy, in downtown Hermosa, features a Miami feel in pink and green.
Hermosa Openings: Two, more conventional places opened in Hermosa, Covinten and Huddy’s at the Beach. Huddy’s is a reinvention of the Hudson House in the former Coastal space. [I previously wrote Hudson House is closed. It is open. I apologize.] When I visited Huddy for a cocktail last week, the place was packed. The space has been nicely decorated with a faintly tropical theme, reminiscent of a Miami hotspot. The menu is straightforward global contemporary, the prices a bit higher than they are at their other location on PCH in Redondo, justifiedly because the rent here has to be higher (844 Hermosa Ave, HB)… Covinten has a much lower profile location on 14th Street, by the corner of Hermosa Avenue. Their decor is surprisingly stylish for a beach-adjacent coffeehouse and bakery café. Someone dropping in wearing a T-shirt and swimsuit might feel underdressed in an environment with cool sea-green paint and chandeliers, but I’m sure they’ll be served with a smile like I was (87 Fourteenth Street, HB)… And if you happen to be in San Pedro, you should check out The Majestic, a stylish supper club serving Italian food in a mainly residential neighborhood near Downtown. The setting is spectacular, and the pizza and navy bean soup I tried on my first visit were first class (921 S. Beacon St, SP)…
Are They Or Aren’t They?: The word has spread that Siam I Am recently reopened on PCH in Redondo, and fans of the tiny Thai spot raced to look up the menu online. They found a dead website, and when they called the number listed on Google it was a disconnected phone. Those who drove by to check saw that the sign is still up, and the fresh sign with an A rating from the health department let them know that something was going on. The mystery is solved – a member of the family that owned the restaurant before has reopened it, and the name will change to Jeeb Thai Eatery. There is apparently no online menu, but if you know what you like and want to order takeout, the phone number is (424) 634-6366…
Changes On The Way: A new Indian restaurant coming to Hermosa, and it’s an outgrowth of a food truck that spends most of its time in San Pedro. Desi Boys plans to open in a space on PCH, no timeline announced yet… The Two Guns Coffee location on Main Street in El Segundo will be replaced by something called EZ-PZ. I don’t know why they picked that name or what they will be serving – can anybody out there tell me? The former Lemonade space at the Metlox Plaza in MB has been subdivided and now will be two restaurants. One will be the third location of Sogno Toscano, known for Tuscan specialties, espresso, and their wine bar. The other is Bacio di Latte, which specializes in gelato. If you look up that company on your computer at work, make sure you enter the whole name – Bacio Gelato is apparently a strain of cannabis. No word yet on when either will open…And in case you hadn’t heard, something is finally coming to the long-vacant former Texas Loosey’s space on Palos Verdes Boulevard in Redondo. The newcomer is Lucy & Pop’s Pizza, no word yet on how soon the pies will be coming out of the oven… A new boba shop called Tea Tastic has been in the remodeling phase for a long time, but the “now hiring” sign in the window suggests that they’ll be open soon. I looked at their online menu and was surprised to see that they serve something called “Duck poops milk tea.” It is to be hoped that truth in labeling is not a thing here, and this is either a metaphor or mistranslation… And finally, a new creperie is planned in Redondo, to be called Ratatouille. It’s an outgrowth of a successful catering business, and as work hasn’t started yet, it probably won’t be up and running for some time…
First look: I visited the new Coni’s Seafood in Hermosa with a little skepticism, as I had visited their famous original location in Inglewood and wasn’t impressed. You should take their name seriously, as this is a pescetarian’s delight – vegetarians and carnivores will find not a thing on the menu that suits them. They do offer shrimp in just about any way people in Nayarit, Mexico cook them, along with fish and langoustine lobsters. Though the restaurant is indoors the windows are open even on chilly evenings, so you might want to bring a coat. You will be plenty warm inside, because many of the dishes are quite spicy, and the green chile salsa that is on each table has a sneaky kick. Unusually, they serve beer but no wine, surprising because there are many good Mexican wines available these days. Or perhaps not, because beach seafood shacks in Nayarit don’t serve wine, and they are sticklers for authenticity here (934 Hermosa Ave. #1, HB)…
Odds And Ends: We have only one closure to report, the Rinaldi’s Deli in Riviera Village that has been pumping out sandwiches for almost 20 years. The original location in El Segundo remains open… Anniversary congratulations are due to two local spots this year – Captain Kidd’s turns 50, and Riviera Mexican Grill has hit 30. We anticipate no midlife crisis at either, and wish them many more years…
And In Closing: If you know a restaurant opening I might’ve missed, a culinary event that should be covered, or just about anything related to food that I should know about, please send the information my way. I’m at richard@richardfoss.com. And as long as you’re on the internet, check out past restaurant reviews on our website at easyreadernews.com/restaurants.