Saturday Richstone celebrated its birthday with a beach bash on the sand in Redondo Beach. This year marks 40 years of Richstone preventing and treating child abuse, strengthening families, and preventing violence in families, schools and communities. The private beach in King Harbor was decorated in white with gorgeous flower arrangements supplied by Lilly Pad Floral Design.
It has been said that food tastes better when your toes are in the sand. It was definitely true last weekend as local South Bay restaurants provided guests with a variety of small plates. There was a touch of Italy with Zazou ‘s meatball with an ancho chile cream sauce (OK, Italian fusion). Charlie’s Italian Joint brought summery heirloom tomato crostini.
The fanciest taste was R10 Social House‘s whiskey-injected smoked beef carpaccio on a crisp potato gaufrette accompanied with a bright beet horseradish foam, arugula and black currant caviar. Pretty ritzy for the International Boardwalk. I will definitely be checking R10 Social House out. Coni’Seafood in Inglewood presented a fresh and citrusy shrimp, octopus and sea snail ceviche as well as a drunken shrimp with rice that gets an A for presentation. Doma Kitchen lightened things up with a kale salad that was voted “Best Salad” by the Easy Reader.
Heartier dishes came in the form of a slider from Baleen piled high with sweet lobster. LA Beat favorite, The Standing Room, went head to head with a pulled pork slider. Surf and Turf. The Bluewater Grill offered oyster shooters and a rich clam chowder. I have to admit though, the place I returned to for seconds was El Gringo for delicious pork tacos.
Wine pours were provided by Ranchero Cellars and Hug Cellars. Sierra Nevada had a Pale Ale and Torpedo IPA on tap. Absolution Brewing Company had the creamy Purgatory Hefeweizen with notes of banana and clove. Local microbrewery King Harbor Brewing Co pulled The Quest, a single hop pale ale with elements of stone fruit and a citrusy, refreshing Belgian-style California Saison. There was also an open bar serving mojitos.
As the party warmed up, Night Owl Productions got people on the dance floor with a mix of Stevie Wonder and old Motown hits. They were the best and most populous cover band I have ever seen. Iced coffee and brownies were passed and Doma Kitchen served Belgian waffles with sweetened condensed milk as the night built up to its impressive culmination in a big fireworks display on the sand.
