Turquoise Restaurant - Redondo Beach

Turquoise. The word paints a color, and the color conjures a paradise of blue-domed rooftops and an idyllic Mediterranean breeze, Santorini-blue reflecting sunshine and an aqua sky. Turquoise also evokes a bright blue stone, set in the native jewelry of the American southwest. Here it’s the color of connection, bring one with nature and the earth. 

It sounds so cheesy but the food at Turquoise really does taste like harmony, a careful crafting of connecting elements, every dish is as bright and pure as it is exquisite. Many of their ingredients are organic or natural as well. 

I've never had dinner here, and I’m happy to stick with lunch. It’s similar food stuffed into affordable sandwiches and wraps.

The Salmon Pesto Panini is still one of the best sandwiches I've had to date. The salmon is juicy and tender, cooked to the exact point where the fat melts into the crevices of the flesh. The pesto lends a fresh-leaf fragrance, with a base of olive oil oozing into melty mozzarella. Tomatoes add some tang, and ripe chunks of sun-sweet avocado pull it all together under a crusty focaccia. 

The Lamb Filet Mignon Wrap is probably the best wrap I've had to date. The chunks of lamb are more tender than any ordinary lamb, a juice-brimming lop of loin. Lettuce and tomato lighten the lamb, as does the paper-thin wrap that reins it in. Basil and spices evenly coat each chunk of meat and salad alike, adding a middle-eastern flair. 

The Koubideh Wrap is a juicy grind of all the best beef. The flavors are delicate and a sprinkle of sumac brings savory to the max. 

The sandwiches are a satisfying size, but the starters are not to be shunned. Their Hummus is among the most polished I've had, smooth in texture, more cream than grit, with a flavor that is earthy with a finish that is addictively sweet. It's easy to assume it's just hummus, but there's so much more depth to this than ground chickpeas and salt. 

I love the hummus and I love the Baba Ghanoush. The eggplant is tender with zero mush and zero slime. It finishes a little bitter to highlight the concentration of smoke. Do bear in mind that it tastes just like eggplant, which can be polarizing. Don’t order this unless you like eggplant.

Consider this a warning. If you have a sandwich at Turquoise, you'll never settle for an ordinary sub again. Cold cuts just won't cut it once you've bitten into this salmon or swallowed the juices of their lamb. Everything I've had here is exquisite, and I can barely consider grabbing lunch anywhere else.