Manhattan House UPDATE - Manhattan Beach

I had a nice time on the first visit, but I think we ordered wrong. I liked it but I didn't love it...

I love it. That Wild Mushroom Toast tho'. Tender little fun guys draped with gooey-milk stracchino cheese, accented with sage and thyme and dashing Parmesan. It's just mushrooms on toast, but the way they make it, it's not just mushroom toast.

The house special is Fanny Bay Oysters, buttery, goopy half-shells on the rocks, with an array of dipping sauces. There's saffron, pickled shallots, and salsa verde, and all of them rock.

They borrow some stuff from the south, and they add a little fusion to the mix. The Pan Seared Shrimp is like a shrimp n' grits remix, pancetta on polenta, a corny and thicker grit...though I'm pretty sure polenta came first. Parmesan adds some salt, the tomato sauce has some tang to give some life to the flavors. Not the most memorable, but it's comfort food if you're craving.

They do a good pasta, and they know how to let a good thing be a good thing. Parm and a simple, meaty ragu roost in ribbons of Tagliatelle al dente. Not too many ingredients, just flawless pasta and a well-made sauce.

Their best dish: the Grilled Whole Branzino. Freshly gutted and fileted, just grab any piece - it's all so tender that each bite could be a cheek. Crispy skin, flaky flesh beneath. Let's face it, the squash and tomato are great sides but they're a moot point on a fish this good. 

Finish up with Olive Oil Cake again. It's just as nice the second time around - a moist slice with fruity drizzle.

Grilled Yellow Peaches - the last of the summer stone fruit with sweet simplicity. The molasses add a bitter burnt-sugar finish, like what you get at the end of a 4th of July barbecue. 

Now I get it. Manhattan House always gets rave reviews, and my last visit was nice, but it didn't exactly change my life. This second visit is a lot more in line with what I'm hearing, and I've learned a little more about them too. They get props for sourcing ingredients seasonally and sustainably. They make pretty much everything in-house and that's pretty commendable. Some dishes, like the branzino, were absolutely exceptional, and the less memorable items are still quite tasty. The dinner menu mixes things up, and it's a mix I won't be quick to forget. 

Manhattan House - Manhattan Beach

My mood will always affect how I view my food, but it's far from a one-way street. Food can also affect my mood, and on this night, my mood needs Manhattan House. 

The mood lighting makes for terrible photos, but it hides the dark circles under my eyes, a much better concealer than the stuff I don't have time to wear. 

The Roasted Brussels Sprouts play too my dark mood, the need for something that gives it to me straight. This dish is sharp and bitter, barely sugar-coated by provolone and pesto, a little something simple yet assertive that cuts through all the B.S. of my week. 

The Prosciutto & Honey Dates hang heavy, a favorite for their juxtaposition of salt with sweet, mildness with pungence. The gorgonzola glides along a gooey date, all softness against the chewy, cured charcuterie. 

A Fondo Del Mare as black as my temper: a stimulating dungeon of black sourdough flanks delicately-breaded baby octopi, each bite as soft and supple as the one before.

My spirits lift with my final southern comfort. The Buttermilk Fried Chicken is flawless, and there is a dash of honey in the adherent crust. The cornbread is fluffy yet dense, savory yet sweet, a balance that simultaneously uplifts and grounds.

Ending with the Olive Oil Cake, a moist, modest slice of not-too-sweet interspersed with raspberry coulis. 

I like Manhattan House. It's a safe haven of familiar food, prepared with undeniable skill. The concepts are easy to grasp, the execution is exact. A good meal, a reasonable price for the quality, all too easy to enjoy.