Salt Creek Grille and Islands

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Sometimes, you may find yourself with a couple of extra hours before your LAX flight and wonder where you might find a great vacation meal. The South Bay has many terrific choices, but allow me unveil two that I happened to dine at recently.

 

Last night for my wife's birthday, we went to Salt Creek Grille,which is tucked away in the new El Segundo Plaza, off of Sepulveda between Rosecrans and El Segundo. This is a trendy gourmet restaurant in a modern setting. Expect complex flavors combining seasonings difficult to identify and the finest fresh ingredients. Needless to say, this isn't moderately priced, but as you'll see, it is certainly not in the league of many of the top restaurants throughout the world price wise. Gordon Ramsey would f-ing approve, I think, and they are Zagat rated.

 

I had the seafood special of the day, fresh Hawaiian Ono in lobster sauce served with stir fry vegetables and a unique rice with herbs dish. It was all terrific. The fish was grilled to perfection and seasoned like nothing I have ever tasted. It might have been the best fish I ever ate. It was $23.

 

Julie ordered a Kobe beef hamburger with garlic Parmesan fries. Kobe hamburger is in a different world than what you'd get at Carl's Junior or In-and-Out, two California fast-food joints that are great when you don't have a lot of time or money. The Kobe beef almost melts in your mouth. It had a big chunk of “stinky cheese” which Julie pulled off it, but it left a hint of complexity on the burger. The shoestring fries were also great and definitely not like fast food fries, which of course are favorites in their own right. $18.95 is a lot more than the Six Dollar Burger at Carl's Junior, but if you want a unique burger treat in pleasant surroundings, it's a good choice. Amy said she would come back to Salt Creek Grille with her boyfriend and split a Kobe burger when they come back for Christmas vacation from college. Julie's rum and Diet Coke ordered blind added $7, which seemed a better deal than the listed $12 Raspberry Martini or $9 minimum glass of wine.

 

Amy inexplicably ordered a Portobello Cubano Sandwich, despite the fact that she doesn't particularly like mushrooms. I think it had the most complex and unique flavor of all, and Amy also loved it. I have never tasted anything like it before, and it was terrific for $11.95.

 

Last week, we had a separate birthday dinner for Julie, because we knew Jay would be off at college this week. Jay selected one of our family favorites, Islands. Yes, Islands is a national chain, and it isn't that unique, but it is always a treat.

 

Easy to find in Manhattan Village on Sepulveda between Marine and Rosecrans, Islands is basically another incarnation of the Jimmy Buffett song, “Cheeseburger in Paradise,” which you know suits our family just right. For about $9, you get a great hamburger and French fries served among Hawaiian beach décor. Their burgers used to be much larger and come without fries, but Atkins diets notwithstanding, this is a more satisfying combination.

 

The standard Big Wave is a classic burger that Jay and I each ordered, but I usually get the one named after my favorite island, Maui, which adds guacamole and Swiss cheese. I also recommend the Kilauea (like the volcano), which has jalapeno and black pepper crusting. Julie enjoyed her regular order, the Hula Burger, that features mushrooms and Swiss cheese. They have other offerings beyond burgers, and in fact Amy loved her huge Wiqui Waqui BBQ Chicken Salad, but I strongly recommend the burgers.

 

I added a 25 ounce Islands micro-brew ale for $6, although there's also a 16 ounce for $4.25. I think that brew is unique to only some locations in California, so there's your reason to visit my home town. Islands is a great moderately priced full service restaurant that gives you the chance to spend an hour in Hawaii before your flight.

 

If you get off your flight around noon, both of these restaurants also serve terrific lunches. Rather than rushing to the ship to pay the price of standing in line to get a free meal, why not splurge a little and enjoy the best of the South Bay? Boarding lines are always much shorter (if not non-existent) about two hours before the ship sails, and you'll actually be smiling for your embarkation photo.