Jan 2015

Love & Salt – Los Angeles (Manhattan Beach)

Love & Salt - Manhattan Beach

While some folks are juicing their way into the New Year, I’m doing quite the opposite. Sure I’ve got a few postpartum pounds left to lose, but first, pasta, pizza, and mortadella hot dogs!

With The Astronomer on baby duty last Monday night, I made my way to Manhattan Beach to join my friends Darin and Diana for dinner at Love & Salt, where we feasted on the aforementioned indulgences and so much more.

Love & Salt - Manhattan Beach

Opened late last year in the former Café Pierre space, Love & Salt is a collaboration between Chef Michael Fiorelli (most recently of mar’sel at Terranea Resort) and restauranteurs Guy and Sylvie Gabriele (Zazou, Farm Stand).

Love & Salt - Manhattan Beach

The restaurant, by the way, is named for the team’s philosophy that great food needs only love and salt. True that.

Love & Salt - Manhattan Beach

To start, we shared an order of the chef’s signature English muffins ($6), which were served hot-from-the-oven with house-made cultured butter topped with coarse salt and fresh rosemary. Golden on the outside and flaky within, these super-sized muffins are definitely in the running for the Top Breads of 2015.

Love & Salt - Manhattan Beach

Next, we ventured to the “Odds and Ends” portion of the menu. Nestled atop a buttered and toasted split-top bun, the Mortadella “Hot Dog” ($10) came dressed in a pickled vegetable relish and house-made mustard.

As Secret Robbie would say, “There are no two finer words in the English language than ‘encased meats,’ my friend.”

Love & Salt - Manhattan Beach

Also from the “Odds and Ends” section was the Corned Lamb Tongue Panini ($13), a playful take on the Chef’s favorite sandwich. The Lunchables-sized Reubens included fontina cheese, tomato aioli, and pickled peppers on rye. Spicy, tangy, and seriously savory, the panini was one of my favorite bites of the night.

Love & Salt - Manhattan Beach

To balance the preceding offals and coming carbohydrates, we shared two vegetable-centric “Small Plates.” The Winter Citrus Salad ($13) with shaved fennel, olive oil, and cracked black pepper was super-fresh and bright.

Love & Salt - Manhattan Beach

The Roasted Baby Cauliflower ($14) with salsa verde, preserved lemon, and Parmesan breadcrumbs was a touch heartier and certainly well-balanced.

Love & Salt - Manhattan Beach

The parade of carbohydrates kicked off with the Duck Egg ($18) pizza, a bready raft of everything good—pancetta, panna (cream), crispy potatoes, rosemary, mozzarella, and Parmesan. The duck yolk, broken and smothered table-side, was over the top, in the best way.

Love & Salt - Manhattan Beach

Equally decadent was the house-made bucatini ($18) with fennel sausage, black kale, Parmesan, and bread crumbs. The sausage and its drippings made for a robustly flavored sauce that coated every silky strand.

Love & Salt - Manhattan Beach

The most memorable dish of the night was the house-made cavatappi ($16), which was treated to a hot and unctuous bone marrow bath table-side. Oh, man…

Love & Salt - Manhattan Beach

A melange of roasted garlic, fresh parsley, Parmesan, and black pepper completed the dish, meshing beautifully with the utterly rich marrow. I’m so recreating this at home for The Astronomer.

Love & Salt - Manhattan Beach

And finally, a totally classic and totally delicious pappardelle with tomato-braised pork cheeks and ricotta ($17).

Love & Salt - Manhattan Beach

For dessert, we shared a slice of Meyer lemon tart ($9) topped with “burnt” meringue. The sweet and caramelized meringue provided the perfect foil to the curd’s tartness.

Love & Salt - Manhattan Beach

The humorously named “Not Another Budino”($10) featured a dense and rich chocolaty brick garnished with whipped creme fraiche. I usually favor fruity desserts over chocolaty ones, but this fudgy powerhouse had me switching teams.

Love & Salt - Manhattan Beach

And last but not least, Chef Fiorelli sent out some rosemary cookies because he’s cool like that.

Our dinner at Love & Salt was terrific from start to finish. The food was approachable yet fresh, while service was warm and efficient. I plan on fully exploring the “Odds & Ends” menu on my next visit—the crispy pig ears and roasted glazed pig head will be mine!

Love & Salt
17 Manhattan Beach Boulevard
Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
Phone: 310-545-5252

One year ago: Republique – Los Angeles
Two year ago: 
Nước Chấm – Vietnamese Fish Sauce Vinaigrette
Three years ago: Meyer Lemon Muffins
Four years ago: Beijing Pie House – Monterey Park
Five years ago: La Grande Orange Cafe – Pasadena
Six years ago: Arde’s Bistro – Los Angeles (Burbank)
Seven years ago: Mì & Hủ Tiếu Xào
Eight years ago: Á Châu – San Diego

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2 thoughts on “Love & Salt – Los Angeles (Manhattan Beach)

  1. i grew up w sylvie. she is a great restauranteur. so glad you enjoyed love & salt. next time you are on the west side come see our bar louie’s of mar vista or in the soothsay north end caffe. i read your stuff every week!

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