My work commute involves driving along Pacific Coast Highway in the South Bay. To keep the ride interesting, I always search for new restaurants. The opening of Baran’s 2239 didn’t excite me because it is located in a corner strip mall in Hermosa Beach.
My cousin surprised me by mentioning Baran’s 2239 by name. Because he lives in the Mid Wilshire section of LA, he’s in close proximity to some of the hottest LA restaurants and I was surprised that he knew of Baran’s 2239. I took him up on his suggestion and we dined there last Saturday.
People watching is fun and I was surprised to see a nice mix. Couples, families and friends were seated in the tightly packed dining area and I was surprised to see the diversity in clientele. For me, it was a bit difficult to carry on a conversation due to the combination of the music and the conversations taking place.
Grilled Romanesco Cauliflower
My wife selected the Grilled Romanesco Cauliflower. The addition of horseradish was an unexpected pleasant pairing with grilled romanesco, balsamic vinegary and gooseberries. While the flavors were pleasing, I thought this dish was a bit heavy on salt.
Smoked and Fried Chicken with a soy and chili gastrique.
Smoked Fried Chicken was presented in a vertical format and surrounded with a soy and chili gastrique. The chicken is brined for 48 hours, smoked and fried. Eating this dish is quite delightful because it has a super crispy outside, a moist inside, but the flavors vary on each bite you take.
Pan Seared Diver Scallops
My wife likes scallops and she selected the Pan Seared Diver Scallops. They were pan seared to perfection and paired with a crunchy root vegetable, salisfy, in a pistachio basil sauce. Salify added a taste somewhat like artichokes, an unusual pairing to scallops.
Saffron Clams and Mussels
The Saffron Clams and Mussels with carnaroli rice and fennel sausage was served in a delicious sauce which was a nice marriage of the ingredients. Likewise, the Gnocchi Nero with king crab. Calabria chile was a delight. The gnocchi nero had the perfect consistency and was black due to the squid ink. King crab meat nicely paired with this pasta.
Korean Grilled Pork Tenderloin
My favorite of the evening was their Grilled Korean Pork Loin. It was prepared medium rare and extremely crisp on the outside. The addition of kimchi apple and squash puree was a nice balance to the spice rub.
For wine that evening, we shared a bottle of Virginia Dare pinot noir. This Russian River wine was full bodied with notes of raspberries and spice and it stood up well to the dishes we enjoyed that evening.
Buttermilk Pie
Coffee Toffee Pudding
We shared desserts and ordered the buttermilk pie and the Coffee Toffee Pudding. While the crust of the buttermilk pie was satisfying, I favored the coffee toffee pudding. The pudding was an intense coffee flavor and was cake-like in consistency. It was topped with pink peppercorn studded whipped cream and drizzled with a caramel sauce.
Baran’s 2239 is a delightful addition to the Hermosa Beach dining landscape. Reservations are strongly recommended.
Baran’s 2239 – 502 Pacific Coast Hwy, Hermosa Beach