Dine L.A. Restaurant Week for Winter 2018 began Jan. 12 and runs through Friday, Jan. 26. Approximately 300 LA area restaurants are currently participating. Fortunately for me, my brother-in-law gave me a gift certificate to MB Post. My wife and I were impressed with their dineLA offering and we recently paid them a visit.
Our server explained that the dineLA menu is a combination of existing menu items and brand new offerings that they are trying out with their customers. Because each diner is able to select four different dishes, it is a great way to sample many items from their menu.
The Manhattan Avenue Cocktail
My wife and I came from different directions and I arrived early. I sat at the bar and enjoyed their Manhattan Avenue cocktail. Templeton Rye whiskey mixed with vanilla and caramel formed this delicious cocktail. The rim of the glass was lined with bacon dust. The drink was reminiscent of an adult candy beverage without being overly sweet.
The dineLA menu is separated into two columns and diners are able to select two items from each column. Because we share our food, we intentionally ordered different plates. I instinctively think that dessert is ordered at the end of the meal and missed the fact that their famous Elvis PB&J was listed at the bottom of the second column.
Hamachi Sashimi with a ginger soy dressing
The hamachi sashimi arrived first and since my wife doesn’t care for raw seafood, I claimed that for myself. The ginger sesame soy dressing was a delicious sauce that worked well with the hamachi. The small chunks of pineapple kimchi gave the dish a unique taste.
Roasted Parsnips and Nantes Carrots
Roasted broccoli florets sprinkled with chili flakes and topped with parmesan
To balance out our protein heavy meal, we selected two vegetable offerings. The Roasted Parsnips and Nantes Carrots is one of their new dishes. It was in a bed of a mild coconut curry sauce with cashews. Roasted broccoli florets were seasoned with chili flakes and topped with parmesan. Both of these dishes were simply prepared and the flavors worked well together. The parsnips dish is new to their menu.
Seared Diver Scallops
Pork and Ricotta Meatballs with creamy polenta
Plump diver scallops were seared to perfection and were nestled in a bed of a cauliflower-apple puree. Sprinkled with the sauce were some sweet sultanas. Having a dish with a sweet sauce as opposed to the Pork and Ricotta Meatballs and tomato ragu gave a nice sweet and salty flavor experience. The polenta that was served with the meatballs was extremely creamy.
Thai Shrimp with spicy rendang sauce, sweet potatoes over rice noodles
Another item that MB Post is testing with its customers is the Thai Shrimp. Rice noodles were topped with a spicy rendang sauce, sweet potato and shrimp. The sauce was delicious and the shrimp was presented more in an authentic way with the shells intact. This is probably not the dish to order if you are trying to impress your Cotillion trained date.
Char-Siu Lamb Belly with sticky rice and bok choy
The Char-siu Lamb Belly was prepared with a Chinese marinade that had distinctive notes of Chinese Five Spice seasoning. The Thai sticky rice was slightly sweet and because it was prepared in a cast iron pot, the edges were slightly crunchy. Grilled bok choy also accompanied this dish.
Charred Skirt Steak drizzled with red chimichurri sauce
The skirt steak was nicely charred on the outside and rare on the inside. The use of red chimichurri sauce didn’t overpower the meat with fresh parsley and instead added some spiciness. The broccolini was fresh and rounded out the dish nicely.
As you could imagine, we were stuffed and we packed enough food to go to make a second dinner out of it. The price is only $39 each and it is a terrific bargain for this caliber of food. Be sure you make reservations as MB Post is quite popular. They have communal seating for walk-up customers, but at the time we left those tables were full as well.
MB Post, 1142 Manhattan Ave, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
http://eatmbpost.com/
Hi Bryan,
Great review!! As you said, this is a good way to try the food at “M.B. Post”. I like the way you described the food and the pictures are great too. It sounds like you and Peggy had some good food (and so much food!!) and a great time.
Dean