Happy Hour at Sea Level Restaurant and Lounge

Sea Level Restaurant and Lounge opened last November as part of the new Shade Hotel in Redondo Beach. A friend of mine suggested that we go there during Happy Hour and we recently paid them a visit.

Shade Hotel is right on the beach and I fully expected to have to use their valet. I was surprised to see that metered parking was actually available on the street in front of the hotel.

Bright interior with lots of lucky bamboo along the wall

Sea Level is the hotel’s restaurant and lounge.The inside of the restaurant is filled with indirect light because of their extensive use of glass. Given the beautiful harbor view, you can simulate an outside view from inside the restaurant. Outdoor heaters keep al fresco diners comfortable.

Mussels in a white wine sauce with garlic

Fennel Sausage Pizza topped with charred broccolini, shallot confit and fennel pollen

A generous serving of mussels bathed in a white wine sauce was served with crostini. It was made with an appropriate amount of garlic which made for a tasty dipping sauce for the bread. The Fennel Sausage Pizza was thin, crispy and topped with charred broccolini, shallot confit and fennel pollen giving it a smoky and earthy taste.

Moscow Mule

The Moscow Mule was strong and served in a shiny copper mug. Beam and Root is a  bourbon drink that is made with Barq’s root beer and Jim Beam bourbon. It was slightly sweet and quite smooth.

Roasted baby beets with goat cheese, frisée, pistachios and arugula pesto

The sauteed wild mushroom dish was quite interesting as they included a nice assortment of different mushrooms. Poached Shrimp contained large prawn sized pieces with a horseradish chive cocktail sauce. Roasted baby beets were nicely paired with frisée, pistachios and arugula pesto.

The noise level inside can get quite high and it’s a good idea to move it outside for a more intimate experience. Since they have an abundant amount of space heaters, this is a nice option for the winter months. For locals, it’s a wonderful way to enjoy a Happy Hour with a beautiful sunset.

Sea Level Restaurant and Lounge
Shade Hotel, 655 N Harbor Drive, Redondo Beach, CA 90277
http://rb.shadehotel.com/dine/