When you think of Redondo Beach, you probably envision the iconic pier, the beautiful sunsets, and, if you’re like me, the freshly caught seafood. One such place to experience all three sensations is the Sonesta Redondo Beach and Marina. Their flagship dining experience, SOL Restaurant, recently announced a new chef with an impressive Asian-fusion menu.
Sonesta recently purchased the Crown Plaza Redondo Beach, giving the hotel’s flagship dining experience, SOL Restaurant, a modern beach makeover. The interior is filled with natural lighting updated with a coastal vibe, including a cool lifeguard tower display.
Chef Hayato Yanai hails from Tokyo and is trained in French and Japanese cooking techniques. He is extremely enthusiastic and isn’t shy to share his vision of preparing Asian-fusion cuisine using locally sourced ingredients and just-caught seafood. That day, I was able to taste some of his Asian tapas as well as their craft cocktails.
Karaage Chicken is not something you typically find beachside, and I was happy to see that it is an option here. The Honey Walnut Shrimp includes huge prawn-sized shrimp lightly dusted and fried. It was accompanied by their house sweet and sour sauce and cilantro, a delightful combination of flavors.
Yanai’s calamari was one of my favorite dishes I tried that evening. It was fried and seasoned with salt and pepper. While they included a traditional Italian marinara sauce, the taste of the calamari stood well on its own without the dipping sauce. I prefer not to have the sauce overwhelm the taste of the calamari.
Fortunately, cocktails don’t play a backseat to the food. Beverage Director Addison Jolley introduced craft cocktails such as the Hibiscus Sour, Smokey Tamarind, and SOL Ol Fashioned. I enjoyed the Smokey Tamarind, but the SOL Ol Fashioned reminded me of Christmas because of the smoked cinnamon stick.
The dinner entrees at SOL Restaurant are cutting-edge Asian fusion to the beach. A couple of examples include a Ribeye Steak witty bok choy and roasted sunchokes in a gochuchajang compound butter and a Lobster Lo Mein with house-made egg noodles, carrots, scallions, peppers, and cilantro.
And if you didn’t already know, BeachLife, takes place this week from May 5-7. The largest beach party and live music festival in Southern California is held in Redondo Beach, directly across the street from the Sonesta Redondo Beach and Marina. Gwen Stefani and The Black Crows, with John Fogerty heading the event. Tickets are close to selling out.
Even if you live in LA, consider staying in beautiful King Harbor with dinner at SOL Restaurant. From the hotel, you are steps away from the Redondo Beach Pier, where you can enjoy the sounds of the surf and soak in the harbor life. It’s a great way to unwind from a busy week.
SOL Restaurant (inside the Sonesta Redondo Beach & Marina Hotel)
300 N Harbor Dr, Redondo Beach, CA 90277; 310.318.8888; sonesta.com