Today I feel like I found a real treasure… Cost Plus World Market is amazing!!! It was like going shopping in a store in England… From Heinz Baked Beans to Salad Cream to London Pride Beer I was really blown away by the selection. It’s funny because you would think Heinz Baked Beans ( what I went to the store for) would be everywhere like Vons, Ralphs, or Albertson’s but no! Looks like not only will I have a continued supply but I can get other things as well! Hope you are all having a great Sunday and if you need me I’ll be in the English section!
The Strip Club
Pig’s Eye poutine, $9
According to legend, St. Paul was settled by trappers, many of them French or French-Canadian. Just as legendary is the Montreal dish poutine, in which French fries are combined with cheese curds and gravy in a way that tests the skills of Canada’s famed…
(Source: mrblyth)
Today I went to Montreal, Canada for lunch and have to say I now don’t have to eat for another year!
Ok so maybe I did not travel up to our neighbors to the north but I did visit the Redondo Beach Cafe in Redondo Beach, CA. I wrote a couple of days ago about how I had heard from two people that I trust about this dish called poutine that was from Montreal, Canada. It is made of french fries, fresh cheese curds, and gravy… needless to say I knew right away that this was something I had to try! I hit the internet (phoolge) style and found there are 2 places in the area that serve poutine and so I choose the one closest to me in Redondo Beach!
In the meantime I had gone out again and told my friends about my findings and with a night of great conversation and cocktails at The Brentwood Lounge I was also told about Montreal smoked meat sandwich which in combination with poutine are the after bar food of Montreal! This is just starting to sound way to good to be true. So I headed to Redondo Beach in search for poutine and figured I would find Montreal smoked meat at a later time…
As i drove down PCH through Redondo Beach to the Redondo Beach Cafe I was starting to worry that I had missed it but to my surprise the flags of all nations of food were there to call me in to the parking lot like a lighthouse in the fog and I knew I was in the right place. As I walked in the space has the feel of an old cafe or dinner but clean as can be and from the behind the counter a friendly hello was there to great me. I sat at the counter and started to look over the menu when I saw what I had come for poutine! Then to my surprise a couple lines lower was Montreal imported Smoked Meat!!! I was in heaven and it can be found in Redondo Beach!
My waitress Natalie was very friendly and helpful (not to mention very cute) and knew the menu front to back! She had some favorites when I asked her about the menu but I knew what I was there for! I ordered a Deli style Montreal smoked meat sandwich on rye, with mustard, and poutine as my side instead of normal fries. I also topped it off with a Molson Canadian to wash it all down only because it is not often that you can find that beer in a bar in LA.
After only a couple of sips from my frosty mug of Molson my food arrived and I was drooling… It all looked so amazing and just what I had wished for! The smoked meat was so full of flavor and complemented the mustard and rye in the best way. The flavor combination made me want more after I was finished and will be my menu item of choice when I return. The poutine was amazing… the mixture of cheese, gravy, and fries can never be wrong and this was simply the best! The cheese was fresh cheese curds and I have to say I was a huge fan. Coming from the midwest I am used to cheese curds as a fried treat at the state fair but adding them and letting them melt with the temperature of the gravy is amazing. Last week my dad and I were talking about if there was a food we could bring to the state fair and I think this might be it!
All along Natalie would check in and chat as I asked questions and also other servers made sure I was doing fine and made time to chat. I felt very welcome and it was almost like I had been coming for years!
So over all I think you might guess that I loved the Redondo Beach Cafe and will be back!!! I also want to note that I now know that food and people from Montreal, Canada are amazing! From the comfort food to the wonderful conversations and cocktails I think there will be a trip to this city soon and can’t wait to see what else I can find!
So now stop reading and go now to the Redondo Beach Cafe in Redondo Beach, CA the address is 1511 S. Pacific Coast Highway, Redondo Beach, CA 90277 the telephone number is 310-316-1047 you can also find them on the web at www.redondobeachcafe.com they were also rated #1 by the Daily Breeze recently as southbay’s best!
So now you have all the information go and get yourself some amazing food and the feel of “Cheers” where you feel like you’re at home! Don’t forget to ask for the amazing Natalie although I am sure all the waitstaff would be great I think she is the best! Enjoy and tell them that Mr. Blyth sent you (won’t really help but would be fun)…
Thanks to two wonderful women I have been told about a new food called “Poutine”, a cultural food item from Canada. It’s french fries, then add melted cheese curds, and then add gravy… sounds amazing and I’m on my way to find out about this new treat. If someone might know a cardiologist that would be great because I see a visit very soon! Thank you canada and M&A for the tip!
(Photo not from where I am going but just used as reference)
I know this will sound funny but I really want a picnic basket! I was browsing through the in-flight reading from Sun Country and they have an article all about picnics and all the gear you need! It made me think I can’t remember the last time that I went on a picnic and now I am on the west coast a beach picnic sounds even better!
So the Rolls-Royce of picnic hampers/ baskets is a willow basket with everything from china and flatware to corkscrew, cutting board, and salt & pepper shakers. They say a basket like this will set you back around 319$ sounds expensive but think of all the memories… Cheesy I know… I am also in need of a bocce ball set 140$ they say and a Spanish leather wine pouch 79.99$… This is getting expensive but maybe less expensive options are available… Not a need to be to concerned about this right now as I live more nomadically at the moment but still a reminder to do something new and different is always good and it is great to think for the future!
Picnic basket mentioned in magazine is at brookstone.com
Bocce ball set is at bocceballsets.com
Leather wine pouch can be found at winebotas.com
Happy picnicking!
Sent from the desk of Mr. Blyth
Sunset in Manhattan Beach, CA
Today thanks to Dive n’ Surf in Redondo Beach I got to take a stand up paddle board for a test drive! After 30 minutes of playing in the waves I can say both that is is a wonderful work out, and super fun at he same time! The board I was on was a Body Glove Wave and it is a beginner board for all occasions. I have to say that I have done stand up paddle boarding before and used a slightly more advanced board and it seemed a bit easier,with that said it still was fun and I had no problem standing up. If you live by the beach or a lake that offers SUP rentals I highly recommend giving it a try! It is a great time and it’s always fun to be on the water!
The Shellback Tavern is the place to end a day after enjoying Manhattan Beach! Because today is National Beer Day and there is no place I would rather be! With the coldest beer in the southbay and chilled tap lines with a temp gage on the wall to tell you how cold (currently 27.9F) you will not find a colder beer in the area! This place was introduced to me by a friend and has become a staple when I am in the area! Well happy beer day and if your in the area stop into Shellback Tavern and have Rico pour you a cold one!
