Dominique’s Kitchen impressed and delighted

I’m often at Redondo Beach Pier grabbing some clams or crab from Quality Seafood, but rarely are we in and around the neighborhood areas at all. I’m so glad we stopped by Dominique’s Kitchen for dinner one evening because you would never think something this amazing could be nestled hidden within a residential area.

The menu is larger than I had expected and there were lots to choose from. The small plates/appetizer menu is where my eyes gravitated towards and this is where I had difficulty deciding because there was so much I wanted to try.

Before anything, some amuse bouche of marinated olives and a white bean with lemon and olive oil topped with shaved parmesan starts you off by getting your palate going.

There is fresh hot bread with the most delicious butter — I caught a glimpse of the butter by James Farms but couldn’t find more information about it online — making it so addicting we couldn’t stop eating it.

Lamb Sausage ($5.99) was one of the choices and this is definitely worth trying. The lamb sausage is robust with aromatic flavors and possessed a strong lamb-ey taste. The accompanying organic quinoa, mint, raisins, almonds, lemon and honey created flavors reminiscent of Moroccan dishes with the combination of dried fruit and lamb. Normally, I am not a fan of sweet in my savory but this works extremely well together because the lamb was much stronger than the ones used at other restaurants. 

House Made Chicken Liver Pate ($5.99) was seasoned to perfection and the flavors distinct. I also liked the fact that it wasn’t completely smooth and creamy but had some   texture to it. Served with cornichons, black olives, mache tossed with cider vinegar, all of these components were the ideal accompaniment to the pate. In fact, the acidity of the accoutrements were necessary for the perfect mouthful of pate on the toast.

My son has never had escargot before so Classic Escargots ($9.99) was going to be an experience. When they arrived, he asked me to show him how to eat them and then went right ahead and put one in his mouth. I waited for a reaction of some sort, but received a “they’re tasty” as he proceeded to take another. Imported from Bourgogne, France, these snails are plump, tender, slathered in garlic butter and some of the best I’ve ever had in the US of A, not at all rubbery and so so good.

Smoked Trout Rillettes ($5.99) is perfectly seasoned and the consistency was spot on. A touch of black pepper was all I needed. Make sure you pair it with the green beans salad with shallots, olive oil and dill — the acidity adds another dimension to the rillettes! I couldn’t stop eating it.

If you’re just looking for entrees there are a handful to choose from. Grilled Steak ($17.99) with garlic fries and lemon butter is Dominique’s version of steak frites and the hefty portion is enough to fulfill a healthy appetite.

The Wild Boston Sea Scallops ($19.99) were beautifully flavored, but I would have liked a little more char to the scallops themselves. Perhaps the lobster reduction au jus should only come in contact with one side of the scallops instead of drizzled over. The accompanying crushed potatoes was like a lighter version of mashed potatoes and equally delicious.

Judging by how busy the restaurant was on the night of our visit, I wasn’t a bit surprised by the end of our meal to see people keep coming in. This is definitely a restaurant to keep your eyes out for — it is already the best place I’ve eaten at in 2014.

Dominique’s Kitchen has generously offered one of my readers a $50 gift certificate to try them out. I seriously suggest you enter this competition because this place is not to be missed. Leave me a comment and tell me which of the dishes you’re most excited to try and who you will be bringing with you. Remember to leave your FULL name in the comment area if your name does not show in your email. Entries close on Sunday, February 16. Winner will be announced on Monday February 17th. Good Luck!

Dominique’s Kitchen
522 S Pacific Coast Hwy
Redondo Beach, CA 90277
Tel: 424-247-9054