Manhattan Beach Post

Last night Brent and I went to Manhattan Beach Post for dinner. This is one of Marta's favorite LA spots, so it feels appropriate to be blogging about it on her 25th birthday. My baby sister has good taste! Chef David LeFevre's Manhattan Beach Post is on the infamous Jonathan Gold's 101 Best Restaurants in Los Angeles list. Apparently Jonathan Gold ate at MB Post last night too! It's really hard to get a reservation here as most of their seating is communal and reserved for walk-ins. We made our reservation about two weeks ago, and it was worth it to guarantee an available table.

Bacon Cheddar Buttermilk Biscuits with Maple Butter

Our server was knowledgable, friendly, and after reviewing the menu concept Brent and I were already planning our trip back. The gastropub has a small plates concept, recommending between two and three dishes per person. The menu has its regular items, but changes daily based on what is in season. It is divided by breads, charcuterie, cheese, vegetable dishes, seafood and meat dishes.  We went with the wildly popular Bacon Cheddar Buttermilk Biscuits first. The biscuits even have their own Facebook page! After my first bite of the cheesy, flaky, and buttery biscuits I understood why. We then sampled the chef's selection of breads, meats and cheese, followed by skirt steak, lamb belly and roasted brussel sprouts. Everything was beautifully crafted, but I especially enjoyed the super tender lamb belly. The pacing of the meal was perfect, and the experience was not rushed. I can't wait to come back and try more menu items. David LeFevre clearly knows what he is doing.

Chef's Selection of Cured Meats and Cheeses

Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Emmental, Hazelnuts and Sage

Grilled Skirt Steak with Broccolini and Red Chimichurri

BBQ Moroccan Lamb Belly with Caramelized Onions and Japanese Eggplant

The Elvis with Pudding, Peanut Butter Mouse and Bacon Brittle

Dark Chocolate Cherry Oatmeal

Alaina is quite the crafty individual. This morning we hung out at her apartment to work on some baby shower gifts. See her in action below! I'm so impressed with her baby blanket making skills. My limited sewing experience meant I was in charge of making breakfast, pulling pins and providing moral support. For breakfast I made jalapeño bacon and my favorite breakfast food item, oatmeal. I found this oatmeal concept in Women's Running magazine. The combination of chocolate, cherries and almonds was delicious. I'll be adding this to my morning oatmeal menu of options.

Ingredients:
2/3 cup oatmeal (1/2 if you don't wake up super hungry)
1 cup almond milk
2 tablespoons crushed almonds
A few dark chocolate chips
1/2 cup frozen cherries, defrosted
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Zest of half a lemon

Directions:

Using a food processor, process the cherries, almond extract, zest and maple syrup. Place in a small bowl.

Everyone has their own way of making oatmeal. I use the microwave to make my oatmeal, putting the oatmeal in a bowl, pouring in the almond milk and microwaving for 1.5 minutes. Microwaves are not all the same, it might take more or less time. You can also cook the oatmeal on the stove by bringing the required amount of water or milk to a simmer and adding the oats and stirring until the oats are cooked through.

When the oatmeal is ready, top with the cherry mixture, almonds and dark chocolate chips. Enjoy!