Knowing that you and your friends will be drawing straws to see who hosts the viewing party, plenty of South Bay and LA restaurants are offering specials deals to make sure you don’t end up being the one that has to clean up this year. Pick the right spot, and everyone can watch the game in style and get a great discount on food and drinks along with the best seat in town for watching the game…and the commercials!

• Lazy Dog Café, Del Amo – Lazy Dog is serving their happy hour menu all day long for the big game. Check out our review of their drinks and food for an inside look of the deals at this spacious yet cozy destination in Del Amo Mall

Super Bowl 46 Brings Happy Specials ALL NIGHT LONG to Lazy Dog Cafe in Torrance.

• Chipotle – The folks that made build-it-yourself burritos mainstream are offering their gargantuan wraps for half price. Get up to 100 burritos of your choice  and pay for only half of them! You gotta plan ahead though; put your order in at least 24 hours in advance to make sure you can score this deal on game day.

• Bo’s Cigar Lounge – if you want to get a little smoky with your game watch party, check out Bo’s in Old Town Torrance.

• Patrick Molloy’s Halftime Challenge – On the beach in Hermosa, Patrick Molly’s is calling all Giants and Patriots fans to watch the game and step up for their halftime challenge and stein holding contest. Even if you don’t win, you scan score discounts at the bar during the entire game. The winners have first rights to the dance floor for the after party which starts as soon as the game ends.

• Redondo Beach 10K/5K – not everyone likes to sit on their bucket all day watching the game on the boob tube. Some folks actually run instead! If that’s you then the Redondo Beach 10k/5k is the place to be. More than 10,000 runners and spectators convene for this event to build up an appetite for their Super Bowl snacks. Check out http://www.redondo10k.com for details. Don’t forget your costume!

Costumes are a must for the Redondo beach Super Bowl 10k.

• Public School 612 – If you need to get outside of the South Bay, Public School 612 in Downtown LA has a great Super Bowl deal on deck. They’re offering their happy hour menu all day along with an all you can eat special: $10 gets you AYCE chicken wings, chips+salsa, and hot dogs. Call for more details: 213—623-1172.

Smoothies to help your budget and your constitution!

Follow this link to get coupons for the following smoothies: (http://www.jambajuice.com/fruitfulcoupons)

• Fit ‘n Fruitful Smoothie, 16 oz ($2): These smoothies contain at “weight burner boost” and provide protein, fiber, and two or more servings of fruit. Available in three flavors: Berry Blend, Peach Mango, and Strawberry Raspberry Banana.

• Probiotic Fruit and Yogurt Blends, 12 oz ($1): Made with yogurt, soymilk, and a “probiotic boost” for supporting your immune system and digestive health. Flavors include Strawberries Alive, Vibrant Blueberry, and Thrivin Mango.

• The Coldbuster Smoothie, 16 oz ($2): Knock out your cold with a blend of orange juice, orange sherbet, peaches, bananas, ice, “immunity boost” and “antioxidant power boost”.

These deals are good until January 19. Tell ‘em South Bay Foodies sent ya!

The South Bay has seen an increase in the frequency of food trucks coming this way to feed hungry truck chasers. Just about every day of the week there’s a truck stop going on somewhere on our side of town. The Automobile Driving Museum, located in El Segundo, is contributing to the South Bay food truck buzz with its biweekly Eat Fleet.

The Ludo Truck makes an appearance for ADM Eat Fleet.

At 11 AM every Wednesday and Friday, three to four trucks pull up at the Automobile Driving Museum – also known as the ADM – located at 610 Lairport Street. Their rotation of food trucks is deep so every day there is something different to choose from.

The Rebel Bite Truck draws crowds with each visit to the ADM.

One of the neat things about the ADM Eat Fleet gatherings is the layout. The ADM is nice enough to set out picnic tables so folks can get their grub and then eat al fresco. Along with the tables, they also put out one or two cars from their extensive collection of antique and classic cars.

There's plenty of room to enjoy food truck fare and fair weather at the ADM.

One of the many classic cars from the ADM's extensive collection of automobiles.

10-4 Good Buddy!

To help you track which trucks will be rolling into the Eat Fleet each week, we put together a calendar listing who will be heating up their grills. You can find it at the top of this page or in the sidebar to the left on Wednesdays and Fridays. You can also find the list of trucks for each day on the ADM website under events.

Happy food trucking!

Whatever you were cooking, that recipe could give you a shot at a cut of $15,000 in cash and prizes from the Challenge Butter ‘Real Heritage Recipe Contest’.*

The homepage for the Challenge Butter Real Heritage Recipe Contest.

The key to this contest is sharing family recipes and the story behind them. To enter, you just need to have a recipe that includes Challenge Butter and describe how that dish became a family favorite. It can be an appetizer, main dish, side dish, or dessert.

Your opportunity to enter is closing soon though! Entries are being accepted until 11:59 PM ET, January 3, 2012. You can enter multiple times in each category. Just remember that each submission must include the usage of one or more Challenge Butter® products.

What’s at stake? Challenge is offering these prizes:

• Four grand prize winners in each of the four categories will receive $2,500 cash plus Good Cook® Cookware items valued at approximately $500.
• Twelve runners up will receive Good Cook® Cookware valued at approximately $250.

Just think of how proud Grandma will be if her shortbread cookie recipe takes the grand prize!

If you have questions, follow this link for the FAQ. If you want all the fine print and nitty-gritty details, follow this link for the official rules.

If you don’t want to enter but just want to see a collection of original recipes featuring butter – or maybe you want to check out the competition! – follow this link to see all of the recipes that have been submitted so far.

*I was introduced to this competition by representatives of Challenge Butter. When they told me about it I responded, “That’s the butter with the deer on it, right? I use that already!” None the less, they gave me a baking pan, a spoon, and a spatula from the Good Cook Cookware line and some Challenge Butter coupons in return for sharing this contest with you. If you submit a recipe, please let me know!

• Challenge Butter ‘Real Heritage Recipe Contest’
  Enter your recipes until Midnight, January 3, 2012
  http://heritage.challengedairy.com

Two levels of all you can eat holiday specials at Gyu Kaku Torrance including unlimited Champagne and Sake.

The Yume package ($19.95/person) gets you the unlimited champagne, hot or cold sake, and an AYCE selection from 13 items on the menu include kalbi chuck, spicy pork, soup, salad, and veggies.

For the high rollers, the Prime package ($39.95/person) gets everything from the Yume but also adds Kobe beef, filet mignon, shrimp, miso butterfish and more.

Just remember, Gyu Kaku BBQ is table-top-cooking. You order the meats and veggies, they bring them to your table, and you cook them to your liking. It’s a fun, interactive experience. Oh, and no dishes to wash!

• AYCE Holiday Specials at Gyu Kaku Japanese BBQ, Torrance, December 24 and 25
  http://www.gyu-kaku.com
  24631 Crenshaw Blvd.
  Torrance, CA 90505

Ignore that "coming soon"...the place is open now!

While the new location will remain focused on their specialty-burgers-and-fries-focused menu, new items are being added as well.

For the brew lovers out there, they are tapping three new signature beers – Islands Brown Ale, Islands IPA and Islands Golden Ale. For the burger lovers, they’ve added the Point Break Burger featuring blue cheese crumbles, shredded gruyere and bacon-onion relish. And yes, it still comes with an bottomless serving of their fresh-cut fries.

We’ve reported on the Islands happy hour in the past but a recap will be in order. Starting the New Year off right, Islands will be expanding its Happy Hour options beginning January 1, 2012.

Expect an update soon!

• https://www.islandsrestaurants.com/

• Islands Restaurant, South Bay Galleria
  1609 Hawthorne Blvd.
  Redondo Beach, CA 90278

South Bay Residents also have two other Islands locations available!

• Islands Restaurant ,South Torrance
  2647 Pacific Coast Highway
  Torrance, CA 90505

• Islands Restaurant, Manhattan Beach – 6.6 miles
  3200 North Sepulveda Blvd.
  Manhattan Beach, CA 90266

The South Bay Small Business Hour is an internet radio show hosted by Joe Terry. The show is broadcast live Monday through Friday at 7 AM.

On Thursdays, Joe is joined by Jackie Balestra, author of the lifestyle website South Bay by Jackie.  The two interview small business owners in the South Bay or discuss topics of interest.

Having heard the show a few times before, I was thrilled when Jackie asked me to join them to discuss a topic near and dear to my heart: South Bay Food!

The result was a great conversation between me, Joe, and Jackie.  Each of us gave some of our favorite places to go for breakfast, Chinese food, and more.

Below is a player that will let you access the show right from here. Follow this link to hear this episode on the Blog Talk Talk Radio website. Or follow this link to download it as an MP3. (Note: The audio for the show starts about 20 seconds in. Be patient!)

To help you follow along, I compiled this list of most of the restaurants we mention in the show. Entries are listed in the order they are mentioned.

Have you been to one of the places we mentioned or do you have a recommendation you’d like to share? Leave a comment and let us know!

On the Patio of Martha's 22nd St Grill in Hermosa Beach.

BREAKFAST

• Uncle Bills Pancake House, Manhattan Beach, http://www.unclebills.net
• Martha’s On 22nd St, Hermosa Beach, http://www.yelp.com/biz/marthas-22nd-street-grill-hermosa-beach
• Hennessy’s, Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, http://www.hennesseystavern.com/mahattan_beach.html
• The Pancake House, Redondo Beach, http://www.originalpancakehouse.com
• Eat at Joes, Redondo Beach, http://www.originaleatatjoes.com/AboutUs.html

BRUNCH

• Sharkeez, Manhattan Beach, http://sharkeez.net
• Chez Melange, Redondo Beach, http://chezmelange.com
• BALEEN At Portofino Hotel And Yacht Club, Redondo Beach, http://www.hotelportofino.com
• Nelsons at Terranea Resort, Palos Verdes, http://www.terranea.com/palos-verdes-restaurant.php
• Manhattan Beach Marriott, Manhattan Beach, http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/laxmn-manhattan-beach-marriott

BURGERS

• In N Out, All Over, http://www.in-n-out.com
• 1321 Downtown Taproom Bistro, Torrance, http://www.1321downtown.com
• The Bullpen, Redondo Beach, http://thebullpenredondo.com
• The Counter, Various, http://www.thecounterburger.com
• The Habit, Various, http://www.habitburger.com
• Stacked, Del Amo Mall Torrance, http://stacked.com

CHINESE

• PF Chang’s, various, http://www.pfchangs.com
• W’s China Bistro, Redondo Beach, http://www.wschinabistro.com
• Stir Fry Grill, Manhattan Beach, http://www.yelp.com/biz/stir-fry-grill-manhattan-beach

BARBECUE

• Johnny Memphis’ Smokehouse BBQ (Was Joey’s Smokin BBQ), Manhattan Beach, http://jmsbbq.com
• Lucille’s, Various, http://lucillesbbq.com
• American Farmhouse Tavern and Dining Hall, Manhattan Beach, http://www.americanfarmhousetavern.com
• Baby Blues, Venice, http://www.babybluesvenice.com
• Pinkies, Hermosa Beach, http://www.pinkiesbbq.com
• Sophie’s Place, Redondo Beach, http://www.mysophiesplace.com

Food Truck Stops

• South Bay Din Din A Go Go, Various, http://www.facebook.com/SouthBayDinDinAGoGo
• ADM Eat Fleet, El Segundo, www.automobiledrivingmuseum.org

Mexican

• Ortega 120, Redondo Beach, http://www.ortega120.com
• Riviera Mexican Grill, Redondo Beach, http://www.rivieramexicangrill.com

Sushi

• Taiko, El Segundo, http://www.yelp.com/biz/taiko-restaurant-el-segundo
• Oki Doki Sushi, Hermosa Beach, http://www.yelp.com/biz/oki-doki-sushi-hermosa-beach
• Fusion Sushi, Manhattan Beach/Long Beach, http://www.fusionsushi.com
• Sushi Sei, Hermosa Beach, http://www.sushiseihb.com
• GuGu Sushi, Hermosa Beach, http://www.gugusushi.com

This Thursday, December 1, holiday celebrations will be going on up and down the coast from Manhattan Beach to Hermosa Beach. Read on for a summary!

North Manhattan Beach Holiday Open House & Walkabout

The North Manhattan Beach Business District is hosting its Annual Holiday Open House & Walk About to thank loyal customers and the community.
See beautifully decorated participating storefronts and restaurants and enjoy an evening of Holiday festivities – music, shopping and dining. The street will be bustling with shoppers and strolling carolers. Restaurants will be serving their original menus and there will be discounts, samplings, and refreshments. Santa will be at Verandas and holiday photos will be complimentary. FREE parking at Verandas, 401 Rosecrans Ave.

• North Manhattan Holiday Open House
  Thursday, December 1, 5-9 PM
  Highland Ave. between 32nd and 38th St., Manhattan Beach, CA 90266

Hermosa Beach Tree Lighting Ceremony

The Hermosa Beach Chamber of Commerce will host the annual traditional Tree Lighting Ceremony on Thursday, December 1st at 6 PM at the foot of the Hermosa Beach Pier. The event will feature holiday carolers, a visit from Santa and Mrs. Claus. Local businesses will also be taking part in the holiday spirit as they host open houses as part of the monthly First Thursday which will coincide with the tree lighting festivities.

• First Thursday and Tree Lighting in Hermosa
  Thursday, December 1, 6 PM
  Pier Ave, Hermosa Beach, CA
  http://www.facebook.com/FirstThursdays

Dark Beer by ianivarieanna on Flickr.

“Visiting professor Norm Stackhouse from Stone Brewing Company will take students through a history lesson about the origin of Stouts, as well as compare and contrast Stouts vs. Porters. An assortment of complementing desserts will be served”.

Sounds like the makings for an easy A.

Class will be in session on Monday, December 5 at 7:30 PM. For more information and reservations, call 213-623-1172.

• Public School 612
  http://publicschool612.com
  612 S. Flower St, Los Angeles (Map)

Bark for a cure at Lazy Dog Cafe.

Here’s how you can participate in this fundraiser which is being held during National Breast Cancer Awareness Month:

1. Print out the PDF flyer at this link and take it with you to any Lazy Dog Café location on Tuesday, October 18 between 5 and 9 PM. This includes Happy Hour from 5 – 6 PM!
2. Enjoy any of their cuisine including beverages, appetizers, and entrees and show the flyer to your server.
3. 15% of your total bill will be donated in support of cancer research.

How easy is that!? Not only will you be enjoying some good chow and craft beers, you’ll be eating and drinking for a cause.

• Lazy Dog Café Torrance at Del Amo Fashion Center
  http://www.lazydogcafe.com
  3525 West Carson Street, Torrance CA 90503 (Map)