The first new flavor, Chocolate Chipotle Butter Pecan, will be “unveiled” this Friday, April 30.  The remaining three flavors will be released to the public one per week over the next 30 days.

Fortunately, our friends at Paciugo Gelato & Caffè in Hermosa Beach are so excited about the first new flavor, they are offering a sneak peak for Facebook fans on the day before the unveiling.

On Thursday, April 29 between 6pm to 10pm, Facebook fans of the Hermosa Beach Paciugo — and readers of South Bay Foodies! — are invited to get a FREE SCOOP of Chocolate Chipotle Buttered Pecan before it is available to the general public.

If you need help deciding whether or not to try some of their very tasty gelato, consider these descriptions of the new flavors:

- Chocolate Chipotle Butter Pecan – offers a deliciously smooth and intense flavor that is smoky, creamy and crunchy, buttery and spicy. Made with extra brute chocolate from Belgium, a smoke-dried jalapeño pepper combines with a light spread of pecans that are buttered and toasted until crisp to perfect the flavor concoction.

- Roasted Banana Cashew Heath Crunch – an Italian twist on an ice cream classic! The ripe bananas are first roasted with brown sugar to create a silky smooth texture and intense flavor as it blends with gelato to create the right degree of extravagant sweetness. Buttery cashew pieces are lightly toasted to add a salty taste while chewy chunks of Heath bar create a combination guaranteed to make you want more.

- Durian – known in Southeast Asia as the “King of Fruits,” Durian pulp has the consistency of an avocado which creates gelato with a buttery, custard like texture. With a beautiful, golden yellow color and an equally unique smell, it’s no wonder toasted coconut was chosen as a complement to Durian Gelato. The crunchiness of the toasted coconut and the sweet aroma contrast pleasantly with the silky texture.

- Organic Maple and Caramelized Bacon – an interpretation of the Maple Bacon Crunch ice cream that took home the “Best in Class” award, chosen for its bold flavor and dark color. The maple syrup creates a heightened natural contrast of sweet and salty, smooth and crunchy when paired with caramelized bacon. Overall, a delicious treat.

YES!  Its no surprise that they would save for last what may potentially be the best flavor out of the four: maple and bacon! I’ll be looking forward to trying that one out.

Paciugo Gelato Caffe

On Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/PaciugoGelatoCaffe

1034 Hermosa Ave.
Hermosa Beach, California 90254
(310) 379-2525

Pinkberry — the trendsetting frozen yogurt shop — is adding a new player to its all star line up: Mango.

Los Angeles area Pinkberry stores invite you to come in to try their newest flavor; a refreshing, light and fruity mango.  To kick things up a notch, the flavor introduction is being billed as a “Mad About Mango Happy Hour”.

On Friday, March 12 from 5 to 9 p.m.,  customers can receive a free 3 oz. serving of Pinkberry’s mango or mango swirl with all the toppings that can fit in the cup.  Customers will also be treated to music, in-store games, and giveaways.

To help folks decide how to best use the new flavor, Pinkberry has created a menu offering suggestions for toppings that pair nicely with mango.

“Our customers have told us they love mangoes,” said Ron Graves, CEO, Pinkberry. “It’s also one of our most popular fresh fruit toppings, so we decided to introduce the new fruity, light and refreshing flavor just in time for spring. It’s a perfect blend of authentic mango taste with Pinkberry’s signature tartness.”

Be sure to swing by your local Pinkberry to try out the new flavor!

Pinkberry

http://www.pinkberry.com/

El Segundo
2004 Park Place (in Plaza El Segundo)
El Segundo, CA 90245-4773
(310) 414-9351

Hermosa Beach
900 Pacific Coast Highway
Hermosa Beach, CA 90254
(310) 318-5888

Torrance
21157 Hawthorne Blvd
Torrance, CA 90503
(310) 540-5602

Palos Verdes
27 Peninsula Center
Rolling Hills Estates, CA 90274
(310) 544-2306

Kids Smile For Buttermilk Truck

The hard working — and very hungry — citizens of El Segundo were treated to a visit from the Buttermilk Truck Wednesday morning.  Announcing their visit via Twitter, the shiny happy truck served up high quality, very affordable breakfast cuisine from 9 – 11 AM at 2151 E. Grand Ave.

I’ve been wanting to check out Buttermilk Truck for a while and was glad to get the heads up from Annalise that they were coming to our neck of the woods.  We sped over to scoop up some of the tasty breakfast goodies.

A line was already forming at the truck but the nimble and friendly chefs kept things moving along at a nice pace; we waited maybe 15 minutes total with about 10 people in front of us.

Buttermilk Truck Menu

The menu, posted on the side of the truck, was neat and easy to read.  It was a treat to see such reasonable prices!  I’ve always loved breakfast for being one of the most afforable meals of the day while also being filling and at the same time offering up savory and sweet options.  Buttermilk Truck delivered nicely in all of those areas.

I wanted to try everything but time and stomach space were limited so I narrowed my selection to the Hawaiian bread French toast.  Annalise picked up a breakfast sandwich with egg and applewood smoked bacon, served with a delicious sounding side of rosemary garlic hasbrowns.

The French toast was crispy and light, topped with a few strawberries and a dusting of powdered sugar.

Buttermilk Truck Hawaiian French Toast

While I didn’t sample the breakfast sandwich, it was very visually appealing with its soft muffin outside and yummy looking bacon and egg on the inside.  I did sample the hashbrown patty; the rosemary and garlic came together nicely with the potato to make for a crispy, savory treat.

Buttermilk Truck Hashbrowns and Breakfast Sandwich

If you’re a big fan of breakfast, I highly recommend you track down the Buttermilk Truck.  A tweet from them later in the day gave promise of a return to the South Bay some time next week.  Follow them on Twitter and check out their website for details!

The happy hour shark will grace you with its presence every Monday-Friday from 4-6pm, and it will bite you with amazing deals like $4 Sam Adam pints, $14 premium and $11 domestic 60 oz. pitchers, and $4 well drinks and house wines.  You can supplement these affordable drinks with a free game of pool. This shark, who is obviously a football fan, comes back during the weekends to offer 60 oz. pitchers of Bud Select for $11 and 2 for 1 180 bombs during the Saturday and Sunday football games. The bloody battle does not end there, as he resurfaces every Sunday to bring amazing breakfast deals and $4 bloody Mary’s and mimosas until noon, and $3 domestic 16 oz. pints, $4 premium 16 oz. pints, and 2 for 1 180 bombs from 5pm-closing.

You deserve to visit a vicinity that’s devoted to serving your needs—join the other party sharks, and bite into amazing deals at the Cove!

Sharks Cove

1220 Hermosa Ave.
Hermosa Beach, CA 90254
(310) 798-3932

Also in Manhattan Beach (but without pool tables).

Sharks Cove
309 Manhattan Beach Blvd
Manhattan Beach, CA 90266-5316
(310) 545-2683

This Saturday, October 17, from Noon to 4 PM, join the Simms brothers and for an Oktoberfest party at Tin Roof Bistro.  For just $15, you’ll be treated to a bratwurst or burger (the incredible Simmzy’s burger!) and two pints of hand crafter beer.  Did I mention all of that was just $15!!!???  Oh, and if you’re among the first 40 people seated, you get a free Paulaner stein to take home as a souvenir.

There is a catch though.  Only 150 guests will be permitted to attend the Simms brothers’ inaugural Oktoberfest Celebration, which will be held in the courtyard of the newly opened Tin Roof Bistro at the Manhattan Village Shopping Center.

Along with Marzen-style fest bier from Paulaner, additional selections to be served all day include Hofbrau Oktoberfest, Oktoberfest by Craftsman, Firestone “Oaktoberfest” and an Oktoberfest brew from Angel City, a Torrance brewery.

According to Chris Garza, Simmzy’s beer and wine manager, the beers will be poured from the rear of Simmzy’s classic Volkswagon catering vehicle, which is celebrating its 50th birthday this year.

“We look forward to kicking off our first Oktoberfest with an afternoon of awesome food and unparalleled beers,” said Garza. “The courtyard at Tin Roof Bistro is an ideal site for the festivities and Simmzy’s popular burgers and Chef Anne Conness’ take on the bratwurst combined with these carefully selected brews served right from the back of the truck will make this an unforgettable experience.”

Mike and Chris Simms are third-generation restaurateurs whose family “dine-esty” is responsible for a number of beloved restaurants including the venerable Kettle. They opened the 48-seat Simmzy’s earlier this year, which has received raves for its gourmet “pub grub” with a twist — value-oriented fare prepared with fresh, high-quality and organic ingredients. On his own, Chris owns and operates Lazy Dog Café, which recently opened its fourth location with three more on the way, while Mike just launched Tin Roof Bistro to critical and public acclaim.

To make your reservation and for more information about Oktoberfest, call Simmzy’s at (310) 546-1201.

Tin Roof Bistro is located at 3500 N Sepulveda Blvd, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266.

www.tinroofbistro.com

My #1 spot for the many years was Rocky Cola Cafe in Redondo Beach; kids eat free on Tuesdays there. My daughter would ask all the time “can we go to Rocky Cola!?” She was a big fan of their pancakes, cheeseburgers, and just about everything else.  I loved the fact that they serve breakfast all day (BFD, anyone?).

So when she would ask to go, I’d ask back: “What day is it?” If it wasn’t Tuesday, she knew the answer to her question right away!

There are many other restaurants and shops that are offering kids eat free specials.  Thankfully, websites are available that help people sort out what’s locations are best in what neighborhoods and on what day.  Reminds me of a website I put together for happy hours, but that’s another story…. 

These are some of the better ones out there with lots of locations and accurate information.

My Kids Eat Free – Search nationally for kids deals by state, city, and day of the week.

Kids Meal Deals – Similar searches but adds a “within X miles” option.  Also social network saavy with Facebook and Twitter options for FB fam and tweeps.

Where Do Kids Eat Free Today – Winner for the most obvious website name, this site offers search and browsing by locale and allows viewers to add details to their growing database.

Oh, the whole “kids eat free” topic was started because every Tuesday I get an email from Marmalade Cafe in El Segundo.  Its always a reminder for their Wednesday night kids eat free special.  I have to share it because the food and service are good (I’ve eaten there but have yet to write a review) and the picture is so darn cute!

As I was checking my Facebook updates today before heading out for a late lunch, I was glad to come across a message from Tracy T. : “Baja Fresh – free burrito w/ drink purchase – today only!”

Sold!

I headed over to the Baja Fresh in Manhattan Village and sized up the menu.  If the offerings are free might as well go for broke, right?  I ordered the spicy shrimp burrito, at $6.99 one of the pricier ones listed.  With the drink and the coupon, though, my order came out fo $1.75!

With the volume of orders that were coming in (can you say recession!?), I was told it would be a 20 minute wait.  No worries.  I can wait on free!

As I waited, I started to wonder why I hadn’t been to Baja Fresh in so long, opting instead for Pachanga, Rubio’s, or any number of other places when the burrtio craving came along.  I finally came to the conclusion that it had been about four years since my last visit to this very same Baja Fresh.  I couldn’t recall being turned away from BFF, I think I just learned to like the others more.

So my order was called and I grabbed my drink, scooped up some salsa,  and dove into the burrito.  I quickly noticed the lack of shrimp!  The first few bites were full of rice and black beans but lacking on shrimp.  I finally hit some very tasty, spicy shrimp after some stratgeticly placed bites exposed some.  On another down note, the chipotle salsa was on middle of the road, without much spice or flavor…just enough of both to make the chips interesting enough to eat.

On the other hand, I was pleasantly suprised with their  mango salsa.  It was sweet and smooth enough..with just a hint of spice…that I was eating it like a little fruit cup!

In the end, I was full but not necessarily satisfied.  I enjoyed the few shrimp that were in the burrito and the mango salsa was a highlight.  For the value, yeah, I can’t complain.  I’ll be sure to give Baja Fresh another chance the next time I’m craving a burrito.  If you see this before the offer is over, grab the coupon and go!

For a year now, Hermosa Beach has been the home of authentic, hand-crafted Italian Gelato.  And what better way to celebrate that than by eating more gelato!

Join the folks at Paciugo this Thursday, July 9, to celebrate their first anniversary.  Each vistor that stops by between 4 and 7 PM will be treated to a piccolo cup of gelato.

While I only recently discovered their store, I’ll be looking forward to many more years of cool, creamy treats.  Happy Anniversary, Paciugo!

Paciugo Gelato Caffè
1034 Hermosa Ave.
Hermosa Beach, California
(310) 379- 2525

With that attitude, Breakfast for Dinner (BFD) is a regular feature on the menu in my house.  I picked it up from my Dad, mostly.  On some of the night when Mom didn’t cook, Dad would whip up a fine “breakfast” meal of grits, eggs, sausages, and maybe even homemade biscuits or pancakes if we were lucky; buttered toast if we weren’t.  So its no surprise I’ve carried on the tradition and have my daughter asking for Breakfast for Dinner on a regular basis.

Not too long ago, she asked for Breakfast for Dinner and I agree to make it the next night.  The next night came along and the request was there but, man, I really didn’t feel like slaving over a hot skillet.  With plans for later in the evening, we decided to stay out and have our breakfast-dinner at Denny’s, which was on the way to our destination.

Jr. jumped right into a Grand Slam plate of pancakes, eggs, and bacon with a biscuit on the side.  I really didn’t want the full Denny’s experience; instead I was curious to try something new on their menu.  Pancake Puppies.

Yes, Denny’s has revamped* the hush puppy concept and replaced the corn meal with pancake batter and the shrimp sauce with syrup.  And trust me, it works!

[*The chefs at Denny’s haven’t created something totally new.  The Okinawans and Hawaiians have been making a sweet, deep-fried dough-ball called andagi for quite some time.]

Six puppies are served in a sundae glass along with a dish of syrup for dipping.  The golden brown globes are nicely crisp on the outside and tender on the inside, just like a well cooked puppy should be.  About the size of a golf ball, they’re dusted with sugar and all too easily eaten with fingers; no need for a fork.

Fortunately, Jr. didn’t ask to try any of my pancake puppies.  She was busy with her stack of traditional hotcakes and the big fluffy biscuit.  I’m glad because, if she figured out how good they were, she might be asking me to make them at home!  While I’m sure I can handle it, I’m also sure that there’s a certain skill required to make these crispy, delicate treats.  Until I learn that secret, I’ll keep Denny’s in mind as a back up when the call for Breakfast for Dinner comes around again.

But all of these options are packaged for taking a purchase somewhere else for consumption.  What if I wanted to eat my fried fish right away!?

Now, I’ve seen restaurants in grocery stores before.  But these were usually on the periphery of the store, near the entrance or just outside.  Also, some grocery stores have tables and chairs outside, set up café style. 

I’m so glad that Whole Foods in Plaza El Segundo has taken grocery store dining to another level with no fewer than four restaurants IN their store.  And I mean in there.  On one side of the store, there’s a churrascaria /taqueria and a sushi bar.  In the back of the store, between the dairy section and wine, there’s a tapas shop.  And just on the other side of the wine, across from the meat and seafood, is Bill’s Grill & Smokehouse.

Imagine, walking through your grocery store and, just as you past the produce section, a quaint little patio restaurant pops out of nowhere.  It has an open kitchen with a charbroiler, a bar and tables facing a ceiling mounted flat screen TV, and a menu featuring burgers, salads, and BBQ combo plates.  That’s Bill’s Grill!

Bill’s menu gives the meat-eating, casual diner a couple of burger options and a few sandwich choices with pulled pork, chicken, or beef.  Veggie diners are limited to a couple salads and a veggie burger.  But the main attraction for everyone is their $5 Value Menu.

$5 Value Menu

With six items to choose from [hamburger, veggie burger, meat loaf , crab cake, turkey corn dogs, and chili dog] this is by far the best deal in the whole store.  For just $5, you can order your entrée and choose a side dish from baked beans, potato salad, cole slaw, or French fries.  Knowing that this deal is too good to be true (the regular price for the burger is $8.99!), the menu emphasizes that there are “Absolutely no substitutions or additions”.  Fortunately, the burger comes with the option to add cheese as part of the deal.

For the several times I’ve taken advantage of this deal, I’ve gone with the burger.  Trust me, I’ve wanted to branch out and try the other items, but the burger is so good that I always go for it.  Cooked to order on the charbroiler, it tastes like something made at a back yard cook out, only better!  The addition of mixed baby greens, tomatoes, and onions make this gourmet burger that much more of a treat.

To compliment the meal, Bill’s offers a few beverage options.  There’s beer (bottled or on tap) or root beet (also on tap).  But the best deal is the selection of Whole Food’s own 365 Sodas.  Cradled in a barrel of ice right next to the register, they’re chilly, sweet, and only $0.50 each.  For this meal, we went with the Orange and Cherry Vanilla Crèmes.  Delicious!  The Orange Crème was my favorite; the flavor was reminiscent of a Creamsicle from an ice cream truck.

The one thing missing from Bill’s menu is dessert.  But after a satisfying burger, flavorful fries, and a tasty soda, I’m usually OK without the sweet stuff.  I always seem to change my mind, though, by the time I get to the bakery!

Bill’s Grill (Inside Whole Foods at Plaza El Segundo)

760 South Sepulveda Blvd.
El Segundo, CA 90245
Phone: 310.333.1900

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars