Breakfast to Dinner at Doma Kitchen (Redondo Beach)

by: guest blogger Bryan Tsunoda @btsunoda

Doma Kitchen is a fairly new restaurant located in South Redondo Beach as it has been open less than one year. Recently I had the opportunity to experience their new spring menu.

While I’ve dined at Doma Kitchen a number of times, it was primarily for breakfast. They've now extended their hours into the early evening and I was curious about their offerings.

Doma Kitchen occupies a very small lot. In fact, the kitchen takes the entire space of the building. A beautifully stained wood fence surrounds the perimeter to create a patio-like setting. Dining is exclusively al fresco and Doma Kitchen has set up colorful tent canopies and heaters to keep diners comfortable during cool evenings. Colorful artwork from local artists adorn their walls.

Co-owner Angie Corrente gave us an overview of the evening’s menu. She explained that she and co-owner Stan Mayzalis have traveled the world and as a result, they wanted Doma Kitchen to reflect their love for global cuisine.

We were blown away to learn that we would experience breakfast, lunch and dinner in a matter of only 2 hours. Fortunately, the portion sizes were small, but that was still a lot of food to consume in one sitting.

Breakfast

Our “breakfast” was served promptly and efficiently. Doma Kitchen’s Pancetta Scramble with home fries arrived to our table first. Unlike some that use a pancetta that is more ‘ham-like’, Doma Kitchen uses a very good quality pancetta which is full of flavor. This combined with the scrambled eggs and scallions made for a tasty dish.

The others at my table were definitely drawn to the sweet offerings. Fresh Belgian waffles were served with a homemade chocolate sauce and fresh fruit, nutella and bananas and vanilla creme. The waffle was ultra crispy and I was surprised that it wasn’t dense.

The last breakfast offering was their Savory Lamb Crepe. It consisted of lamb, fresh mushrooms, onions and mozzarella cheese. Those of us that were eating meat loved the taste and the quality of the lamb. Doma Kitchen uses vertical rotisseries to slow cook their chicken and lamb. Because they are cooked in this manner, the fat is minimized.

Lunch

Easy Reader magazine recently named Doma Kitchen’s salad as “Best Salad” of the South Bay. After eating it, I can see why. Doma takes the almost tasteless ‘superfood’ kale and boosts it with a lot of flavor and color.  It consisted of kale leaves, grapes, carrots, garbanzo beans, cranberries, cherry tomatoes and feta cheese. The herb dressing was delicious.

Doma Kitchen understands that bread makes a huge difference in a sandwich. They use organic olive and ciabatta bread. We were served roasted veggie, chicken, lamb sandwiches. I was pleasantly surprised at the taste of their roasted veggie sandwich. Not only were the vegetables cooked through, but they were pre-chopped into manageable pieces. The end result is that you don’t pull out a side of an eggplant when you pull the sandwich away from your mouth.

Fresh cut parmesan and sweet potato fries were served with the sandwiches. Of the two, I preferred the parmesan fries.

Dinner

Plov and lagman were served next. Both are Uzbek in origin.  Plov consists of simmered rice, spices and vegetables.  Turmeric is the predominant spice that gives the rice a distinct taste.  According to Angie, the dish has become quite popular at Doma Kitchen because it is gluten free.

Lagman is a lamb and noodle soup. The dish consists of lamb, onions, carrots, tomatoes, celery and noodles. Doma Kitchen gave it an Asian twist by including Chinese egg noodles. To me, this was similar to a lamb stew with noodles and I enjoyed it very much. It’s a hearty dish that would go well on a cool evening.

Pelmeni are Russian chicken dumplings. In Russia, they are usually made in advance and frozen for the winter months. Chef Kristina Miksyte rolls the flour by hand to make them. They were served in a homemade delicious chicken broth. I’d have this any day over American chicken soup.

Some of the food Doma Kitchen serves may not be widely available in the South Bay, such as the Uzbek and Russian dishes, therefore it is definitely worth a visit. Doma Kitchen uses an extensive amount of organic ingredients, their chicken is free range and the lamb is grass fed. Combined with a beautifully decorated patio setting, visiting Doma Kitchen is much like dining in someone’s backyard.

Doma Kitchen Cafe
420 North Pacific Coast Hwy
Redondo Beach, CA 90277
(310) 372-7298
http://www.domakitchencafe.com/

Disclaimer: this visit was hosted