While visiting Manhattan Beach, California, I made the mistake of not making dinner reservations ahead of time. Naturally I panicked a little because I was hungry. Not far from the hotel was Tin Roof Bistro. I decided to take my chances and see if they had a table. To my astonishment they did!
Tin Roof Bistro is a rustic looking restaurant that had a very intimate feel.
Their menu was eclectic; there was seafood to wood fire pizzas. I decided to start with a spicy tuna spring roll. I expected to get a crunchy, traditional spring roll but this was far from that. The spicy tuna – which was so fresh it melted in my mouth – came mixed with fresh chopped vegetables and wrapped in rice paper. The rolls came with a wasabi ginger sauce for dipping and it was fantastic. This appetizer was a cross between a salad and a sushi roll. It was a fresh combination of ingredients.
I was having a hard time deciding on my main dish. It was a tossup between the wine braised beef short ribs or the pan seared sea scallops. Since I was at the beach I decided to go for the scallops. The other reason was because the scallops came with a creamy parmesan risotto.
Only 3 scallops came with the dish but they were huge. They were very tender; I did not need a knife to cut them. The sear on them from cooking added the right amount of saltiness to each bite. The risotto was to die for! It could easily stand on its own. It was not overly creamy, which sometimes can happen with risotto. It was the perfect portion size.
I recommend checking out Tin Roof Bistro at www.tinroofbistro.com. I will definitely be back so that I can try the short ribs.
Enjoy!
T
