My sister was in town for a few days before flying off to Singapore, so we met up with mutual friends for dinner. I'd never heard of HT Grill, but then I rarely make it to this part of town.
SERVICE: Our reservation (just in case) was for 6 pm and were greeted with a friendly smile when we walked in the door. Once seated our server Johnny was friendly and VERY polite, his responses always ended with a "Sir" or "Ma'am"! He gave us just the right amount of attention as well, not too much and not too little, checking on us regularly to refill water or pour more wine, etc. Also, after seeing we weren't enjoying the crab cakes, he whisked them away and removed them from the bill, more on that in a minute.
FOOD: After cocktails and placing our orders, this crusty bread was brought out with butter and a citrus chimichurri sauce. The bread wasn't as soft in the middle as I prefer, like it was sliced a while before, but was still good to nibble on. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/h-t-grill-redondo-beach?select=2ZyflCX4T4G8t9_4r7oZBA
To start we ordered the crab cakes, mac & cheese, baby wedge salad, kale caesar salad and truffle shorty flatbread.
The Crab Cakes (Maryland crab, baby arugula, crispy onions, sauce - $14.50) looked beautiful, but we couldn't taste any crab. My sister (a chef) said they had too much filling and very little crab. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/h-t-grill-redondo-beach?select=AWvLccjIt_d7UQEsLXVptw
The "Adult Mac & Cheese" (Shitaki mushrooms, Applewood bacon, smoked gouda crème, bow-tie pasta - $12) was a truly delicious "pasta dish with mushrooms in a cream sauce" with a beautiful blend of flavors. But mac & cheese?? Sorry, not even close in my opinion. Put less cream and add more cheese(s), then we'll talk. I just have an issue with calling a dish something it's not.
http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/h-t-grill-redondo-beach?select=b8JBUIOVQGhh2_cPM2r5Lw
Baby Wedge Salad (red onion, Applewood bacon, tomato, blue cheese dressing - $9). I haven't had one of these in a long time and it was very good.
http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/h-t-grill-redondo-beach?select=xD1xVIdiCVbHRZDO0t79jw
Kale Caesar Salad (kale & romaine, thyme crouton, avocado Caesar, balsamic syrup - $9). My sister eats like a bird and ordered too much, so I ended up finishing this delicious salad for her. I'd definitely order it again!
http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/h-t-grill-redondo-beach?select=4O5r0zAo8XAoIFd8XSKtWg
Truffle Shorty Flatbread (onion jam, feta, bacon, truffle oil, arugula, braised short rib - $15). I had a slice and it was quite tasty, but I guess I have no idea what truffle oils tastes like, because I couldn't differentiate it from the other flavors. No photo, sorry.
For entrees: I ordered the Meatloaf (Angus beef, bacon marmalade, veggies, Potato puree, chipotle ketchup - $19) Apparently I missed "chipotle ketchup" in the description because the spiciness caught me off guard once I was about 1/3 of the way into the dish. The 3 round, bacon wrapped pieces of meatloaf atop the potatoes were very good and had a unique (different) texture. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/h-t-grill-redondo-beach?select=zL2eEhdCuJdOOcUHrMdIBw
Blackened Scallops (cilantro risotto, cajun seasoning, mango / chorizo salsa, smoked paprika oil - $33). My sis said they were very good and cooked perfectly.
http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/h-t-grill-redondo-beach?select=dfzoZTlvSBQefrFft5vrYg
Seared European Sea Bass (Beet puree, cauliflower grits, micro basil, seasonal veggies, parsley oil - $28) She really enjoyed the dish, saying it was very, VERY good! No photo.
Thai Night Farro Risotto (red pepper, zucchini, shitake mushroom, soy ginger glaze, spiced tofu - $18) He said he enjoyed this dish. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/h-t-grill-redondo-beach?select=lPCrZcGb1jRzE6R4SfVaxw
DESSERT: I was too full to have dessert, but they ordered Butter Cake (beet-raspberry gel, vanilla bean ice cream - $10) The cake was the size of a cupcake and the sauce had raspberry seeds in it... uh, for 10 bucks, really??? http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/h-t-grill-redondo-beach?select=OM3-0QLssXl8wuOn6e38QQ
OVERALL: Attractive decor, solid service & pretty solid food (except one dish). After 3 cocktails, 4 apps, 4 entrees, a $36 bottle of wine and 1 dessert, our bill was $244 before tip, higher than I expected. 3.5 stars rounded up. read more