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Hamachi at Fishing With Dynamite

When I heard that Chef David LeFevre opened a seafood-centric restaurant, I was excited. Not only is LeFevre’s MB Post a winner, but his stint at Water Grill proved his mastery with fish. And while Fishing With Dynamite is a welcome addition to Manhattan Beach, just up the street from MB Post, it didn’t wow me as much as I hoped it would. That’s not to say I didn’t enjoy some of the dishes, though.

The chilled shellfish platter is a stunner. We made our own with Peruvian scallops, which were served raw with grapefruit, Prince Edward Island mussels, Atlantic lobster, an oyster sampler, and a special sea urchin plate that isn’t always available. While everything was tasty, the scallops were amazing, especially with the pop of citrus.

Chilled seafood platter

Sea urchin

Oyster list

Peruvian scallop

I also really liked the hamachi (pictured above) served with ponzu, avocado, red radish, serrano chili and shiso. Bright, bold flavors — just how I like my food.

What I really wanted to love was the New England clam “chowdah,” served here with Neuske’s bacon, Weiser Family Farms potatoes and house-made oyster crackers. The flavors were good, but I wanted the soup itself to be just a bit creamier and thicker; while the milk and cream were blended beautifully, the end result didn’t produce that thin coating on my spoon that, to me, means the perfect New England clam chowder texture. But I’m not telling Chef LeFevre how to make his chowdah!

New England clam chowdah

Chef David’s Mom’s Cape Cod Squash Rolls with rosemary butter were addictive (LeFevre’s biscuits are always good: see the cheddar buttermilk biscuits at MB Post), the seared diver scallops were cooked beautifully, and the crab cake was made with a lot of sweet meat. But overall, I wasn’t blown away. LeFevre gives a solid performance at Fishing With Dynamite, but if I had to choose, I would pick his MB Post for my meal.

Note: This meal was hosted.

When we first heard that Chef David LeFevre left downtown’s Water Grill late last year, we freaked out a little. Where else could we enjoy LeFevre’s sublime cooking? And how long would we have to wait?

But almost immediately LeFevre announced that he would be opening his own restaurant, so our fears were allayed. That new place turned out to be MB Post in Manhattan Beach, and it hasn’t disappointed.

Housed in the beach town’s historic post office on Manhattan Avenue, MB Post is much more laid-back than Water Grill. With its rustic interior, bench seating and rockin’ soundtrack (think Elastica, Guns N’ Roses and the Beastie Boys), MB Post is much more LeFevre’s personal speed. But just because the white tablecloths are gone doesn’t mean the quality of the food has suffered; in fact, this menu is interesting, playful, and most of all, delicious.

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Oh, Water Grill. I’ve only been there twice, but what two awesomely lovely meals they were. Every restaurant should strive to be described as “awesomely lovely,” and Water Grill lives up to this term that I just coined.

This downtown mainstay is classic, elegant dining at its best, but without the pretentiousness that can easily accompany such a description. So what you get is a consistently great meal with an inviting, friendly atmosphere that’s hard to beat.

My first meal at Water Grill took place a couple of years ago in the form of a business lunch (‘cuz that’s how I roll). I remember having a vegetarian dish with eggplant, and while it probably wasn’t what I was “supposed” to order at a place that specializes in seafood, it was delicious. I cleaned my plate!

This second trip to Water Grill came at the invitation of the restaurant to try out its Sunday clam bake dinner. Based on my first experience, I expected great things, and I wasn’t disappointed.

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If you’re looking for a good reason to spend the (little) dough you have, check out these fundraising collabs:

• Kaenon Polarized Sunglasses in Newport Beach is hosting Sup for a Pup, a fundraising event for rescue group A Wish for Animals, tomorrow (April 25). There will be a big sample sale from retailers such as SurfTech surfboards, Olukai sandals and Hinano Tahiti clothing, and food from Wahoo’s. Of course, there will also be on-site pet adoptions, and if you take one home, you’ll also take home a gift bag and discounts on future product purchases from the participating retailers. From Thrillist, which also has a great rundown on other sales happening through the weekend.

• During the month of May, Hill Street Cafe in La Canada-Flintridge is donating 3% of its net proceeds to La Canada High School’s football team. Seems like Yelpers like the restaurant’s breakfast.

• If you’ve got a lot of mulah to give to a good cause, check out the 4th Annual Tables of Ten: Dining for a Cause event May 29 co-hosted by the Pacific Design Center and Avenues of Art & Design, the WeHo’s area business improvement district. The $750-per-head or $5,000-per-table fundraiser for Inner City Arts, which provide art classes for, well, inner city kids, will feature food and table-top designs from a bunch of L.A. chefs and designers. Chefs include Mark Peel of Campanile, Neal Fraser of Grace and David LeFevre of Water Grill, and designers include Naida Begeta of Kao Pao Shu, Elad Yifrach of L’Object, and FIDM and Inner City Arts students.