The Arthur J (Manhattan Beach, CA)

The Arthur J
903 Manhattan Ave
Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
Dining date: 1/24/16

The Arthur J is the latest restaurant from chef David LeFevre, who has opened quite the portfolio of concepts in Manhattan Beach. His first two restaurants, M.B. Post and Fishing with Dynamite, have both been big successes – this newest one is a steakhouse.

I stopped in during dineLA restaurant week. The Arthur J offered two appetizers, a steak, a topping, a sauce/butter, a side, and a dessert for $95pp. The options for each course looked pretty great, so it was an opportune time to try the place out.

Chilled Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail with cucumber, celery, avocado and dill

These shrimp were huge, plump and sweet with a vibrant, subtly spicy cocktail sauce.

Hamachi Tartare with avocado, Thai chili, persimmon, puffed rice chip, cucumber and peanut

Hamachi tartare had a clean sea flavor with an avocado purée for some richness. The rice chips and peanuts provided the texture.

Steamed Alaskan King Crab served hot with drawn butter

We both had this for the second course. Sweet morsels of crab paired beautifully with the butter, simple and delicious.

We also both opted for the ribeye topped with foie gras.

16 oz. Angus Ribeye
Seared Rougie Foie Gras

The steak was good, though not all that memorable. It didn’t have quite the beefiness or crusty sear as a top tier steak. The foie gras, such a decadent accompaniment, was pretty delicious though.

Creamed Spinach with tobacco onions

This spinach side was creamy and delicious with crispy fried onions.

Vermont Sharp Cheddar Mac & Cheese with crispy garlic butter breadcrumbs
Black Truffle Butter

Foie Maple Butter

The mac and cheese was quite good too, with the pasta maintaining some texture amongst the crispy breadcrumbs. The butters weren’t quite as flavorful as expected, though that didn’t take away from the meal.

Baked Alaska with orange chocolate chip ice cream, cardamom tuile

Baked Alaska was exactly as expected, with an orange chocolate chip ice cream hidden under the meringue shell. A fruit condiment added a bit of brightness to contrast.

Chocolate Layer Cake with mocha frosting and Bailey’s ice cream

Chocolate cake was very moist with a rich mocha frosting. I loved the added touch of serving the beater with the remaining frosting.

The Arthur J was a good meal and the dineLA deal was a great value. The restaurant presented a pretty strong meal from start to finish, though the steak centerpiece wasn’t exactly the highlight. On a return visit, I would gravitate towards one of the prime, dry aged ones – though that obviously would be much more expensive.