The first time I went to LV Mar — Chef Manuel Martinez’ upscale, contemporary Latin restaurant in Redwood City — I walked in on a private party. I was headed to Vesta with a friend on a cool November night, the week before Thanksgiving, when we walked by LV Mar and saw that window signs announcing “Coming Soon” were gone, the lights were on, the door open, and the restaurant full of diners. I had been looking forward to trying Chef Manuel’s new concept, hints of which he’d been offering at La Viga, his other, more casual restaurant down the street.
I’ve written previously about being a fan of Vesta, and there’s always a lingering craving for their seasonal pizzas and grilled pears, but — sure, we could change plans and try something new! We marched right inside and up to the hostess, who promptly told us that the restaurant was closed. Pause. Insert confused Scooby Doo face, complete with head tilt and a verbalized “Rurh?” Um, you don’t look closed.
She explained that they were actually in the middle of a “Friends & Family” soft opening, but would be open to the public in a week, and would we please come back then. My friend and I agreed on the spot that we’d be back in a week, and went off to enjoy Vesta as planned. (Maybe it’s my enthusiasm for finding good food in the 650, but I seem to have a knack for rolling up to restaurants before they’re quite open.)
Flash forward a week, and we did indeed arrive back at LV Mar on their “official” opening night: the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. Since that first visit, I’ve dined at LV Mar once a month or so and, it’s become one of my 650 favorites. Not only is the menu creative and fresh, but the service is warm, welcoming, and accommodating every time. (Even during a recent visit when a perfect storm of snafus caused friends to run almost an hour late for a celebration dinner, the hostess was very understanding and held our table without complaint or question.)
My favorite way to experience LV Mar is to order a variety of small plates and taste everything. Seafood plays a starring role in LV Mar’s menu, but there are dishes to please eaters of all kinds, including vegans and vegetarians. Below are highlights of the dishes I’ve tasted since the restaurant’s opening. Just so you know: peppers play a role in most savory dishes, adding flavor, depth, sweetness, and some heat. A friend summed it up perfectly saying “everything was spicy — meaning it had flavor.”
Ceviche Mixto
LV Mar makes some of the best ceviche (raw fish marinated in citrus juices and spiced with peppers) in the 650. The house specialty is the Ceviche Mixto: chopped octopus, scallop, and halibut married with orange, red onion, and rocoto chile. The ceviche is topped with shredded jicama and finely sliced red onion and served with crispy plantain chips. Sweet, spicy, tender and fresh, this dish reminds me of afternoons under a palapa bar on the beach in Zihuatanejo.
Deshebra de Pato
Friends ordered this small plate during our celebration dinner, and I just had to taste it. Oh my! Rich shredded duck leg confit is spiced with chipotle and onions, nestled onto a small, deep-fried masa pillow and topped with manchego cheese, avocado, and tomatillo salsa. They might be bite-sized, but these small delicacies are full of flavor!
Cayo Dorado
Another favorite small plate, the Cayo Dorado is served like a small soft taco (although I couldn’t eat it like a soft taco — this one is best with a knife and fork). A perfectly tender, lightly battered scallop sits atop a thinly sliced piece of jicama — the “tortilla”– and is dressed with cucumber, orange, and sweet habanero cream.
Envuelto de Cangrejo y Aguacate
The crab salad, one of several salads on the menu, stars our local favorite shellfish: Dungeness crab. Like most of LV Mar’s dishes, this one incorporates a variety of flavors and textures: soft and sweet (the crab salad), crisp and slightly bitter (the frisee and radishes), tart/citrusy (orange supremes and dressing). Note: Yes, the dish does include avocado (aguacate), but I’m not a fan, so the kitchen graciously accommodated my request to 86 the avocado. The photo below was taken November 2013, and the presentation might be different now.
Pescado Con Pepitas
While I usually prefer to sample a variety of small plates, there is one entrée that I’ve tried and found craveable: pan-seared, pepita-crusted fish. This version is currently not on the menu, but I’m hoping it returns in the fall. It’s cool-weather, belly-filling comfort food all the way: pan-roasted pepita-crushed sea bass, served on a bed of corn truffle purée, surrounded by pieces of chayote squash and two pepper sauces.
The current seasonal version is Pescado Sarteneado: pan-roasted wild Alaskan halibut, asparagus, corn truffle and potato croquettes, guajillo chile emulsion.
Desserts and Drinks
If you like to start or end your meal with an adult beverage, you can choose from an assortment of beers, wines, and wine-based cocktails. (Note that the restaurant doesn’t have a full liquor license, though, so don’t expect shelves of tequilas or an array of fancy margaritas.) Chosen to pair with the food menu, wines are on the lighter side and hail from Spain and South America.
The wine-based cocktail menu tends toward the fruity side, and includes a classic sangria, along with cocktails built around wine “spirits,” such as agave wine, wine vodka, and sake. On my list to try: the El Morado (blackberry-basil mix, petrov wine vodka, sparkling wine) and the Gingerito (mint simple syrup, ginger mix, sake, ginger beer & fresh lime juice). Beer choices include an assortment of bottled beers and beer on tap. Non-alcoholic drinks include fresh lemonade and a horchata, a rice drink with spices, shaken over ice with coconut milk. This one should be on the dessert menu — it’s so rich and decadent!
The dessert list is small, but hits the usual notes: chocolate, fruit, cake, ice cream. If your idea of dessert involves chocolate and little else, try the flourless chocolate cake. It’s a small but rich dessert, and I’m fairly certain the only ingredients are chocolate and butter (and that’s not a bad thing)! Want something more summery? The Torta de Fresas takes a Latin twist to a classic American shortcake: thin slices of sweet cornbread, layered with mixed berry compote, topped with horchata ice cream and finished with a light mint syrup.
There you have it — my highlights of dining at LV Mar since it opened to the public. Have you tried LV Mar yet? What did you eat?
Details
What: LV Mar
Where: 2042 Broadway Street, Redwood City, CA 94063
Phone: 650-241-3111
Hours: Mon–Thu 11:30am–9:30pm; Fri–Sat 11:30am-10:30pm
Price: $$
Bar: Beer, wine, and wine-based cocktails. No spirits.
Parking: Street and nearby lots.
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