AC Lounge is a Vacation

Posted on by Diversions LA

Located at the AC Hotel Los Angeles South Bay in El Segundo, AC Lounge makes a terrific get- away whether you’re staying at the hotel or not.

It’s a beautiful space with a sleek modern bar, cushy indoor seating – and a fireplace – and intimate outdoor seating with fire and water features. While the look is elegant and modern, it is also comfortable, which is in no small part due to the accommodating, friendly staff.

On a chilly winter (for Los Angeles) evening, we started with two wonderful locovore cocktails. Happy Hour, which runs from 3:30 to 6:30 weekdays make these well-made drinks an even bigger treat.

We had the Immune Boost and 72 Degrees. Immune Boost is a lighter spin on a gingery drink that is often made with whiskey. Here it is Tito’s Vodka, ginger beer, grapefruit bitters, turmeric, and a seasonal citrus, making it crisper and more citrusy, while not negating the lovely combination of tastes. 72 Degrees is also vodka based, with honey, passionfruit, basil, and lime, it is slightly sweeter, but again light and refreshing.

We started our dining with a surprisingly generous portion of warm olives marinated in-house in a fragrant citrus blend. Warning: it is almost impossible to stop eating them.

The roasted mushrooms with torn herbs were delicious; the flavors rich but not heavy.

Grilled salmon with spiced lentil stew was a perfect main course: the salmon was beautifully prepared and a surprisingly large portion for a very reasonable price. The lentil base was terrific, with a bite of spice and a texture that nicely contrasted with the silky fish.

We also enjoyed an avocado, tomato, and fresh crumbled cheese bruschetta on chiobatta bread – a meal in itself.

Along with an extensive small bites menu, lunch is served in the AC Lounge space as well. Both locals and hotel guests frequent, adding to the vibe of the welcoming servers and bartender. The hotel’s design team created the space, nicely melding the clean lines of minimalism with relaxing seating and sparkling fire walls and small waterfall outside. The variety of seating options means that guests can enjoy a serene space or a lively one.

All in all, it’s a vacation from the everyday in a modern new hotel you may just be vacationing in to begin with – or it makes a perfect spot for after-work drinks and noshing, or a relaxing date night.

AC Hotel and the AC Lounge is located at 2130 Maple Ave. in El Segundo

  • Genie Davis; photos: Genie Davis

Sausal – El Segundo’s Exciting Mexican Dining Experience

Posted on by Diversions LA

 

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Sausal offers a quintessentially Mexican menu, one that uses stylish recipes and exceptional incredients to create a nuevo rancho cuisine that stands out – in the South Bay and in the Los Angeles dining scene.

Named for the Spanish ranch that its El Segundo location was once a part of – back in the days when California was still a part of Mexico – the restaurant offers a superior blend of Mexican and Spanish culture and cuisine. It also ties in a classic American taste, making dinner there a unique and memorable experience.

We’ve dined there twice: in March and late this summer, both times experiencing a pulsating fusion of flavors in a relaxed, yet beautifully burnished restaurant with an outdoor patio and glass fronted kitchen. A fireplace that is open from both sides dominates the center of the room.

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Chef Anne Conness describes her menu as one that “celebrates the bold flavors of Mexican cuisine in combination with the elemental flavors of Spain” while it “revels in contemporary bounty.” Translation: traditional flavors and recipes are updated with flare.

That flare begins with the craft cocktail menu – and a strong beer and wine selection, too. Upcoming November 16th, there will be a 4-beer/4-course pairing courtesy of the cutting edge brewery, The Breuery, out of Placentia. Having recently tasted their raspberry sour, this is an evening to put on the calendar.

 

But back to those cocktails. The Future Fix made with Rittenhouse Rye, has a range of flavors going for it, from spicy to sweet, salty to sour. It’s a perfect fusion of all-American rye with chili, agave nectar, salt, and citrus, fusion cuisine in a glass.

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Equally potent and a fine mix of flavors is the light and delicious house margarita. House made Sangria is also a stand out. Interestingly, consulting pastry chef Natasha MacAller is behind the creation of some of these cocktails.

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Of course the star here is the food itself, which does not disappoint. Traditional house-made guacamole is fresh and flavorful, accented with tomatillo salsa.

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The Fresh Ceviche Mixto is revelatory, from the spicy yellow habanero salsa to the crisp celery and sweet corn that add heft to flavors of cumin, lime, cilantro and citrus. The fish itself: perfectly prepared shrimp, calamari, lingcod, and ahi.

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One of the keys to dining here is the way in which Conness takes traditional recipes and renders her version of them with extra layers of flavor – the Arroz con Pollo is served with chicken thighs and rice cooked with achiote, a bright red fruit that grows in Latin America. Added in are tomatoes, scallions and mushrooms.

Slow cooked on the hearth, the Smoked Pork Tamale Pie is topped with a dark mole, jack cheese, pico de gallo, and green onions. It’s the ideal blend of a comforting, home-cooked meal and cutting edge cuisine, a marriage that’s smooth and sultry.

We loved the small — you’ll want more than one — Calabasitas Vegan Taco, crafted from guajillo-roasted pattypan squash and carrots, topped with a fragrant and heady mix of avocado, cilantro, cashew crema, habanero yellow salsa, and chia seeds.

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We topped off our meals with dessert and one last drink. The Spanish Sticky Date Cake with Pecans is topped with vanilla ice cream, and once again it is the mix of flavors and textures that makes this sweet treat a standout. Naturally, our favorite was a chocolate-lovers choice, the Chocolate & Piloncillo Caramel Pudding. Textures are again key here, and go hand in hand with the two powerful but well matched flavors. Served along side is a chocolate chip cookie.

That last drink? Make it a Prickly Pear Caipirinha, a near perfect take on the Brazillian cocktail made with Cachaca rum. Prickly pear, lime cubes, grenadine, and mint are a sophisticated adult dessert in themselves.

At lunch, it’s easy to take in a variety of tastes with a choice of one taco, small soup of the day or chicken pozole (a signature of the restaurant), and choice of small salad. Other salads and specials abound, and the patio in particular gets busy on pleasant SoCal days.

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El Segundo may no longer be known as “Sausal,” but it may very well become known for it’s restaurant namesake. Another winner from Conness, who is also behind Tin Roof Bistro and Simmzy’s in Manhattan Beach.