Joie De Vivre at Dominique’s Kitchen

What a treat of a Unilocal event! I haven’t been to an event in ages and I brought along my friend who had never been. She loved it. This place was a ways away from where we live in Ventura country but it was well worth it!
The parking lot is tiny so we parked in the neighborhood which had charming, cute houses. There were amazing smells taunting us as well approached this homey, restaurant. I loved the décor… it was exactly what you would find at a real house.
We definitely were spoiled: I used my 2 drink tickets for yummy Sangria and a glass of champy. The mushroom risotto was amazing… some of the best I’ve had. I loved the chocolate mousse as well. My friend enjoyed the crème brûlée I didn’t care too much for the short ribs which tasted like very fatty chunks of pot roast and was guarded closely by something who was serving it.
If I was in the area again, I would def come back. This restaurant was very generous :)
I scored a pair of Unilocal socks and red sunglasses as well! Whoooo!

I discovered Dominique’s Kitchen thanks to a Unilocal event last week (my first one in over three years!).
The restaurant’s parking lot is tiny (5 or 6 spots total?) but street parking is plentiful.
Dominique’s Kitchen is absolutely adorable! The rustic, cozy atmosphere is romantic and perfect for a date or intimate family gathering. I saw outside with my +1 and we had a delightful time dining and enjoying:
— The braised short ribs (SO tender and savory!)
— Mushroom risotto (my absolute favorite, I’m extremely picky when it comes to risotto but this was cooked perfectly and was chock full of mushrooms!)
— Escargot (hot, fresh ‘n tasty — you can’t go wrong with snails + garlic butter)
— Penne pasta (ultra heavy on the garlic but I LOVE garlic)
— Chocolate mousse (creamy, decadent but not too sweet, perfectly served with an edible chocolate spoon/​chip)
Service was immaculate and attentive, the chef and his wife were warm and wonderful, and the experience was 5-​stars all the way. I can’t wait to come back to sample more of the menu, yay for yummy French food in Redondo Beach!

Dominique’s Kitchen served up quite the generous spread of selections from their delightful menu. With such warm and friendly hospitality this restaurant is the type of place you go to again and again to feel like you’re surrounded by friends or at home. Sue Z. and I were pleased by the bevy of beverage options ranging from the obligatory wine, sangria, and beer to Pellegrino for those of us keeping off the sauce, and all with heavy handed pours. Very friendly bartenders who were eager to serve.
Loads of awesome charcuterie, chocolate mousse, passion fruit crème brûlée (whoaaaaa!), penne, a mushroom risotto (ohhh one of my favorite dishes of all time), and of course, ESCARGOT… in the shell!!! I’ve never seen them served this way before! So cute.
There’s a small lot in front but considering we were about half an hour late we bypassed that and quite easily found residential street parking directly behind the restaurant.
Didn’t get a change to scoop up a pair of those awesome red knee high Unilocal socks that a few lucky elites found at their tables but I am hoping to score a pair ASAP to rock with my short shorts in the gym on leg day (gotta protect my lovely lady shins while deadlifting!). I did pick out an elegant fleur de lys keychain to take home from the large stacks of different key chain styles available. A little piece of France to take home in my pocket!
Aside from it being a bit sweaty on a warm summer evening in June, this was just an absolutely perfect event. Perfectly attended, no crowds or swarms for food, and plenty of delicious noms to go around. Success!

This was my first Food Elite Event. If you go to an Elite event, get there EARLY (at least a half hour) otherwise you get none of the give-​aways. I saw people walking out with full bulging bags of stuff. We ended up with the last remnant of Unilocal shot glasses, thanks to Genna. If you are late: Long lines for food, and little variety left, no where to sit and we had to park 4 blocks away.
Dominiques: Small restaurant, nice staff when someone approached you. We ended up with a table in the ‘lobby’ outside the door so we were forgotten about for service most of the evening. I took my plates and empty glasses to the bar twice. We did tip generously though at the bar and when the basket was passed even though we received no service. Parking lot only can accommodate 8 cars. They restaurant seats three times as many people. so be prepared to park in a residential neighborhood, UPHILL several blocks away.
The Owner, I tried to engage him a few times, not sure if he spoke English as he just smiled at me, but another Unilocaler was speaking french to him all night long. His wife was charming and very warm and receptive. She stopped at one point to give the history of the restaurant to the crowd. I would have loved to hear it but there was another Unilocaler whom was quite chatty and didn’t care and kept talking over her. I asked her to give the conversation a minute because Brittany was making announcements and the Owners Wife was also giving us the history. Then the other Unilocaler suggested that the Owners wife use a microphone. What? to talk over YOU? They are giving you a free meal and drinks and this is how you show respect to the host? Hmmmm.
The Food: When I think French, I think complex sauces, rich, deep flavors, provencal herbs, to my disappointment I didn’t find much of that here. Lots of raw garlic though.
The true hit of the night was the Mushroom Risotto. Creamy, chunky texture, chock full of mushrooms, super creamy with just enough cheese. It seems everyone loved the risotto as it was empty at least twice while we were there and the reviews seem to reflect it.
Rosemary Rolls: Now these were also a hit. There were light, fluffy and full of flavor. I put the hardened fondu on it and it was even better!
Short Ribs: I didn’t think the short ribs were anything special, I didn’t detect any special flavor, just reminded me of chunks of pot roast.
Penne Pasta with basil and tomatoes: Too much raw garlic. Garlic chunks inside the pasta tubes, in the sauce, I couldn’t eat it. Garlic doesn’t agree with me unless its in moderation. There is no restraint used in this dish.
Charcuterie: The best was the beef and salami and seemed to be of decent quality. The ham had zero flavor, it looked like proscuitto but bland and I am usually a fan of french ham.
The fondu was good, but they didn’t supply good utensils to get it out of the pot. (a honey dipper would have been perfect) It needed to be stirred each time as the fat would rise to the top and by the time you mixed it, swirled it onto the spoon, it was already hard before it hit your plate and difficult to get off the spoon. Probably not a good idea to do fondu in a public setting where people will double dip and use their own fork to fish out lost pieces of bread (saw this happen) .
Desert: Crème brûlée mini & chocolate mouse. Both were good. I prefer a thicker crispy top on my crème brûlée, and I detected no passion fruit flavor at all. It tasted like plain vanilla crème brûlée to me. The chocolate mouse was thick, rich and full of dark chocolate flavor. I did really enjoy this mini desert.
Wine: $ 7.00 glass of Prosecco
There were many items that were on the menu not available to us tonight. We were told we were all to receive a 20% coupon for a future visit, so might come back to try the scallops or the lamb chops but this wouldn’t be a regular place for me.

this is one of those events when you just have to let go and (happily) throw any notion of a low-​carb diet out the window. i ate a ton of bread, risotto, penne pasta, dessert, and drank each of the white wines. wow, was i stuffed. but the best part was the escargot! that pesto garlic sauce was BOMB! the one addition i heard suggested a few times that would have made the spread even better would have been a salad or veggie dish, just to have a lighter option available.
had great conversations in a lovely setting outside on the patio. met some cool cats. loved chatting with Ronnie, Marissa, and her mom.
i tried all night to show off my AP French skills from high school, but couldn’t find any opportunity except for my lame «merci beaucoup!» while leaving. until the next frenchy-​themed event!

Another fantastic event and another gem uncovered on the Westside! The staff was extremely friendly and warm — loved the fact that they walked around asking how we were doing. My favorite dish of the night was the mushroom risotto. Rich, flavorful, and best of all, loaded with mushrooms! I’d definitely come back just for that dish. I also enjoyed the escargot with that yummy pesto sauce. Oh man, just typing about the escargot and mushroom risotto is making my mouth water!

This was my first Unilocal Elite event!
The Food —
Short Ribs: They were tender and didn’t have a lot of fat. The flavor was good, not too rich.
Pasta: This was okay. I got a scoop with lots of cheese on it so that made it better.
Mushroom Risotto: Creamy and the risotto was cooked well — not too mushy and not too al dente. Good flavor.
Cheese Fondu: It was separated and, I guess, needed to be stirred before dipping. But, other than that, it was okay. I wish they would have given us something to dip the bread in the cheese though.
Passion Fruit Crème Brulee: Had a nice flavor and texture. Sweet and a little fruity.
Chocolate Mousse: Good! Perfect texture — not too rich and not too light. The chocolate cracker was really good as well!
I’m not sure where everyone got all the goodies like shot glasses and sunglasses, but we just got a Unilocal bag. Guess I have to come earlier next time. Although I did get there at 6:30pm when it started so maybe I’m just blind.
The place was pretty small so I think some people may have been left without a place to sit. Also, the parking lot is teensy tiny so we had to park in the neighborhood around the corner.
It was pretty good first Unilocal Elite event experience. It was nice that we got 2 drinks and some free goodies. Excited to attend another!

Summary: A solid Unilocal Elite event. Great food. Braised short rib, mushroom risotto, escargot, penne pasta, and chocolate mousse are excellent. Especially the short rib and mousse. Lots of parking along streets and about 6 spots in the lot. Because I didn’t have to pay and couldn’t see portion sizes for the prices, I can only estimate the value factor of this restaurant based on pictures, but the food is excellent, the service is solid, and besides the restaurant being a bit small and overly toasty when full, it was a nice atmosphere.
Went to this event with a plus one and we both had a great time. Arrived early to get good parking, waited in line for a few minutes while the restaurant finished getting ready, then were given the rundown by Brittany and ushered inside. The restaurant is small-​medium sized. There is a main indoor section and an outdoor, covered patio section. The inside, where we sat, got warm as the evening progressed as there was very little airflow, and also housed all of the food and drinks for the evening. The restaurant is casually elegant. Nice, but not pretentious.
There were a variety of sliced meats, cheese fondue, escargot, risotto, penne pasta, rolls, braised short ribs, passion fruit crème brulee, and dark chocolate mousse to accompany the various beer and wine drink options (including an excellent red wine sangria). Personal favorite food items were the short ribs, which fell apart with a fork as if slow cooked for days (super tasty and perfectly tender texture), and the chocolate mousse (rich, sweet, super chocolaty, and not overly bitter/​dark). Also, really enjoyed the escargot (buttery and salty) and the risotto (cheesy and rich with nice firmness). In general, all of the food was excellently prepared, and the restaurant staff ensured that as food items started to run low they were quickly replaced with fresh batches to ensure everyone had an opportunity to try everything. The staff was also very friendly and attentive, ensuring everyone got served while also taking care of busing the tables and conversing with Unilocalers about the food and restaurant. A great all-​around package.
Thank you to Dominique’s Kitchen and the awesome Unilocal leads for putting together this wonderful event for the Elite community. It was a pleasure getting to sample some fantastic French cuisine in the comfort of lovely Southern California. This is a solid restaurant with delicious food, and the locals of the South Bay should know that.

Came here for a Unilocal event. Very very cozy… perfect for a date night or intimate gathering. Inside can get a bit warm but there is a nice outside patio as well as porch seating. Very comfortable chairs and benches. Decorated very tastefully. Food is five stars… charcuterie, fondue (delicious but could have used some nutmeg), risotto, escargot, short rib, passion fruit crème brûlée, chocolate mousse… all were top notch and very very rich which is to be expected at any fine French establishment. Everything melted in your mouth. No one came to clear dirty plates for quite a long time (I think until they actually ran out of them) and salt and pepper shakers were dirty and not filled up so table maintenance here seems to be an issue. Parking lot has very few tight spaces and difficult in and out but it seems there was some street spots. It was a nice relaxing time. Wines from Cupcake winery were very good especially the prosecco.
My very first Unilocal Elite event and it was great! Lots of things I didn’t expect like giveaways and free drinks. Nice, friendly people to meet. Well organized by Brittany who came around to each table to greet everyone. Great food in a relaxing setting. My favorite dish was the mushroom risotto and the passion fruit crème brûlée had amazing flavor as well. It had a nice cocktail party feel. Really enjoyed it! It was also really nice to get to bring a +1 since I didn’t know anyone. Thank you Unilocal… looking forward to attending more!

I’ve been looking forward to trying this restaurant for months – so many friends have highly recommended it – and we got the chance to do so last night at the exclusive Unilocal Elite event. The food was fantastic and the atmosphere warm and cozy, inside anyway. We wanted to be near the food so we skipped the patio – LOL! My only regret was not realizing who the owner and his wife were – I didn’t even know they were there until the next day. My friend can’t wait to bring her husband back and she took several business cards to pass out at the office. Truly delicious, yet affordable French cuisine is hard to find. My favorites were the mushroom risotto and the penne with sauce and fresh basil – yum! Brittany – we need more events in the South Bay and congrats on the engagement (and the rock on your finger)!

Great time! Great food and atmosphere!
Small little restaurant which I’ve never noticed in the area. Parking is small and availability on the street is limited as well. But then again, it’s super difficult to find this place.
We did sit in the inside-​patio area because seating was pretty full inside and the outside patio was already filled up at 635pm.
Wow! Anyways, the escargot, mushroom risotto and braised short ribs were all outstanding.
Escargot = larger than I’ve had before and tender.
Mushroom risotto = oh boy! Gone very quick but I did have a chance to try on the 1^st and 2^nd time around. Tons of flavor and glad I had a second helping because my mouth was craving after the tiny 1^st portion.
Braised short ribs = saucy and tender. breaks apart with a fork.

This is my First Elite Unilocal event and I was very excited to go to this event. As soon as i walked into the door, I was greeted and was handed 2 drink tickets. That made this event awesome. I also saw many different souvenirs on the table such as Unilocal socks, chapstick, playing cards, shot glasses and etc.
My favorite food was the escargot and mushroom risotto. The escargot was really delicious and the garlic butter really made it tasty. The mushroom risotto was made very well and it was creamy and good. The short ribs was tender and juicy and it melted in my mouth. I love carrots very much and it complemented the short ribs very well. The desserts were awesome. The chocolate mousse was an amazing dessert I have had. It was rich and creamy.
I had an awesome time at this event.

Props to Dominique’s Kitchen and the Unilocalers for making my first Unilocal Elite event a memorable and pleasureable experience!
I arrived a few minutes before 6:30pm, just in time to see the last parking spot get taken (drats!) but street parking was plentiful. By the time I parked and walked back, the line was already shuffling inside. Reading one of the other reviews, it seems like I missed the «welcome» speech. After checking in and collecting my drink tickets, I immediately got in line for the bar. If I wasn’t such an amateur, I would have nabbed a seat and some Unilocal goodies first. With my Red Velvet Cupcake wine in hand, I perused the food selection, and then started the late hunt for a seat. The main dining area was already filled up, so I stood around a bit awkwardly until I realized there was a patio area. I placed my drink down at a table, and returned to the main area for the food.
For my first round, I grabbed some charcuterie, passion fruit crème brûlée, braised short ribs, bread dipped in cheese fondue, mushroom risotto, and penne pasta. That’s a good first round. The «Dish of the Night» award went to the risotto. I don’t even like mushrooms, and I couldn’t keep from shoveling it into my mouth. It was cooked perfectly, and the mushrooms didn’t have that slimey texture I dislike so much. Everyone was raving about it and seemed to go back for seconds. The crème brûlée was good — it didn’t have the typical crisp top layer of torched sugar, but the flavors were nice. The braised short ribs were to die for — they were fork-​tender and the juices were SO delicious.
For my second round, I grabbed some more mushroom risotto, the dark chocolate mousse, and escargot. The portion size of the mousse seemed a bit large, but when I ate my first spoonful, I was pleasantly surprised at how rich the flavor was, yet it was so light and airy. In no time, I was scraping off the last remnants of mousse wtih the chip-​shaped chocolate that had been sitting on top. As far as the escargot, I have a confession: It was my first time trying it, and as someone who doesn’t really enjoy the texture of seafood (shrimp, mussels, clams), I did not like the escargot. But I am sure they are fantastic for the non-​weirdos out there.
Overall, I would definitely come back to Domique’s Kitchen! The ambience of the restaurant is über cute and classy without being overbearing or pretentious. It would be such a great spot for a nice dinner date.
As far as the Unilocal event organization, I’ve learned my lessons as a newbie, but I did not like how secluded I felt sitting in the patio area. I noticed that I missed the speech by Dominique and his wife (I totally would have come back inside for that if I had known!). I also didn’t get to talk to as many people as I would have liked. It’s a little hard to do that when the food requires you to sit down, but I know there are plenty of other Unilocal events that will allow for more socializing. I’m very pleased with my first Elite event, and cannot wait for more!
Thank you to Unilocal and Dominique’s Kitchen!

this was my first Unilocal event and i was so excited that my mom and i were one of the first to be in line. i brought her as my guest and it was the best experience yet. i live in the south bay and i never knew this restaurant existed! we were both in love with the food that we are going to take my dad here for father’s day and recommend it to all of our family/​friends. it was exciting to be greeted at the door and found a lot of souvenirs/​goodies on our table. they had Unilocal sunglasses, chapstick, buttons, and SHOT GLASSES! how cool is that! i also got to meet brittany for the first time and she was just awesome! thanks again brittany for throwing an event in the south bay!
our favorite was the braised beef short ribs, mushroom risotto, and most of all the escargot! the beef was so tender and juicy it almost melted in my mouth. i usually hate carrots but i had a bite of my mom’s and it was so delish! it complimented the beef well and i got up and got seconds from mallory! the mushroom risotto had such a good mixture and it was flavored really well… and the escargots were just to die for! my mouth is literally drooling as i am writing this! the desserts were also amazing. hands down the BEST chocolate mousse i had ever had. it was so rich and it wasn’t TOO sweet.
i had a blast being able to attend to this event! i can’t wait to continue coming to elite events! ahhh i love you Unilocal

Came here for a Unilocal Elite event and was very happy!
Notes:
1) The parking lot is small (about 8 spaces). I spoke with Dominique’s lovely wife Liza, and she said that they know the lot is small and they have adjusted their menu prices accordingly. That is true. This is the most reasonably priced French restaurant I have ever seen. Entrees are about $ 15-​$ 20, and the food is delicious!
2) They purposely made the restaurant «feel like home.» It does! Come here for a romantic dinner for two, or for a nice evening at the round table that seats 6.
3) They aren’t on Opentable. To make a reservation, call, or make one on their website. You’ll need one on Friday and Saturday night.
4) The service is excellent. Come here for friendly and attentive service.
5) The food is delicious. My favorite was the creamy mushroom risotto and the braised beef short ribs.
6) They have a nice patio with heat lamps. I would sit out here during the summer!
I will be back for a sit down dinner, and I’ll be making a reservation so that we can sit on the patio. Can’t wait! Love this homey, delicious, South Bay treat!

The rating is for the event, I will rate the food on Dominique’s main page.
Hats off to Brittany B. for yet another successful Elite Event!
Thank you for the hard work you put in to make these events available to us!
The parking lot at Dominique’s was small, but there was parking in the surrounding neighborhoods.
Dominique’s kitchen is small and intimate place. I really like the way the place was decorated. It gave this place a very homely feel. They had great music playing in the background as well. They had stations set up all over the restaurant and there was plenty of food to go around.
A very well organized event! Glad this one was a local one :)
Dominique and Liza (I think was her name) were extremely accommodating and took care of everyone! Liza even walked around and mingled with us Unilocalers :)
Thank you Dominique and Liza… I will most definitely be seeing you for dinner soon enough!

I RSVPed to this event because I thought it would be a good opportunity for me to explore the food in this area. Luckily I got in and got to taste some fantastic Euro French food in the South Bay area!
The menu for the night included Escargot, Mushroom Risotto, Penne Pasta, Braised Short Ribs, fondue, rosemary bread, and various cuts of Charcuterie. There was also Passion Fruit Crème Brulee and Chocolate Mousse for dessert. Overall, I enjoyed the food; they were constantly bringing out more food during the event, so there was more than enough food to get full off of. It was my first time trying escargot, and I was pleasantly surprised. The Mushroom Risotto was my favorite – so creamy and flavorful!
On top of the food, we were each given 2 drink tickets. My boyfriend had the Sauv Blanc and Pinot Grigio (he preferred the former), and I had the Bordeaux and Prosecco.
Thanks to Dominique’s Kitchen for hosting this event! The entire staff was attentive and friendly. I will definitely recommend this place to others looking to dine in this area.
Thank you Brittany B. for organizing this event! Looking forward to other events in this area.

This event was like 3 minutes from my house, I love it!
I shared a table with Jenn G., Marlena S., and Marlena’s mysterious fiancé who has yet to put his name on his Unilocal profile, hehe…
(Get goin’ C A & write more reviews!)
SO much fun at Dominique’s. Friendly owners, great food, lovely setting. Thank you!
Especially thanks for the short ribs. Dang! I’m coming back for more. Those carrots, that gravy…
And the chocolate mousse was delish. I never had chocolate mousse with beer before & I highly recommend. ha
Dominique’s is just a couple blocks from the ocean. Fill up on great food & work it off walking on the sand.
I didn’t do that tonight cuz it was dark but next time I will. Try.
Brittany! Another spectacular event, well done.

Once again another awesome Unilocal event. Lets begin with the great atmosphere the minute you walked into the event was vibrant. You could see the Unilocal peeps ready to have a great time and enjoy the company of new and long time elite Unilocal peeps.
The food was awesome. The Braised Beef Short Ribs melted in your mouth. You wanted more and more. The Escargot was just as good, but my fav had to be the Mushroom Risotto. I could have buckets full of it all day it was so good. The Penne Pasta was not far behind when it came to a great taste sensation.
Dessert was Crème Brulee and Chocalate Mousse. Both were great finishers to a great evening. The wine was smooth and filling and paired well with the food.
Props to Brittany and Genne for doing a great job and making an awesome event. Patrick and Mallory, you guys did an awesome job with the food and service. It was great meeting Tim and Tanya at the event as well, and look forward to seeing them at future events.

Bonjour Unilocal elite event!
I love Unilocal events in the South Bay and so I was super excited to see this event in Redondo Beach! Dominique’s Kitchen was set up beautifully! There was various charcuterie laid out in in the different tables. They also had different stations for braised beef short ribs, cheese fondue, penne pasta and mushroom risotto! Lastly they also had trays of crème brûlée and chocolate mousse! It was euro-​french cusine galore!
I was really fond of the braised beef short ribs! The beef was so tender and moist! It was very flavorful! I also liked the smooth, melt in your mouth mushroom risotto! From the desserts, the crème brûlée was top notch! It was creamy and decadent! I loved it!
All Unilocalers were given two drink tickets each! You had your choice of white wine, red wine, coffee, pellegrino and soda! I thought it was so unique that they were offering red velvet red wine.
Aside from the great food, they had great service here! Chef Dominique’s wife came to our table and chatted with us. She made sure we were doing ok! It’s always nice to see such friendly restaurant owners who care about their diners!
I shared the table with Joan S., Marlena S. and fiancé Curtis. One of the things I love most about Unilocal events is the chance to get to meet other Unilocalers and make new friends! Thank you Joan, Marlena and Curtis for the good company!
Thank you Brittany for another fabolous event! Joie De Vivre means «Love of Life» in French and I definitely love my Unilocal-​licious life! :)