It was American architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe who famously said that “God is in the details” … meaning that even the smallest of elements in design can impact the whole. That’s true of buildings. And it may be even more true of restaurants, where every element needs to work in harmony with every other element — untold thousands of bits and pieces, many not noticeable in their presence, but very noticeable in their absence.
And so, at the remarkable new AttaGirl in Hermosa Beach, from the eternally creative David LeFevre and his team (notably Chef Alice Mai) — the folks who brought us MB Post, Fishing with Dynamite and The Arthur J — the detail that struck me as the very essence of perfection, of godliness, was the bread.
That first bite of the rosemary smoked salt focaccia woke up my tastebuds with more kick than a slather of freshly churned truffle butter. This, thought I, is what bread is supposed to taste like. This is truly the staff of life. This is God in dough and crust.
The focaccia comes with any of four spreads, as does the baked pita. Very good pita. Wonderful pita. Perfect pita. But the focaccia was from an alternative universe of flavor. And it was elevated heavenward by the hummus, dotted with heirloom tomato and preserved lemon.
The tzatziki is made with charred cucumbers. The roasted eggplant dip with charred red bell peppers. The spicy whipped feta with smoked Calabrian chilies. Clearly, Chef Mai likes her ingredients charred and smoky. She likes her flavors BIG. Which is good — so do I. I like those godly details writ large. I don’t want to miss a one.
AttaGirl is a restaurant dominated by many tastes, a multiplicity of flavors — made so much more available by its commitment to small dishes. There are only four large dishes on the menu, kept apart in a section headed “For the table”: Chicken tagine, grilled branzino, roasted New Zealand lamb rack and, most tempting, a spinach and feta pie. Good dishes I’m sure. Even great, for they do nothing poorly at AttaGirl. But compared with the “Skewers from the embers”? Give me those chunky Hen of the Woods mushrooms, or the sweetly marinated chicken breast anytime.
Once again, we’re dealing with the joy of food that’s been not just cooked, but burned around the edges. It’s a primeval flavor. It takes us back to our lives in caves, when we discovered that mastodon meat was so much more palatable cooked over an open fire, than mastodon sashimi. It’s been argued that fire is the greatest discovery of humankind, followed by salt. Both of which are generously applied at AttaGirl.
Octopus à la plancha at AttaGirl in Hermosa Beach (Photo by Merrill Shindler)
Breads and and a variety of spreads at AttaGirl in Hermosa Beach (Photo by Merrill Shindler)
Tuna tartare at AttaGirl in Hermosa Beach (Photo by Merrill Shindler)
Crispy prawns at AttaGirl in Hermosa Beach (Photo by Merrill Shindler)
Mushrooms skewers at AttaGirl in Hermosa Beach (Photo by Merrill Shindler)
Loaded street fries at AttaGirl in Hermosa Beach (Photo by Merrill Shindler)
AttaGirl in Hermosa Beach has a big, rambunctious bar — a center point for a restaurant where small dishes dominate, and the overall sense is one of noisy joy. It’s from the amazing team that brought us MB Post and Fishing with Dynamite. (Photo by Merrill Shindler)
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Octopus à la plancha at AttaGirl in Hermosa Beach (Photo by Merrill Shindler)
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This is one of the few restaurants in town with an octopus dish that doesn’t taste like spiced Latex. The critter in the octopus à la plancha is actually tender, served with the counterpoint of crispy herbed potatoes, and a snappy pair of sauces — an olive-piquillo pepper tapenade and a paprika aioli — which is so good, I’d have been glad to have it served as a dessert. Maybe with a cherry on top.
The whole soft shell prawns, cooked till they’ve got a fine crunch, confront us with the question of whether or not to devour the shell. It’s not especially digestible. But that garlic butter that infuses it is tough to resist
Another small detail is the preparation of the quinoa tabbouleh that comes with the skewers. If you’re not a true believer in the virtues of quinoa, this version is biblical in its goodness — so soft, sweet, herby and dotted with golden raisins. Get it with the skewered rosemary marinated beef tenderloin, the Atlantic salmon and Maine diver scallops, the spiced pork belly, the lamb loin with rosemary salsa verde.
The roasted summer squash is worth getting as a side dish, if only for the crispy chickpea fritters. Ditto the Brussels sprouts for the date purée.
One of the most notable David LeFevre signatures is a penchant for never repeating himself. MB Post is California Moderne. Fishing with Dynamite is funky old school waterfront seafood. The Arthur J is even more old school — a classic steakhouse in this case.
And, AttaGirl is … what? New Wave Middle Eastern, maybe? It’s not like anything else in town. Situated next to Ryla, and across the street from Vin Folk, it positions Hermosa Avenue as the street of culinary dreams. If you can imagine it, you can build it here. And if you build it, they will come.
Merrill Shindler is a Los Angeles-based freelance dining critic. Email mreats@aol.com.
AttaGirl
Rating: 3.5 stars
Address: 1238 Hermosa Ave., Hermosa Beach
Information: 424-600-2882; www.attagirlla.com
Cuisine: A big, rambunctious bar, packed with local trendies, is a center point for a restaurant where small dishes dominate, and the overall sense is one of noisy joy. From the amazing team that brought us MB Post and Fishing with Dynamite, a “Coastal Mediterranean” that takes the world of Middle Eastern cooking to a whole new level. Don’t miss the breads — they’re amazing!
When: Dinner every day; brunch Saturday and Sunday, Tuesday through Saturday
Details: Full bar; reservations very essential
Prices: About $75 per person
Suggested dishes: 5 Breads and Spreads ($13-$38), 7 Mezze ($8-$29), 3 Salads ($18-$19), 3 Homemade Pastas ($24-$28), 8 “Skewers from the Embers” ($19-$36), 4 “For the Table” ($36-$65), 6 Sides ($10-$12), 3 Desserts ($10-$12), 4 Brunch Dishes ($18-$24), along with most of the regular dinner dishes
Credit cards: MC, V
What the stars mean: 4 (World class! Worth a trip from anywhere!), 3 (Most excellent, even exceptional. Worth a trip from anywhere in Southern California.), 2 (A good place to go for a meal. Worth a trip from anywhere in the neighborhood.) 1 (If you’re hungry, and it’s nearby, but don’t get stuck in traffic going.) 0 (Honestly, not worth writing about.)
Originally Published: July 23, 2025 at 2:06 PM PDT