Cafe Pierre Favorites Come to Zazou

After an incredible 37 years in Manhattan Beach, our sister restaurant, Cafe Pierre is closing its doors on April 14, 2014. We are thankful for so many years of great people and great food, including some of our favorite dishes such as Grilled Octopus, Barramundi, Roasted Bone Marrow, Crispy Pork Belly, Pork Short Ribs, and Bistecca alla Fiorentina to name just a few. Luckily, we won’t have to say goodbye to these dishes as they will have found a new home on the Zazou menu!

That’s right, you can still enjoy many of the dishes that Cafe Pierre built its stellar reputation on. You can view the entire updated Dinner menu here.

Are you excited about any of the new additions to the Zazou menu? Let us know in the comments!

Café Pierre Farewell Menu

As many of you have probably heard by now, after almost 37 years in Manhattan Beach, Café Pierre will be closing its doors on April 14, 2014. And before we undergo our transformation to Love and Salt, we want to close things out with something special.

For our final week of service, we will offer a farewell menu featuring a slew of our signature dishes from various eras of  Café Pierre. These dishes include escargots with garlic butter; pâté maison; soupe et salade, including cream of mushroom with sherry; les plats such as crêpe Cordon bleu, filet Dijonnaise and frog legs. For dessert we will offer crème caramel and flourless chocolate cake. 

The four-course prix fixe menu will be available from Sunday, April 6, to Sunday, April 13, with a complimentary glass of Prosecco. Suggested wine pairings by-the-glass also will be available.  We plan to leave Manhattan Beach with something to remember us by!

Follow the link to download our full Farewell Menu. We will remain open 5:30 to 10 p.m., Sunday to Wednesday, and 5:30 to 11 p.m. Thursday to Saturday until April 14th.

 

 

DIY Charcuterie

A good charcuterie can make any get together go from boring to trendy in no time. So what exactly is a charcuterie? Usually, a charcuterie is a food platter that consists of several categories including: meats, bread/crackers, cheese and miscellaneous.

Let’s start with the star of the show: meat. It’s best to stick with about two meats, especially for beginners. We like to keep it simple with prosciutto, salami, and/or ham. Next is bread or crackers. It’s best to have a thick bread with a soft middle, like ciabatta. It’s also a good idea to have a variety of crackers in size, color, texture and taste. The next element of charcuterie is the cheese. Again, variety is key in the cheese category so be sure to have a soft, spreadable cheese as well as hard and salty cheese on the board.

Now for the finishing touches of a good charcuterie. We love to have some sort of pickled vegetable for an acidic element, like pickles or olives but you can pick whichever you think would taste best or whatever you have in the fridge. Having some dips or spreads on the board are a good option for a picky eater. They can dip the crackers in some hummus, pesto, or even spread some spicy mustard atop a slice of bread. Guests also love seeing fruits and nuts on the board for added texture and color. Pick whatever you like, but it’s best to pick fruits that are in season. Finally is the garnish. Just place some baby greens or herbs on the side or center to make it even more visually appealing.

Putting together a nice charcuterie is really easy and fun because you have so much freedom to get as creative as you want. So for your next party be sure to wow your guests with a charcuterie of your very own!

Octopus 101

When seeing octopus on a sushi menu, most people don’t even bat an eye but when some of our Cafe Pierre patrons see ‘Grilled Octopus’ on our small plates menu served with marble pee wee potatoes, they usually have a couple questions for us: Is it difficult to prepare octopus at home? What are the benefits of eating octopus? Our answers are always: Yes, once you learn the initial preparation, it’s quite easy to cook octopus. Also, there are many health benefits to eating octopus!

Let’s start with eating, of course. There are plenty of ways to prepare octopus but we prefer our’s grilled. To begin, start by holding the octopus under running water and massage for about a minute to get rid of any grit between its suckers or tentacles. Then boil the octopus in a large pot for about 1-2 minutes, if the octopus is the size of your hand or smaller. Once boiled, cut into smaller pieces and marinate or spice as desired and place on a preheated grill for about one minute per side.

Eating octopus is also beneficial to your health. Not only is it a low calorie, lean option of protein but it also contains iron, which is good to consume if you suffer from fatigue or anemia. Octopus also has calcium, potassium and omega-3 fatty acids. You can also check C, A, and several B vitamins off the list of benefits.

Whether it’s in a salad, pasta or just on its own, octopus is a perfect, healthful option for any meal!

Memorial Day Weekend in the South Bay

Here at Zazou and Cafe Pierre, we are lucky enough to call the beautiful South Bay our home. Known for our breezy beaches, surf culture, and overall laid-back Southern California attitude, we wouldn’t want to be anywhere else!

Memorial Day is this upcoming Monday, May 27th, and that means only one thing: Fiesta Hermosa is back in town! Entering it’s 41st year, Fiesta Hermosa not only celebrates our honorable Memorial Day, but also signifies the beginnings of summer.  What does this mean? Sunny weather, happy people, and a reminder that we need to take a break every once in a while and enjoy life!

Fiesta Hermosa is three days long beginning May 25th and ending May27th from 10AM to 6PM each day in the city of Hermosa Beach, California (otherwise known as our South Bay neighbor). There is fair food, craft booths, a kiddie carnival, and a beer garden along with musical performances and art shows for all to enjoy.

We highly suggest in taking this opportunity to take in the company of friends and family, and of course have fun in the South Bay! And don’t you worry, all of us here at Zazou and Cafe Pierre will be readily awaiting your arrival when it’s time for lunch or dinner.

Dessert Highlight: Crème Brulee

A must-try dessert that will surely satisfy anyone’s sweet tooth is the ever sophisticated and rich crème brulee. Crème brulee, which in French means “burnt cream,” consists of a custard base topped with a contrasting hardened layer of sugar.  The custard can come in many different flavors, such as lemon, orange, chocolate, cinnamon, and coffee, but the most traditional and often emulated is vanilla. The name “burnt cream” derives from the candied shell, which is crisped to perfection by way of a brulee torch. 

When you press your fork into a crème brulee, you will enjoy the gratifying feeling of breaking through that sugary coat into the light and fluffy custard underneath… very sweet indeed.