Nov 08 2007
What's Cooking in Manhattan Beach

Manhattan Beach diners, take note. Chef Darren Weiss will serve Pacific Rim–influenced Californian fare – think lobster coconut chowder with sweet potato duo and shiitake mushroom–goat cheese ravioli with rock shrimp – when he opens Darren's Restaurant & Bar next month in the remodeled Avenue space, which will feature updated banquettes and floors and a casual, yet elegant vibe. The former chef-owner of Redondo Beach's Cafe Catalina, with stints at Röckenwagner in Santa Monica and David Paul's Lahaina Grill in Maui, says he looks forward to cooking for the area's "epic eater clientele."

The James Beard Foundation

Dateline
Los Angeles 2007

Avenue in Manhattan Beach, the intimate restaurant with a devoted following owned by Christian Shaffer and his wife Tedde, will close next week after a three-year run. Chef Darren Weiss, most recently at the Ritz-Carlton Dallas, plans to open a new restaurant in the space.

Plywood: Darren's Manhattan Beach, Seven Downtown

Wednesday, December 5, 2007
MANHATTAN BEACH: A tipster sends a snap from Darren's Restaurant & Bar, which will replace Avenue on Manhattan Ave.: "I shot this two weeks ago. Since then some good headway has been made so mid-December still looks like it will happen." We hear chef/owner Darren Weiss is looking to open around the third week of December. [~ELA~]

http://theguide.latimes.com/restaurants/

Chef Darren Weiss brings classic American fare with Mediterranean and Asian influences to Manhattan Beach. The restaurant features banquettes covered with richly colored fabrics, a dark wood floor, high vaulted ceilings and intimate outdoor seating. Dishes to look for include Thai peanut chili crusted wild salmon, spicy lobster coconut chowder and a house made seasoned Kobe beef burger on a brioche bun.


Darren's Restaurant Merrill Shindler Review 2008