Dinner Is Served For Four Daughters

Manhattan Beach is home to many laid-back eateries, but Four Daughters Kitchen goes a step further, on even the chilliest winter day bringing the warmth of the beach inside. The owner greets every guest, the portions are ample and all are welcome, from families to sports fans to couples out on the town.  

The beach house bistro, helmed by restaurant guru Clint Clausen, a former executive of the luxury hospitality company SBE, opened in January for breakfast and lunch. One month later, Four Daughters Kitchen, named after Clausen's own kin, has added dinner as well.

Planted along the bustling North Highland Avenue amid yoga studios and boutique spas, Four Daughters stands out with its modest storefront of brimming flower boxes and American flags. What previously housed the dimly-lit pan-Asian restaurant Bora Bora is now a breezy and colorful café with a homey interior—blue and peach pastel walls, simple wooden tables and beach-inspired paintings.  

Metered parking is scarce, but there is a public garage one block away on Rosecrans Avenue. If you are close by, you may want to consider walking.  

As for reservations, none are necessary. Clausen wants Four Daughters to be "a neighborhood place" where customers are free to come and go as they please. But if you are looking for quiet dining, I recommend arriving before 8 p.m., when the crowd swells and the volume rises.  

The menu consists of old standbys with a twist. Appetizers include a creamy hummus served with warm flatbread ($6), finely chopped bruschetta on toasted crostini ($8), sweet potato fries drizzled with crème fraiche ($6), and tempura-battered "Bang Bang Shrimp" tossed in a fiery chili aioli ($11)—not for the heat averse. The "rockstar" of the menu, according to Clausen, is the lobster salad ($18). Generously-portioned organic mixed greens, sweet corn, grape tomatoes, hothouse cucumbers and green onions party with pistachios and kiwi in an orange Muscat vinaigrette. Tarragon crostini provide a crisp accompaniment.  

And as posh as lobster salad sounds, right beside it on the menu is the Big Daddy Burger ($12), the clear choice for breakfast-for-dinner diners. A substantial beef patty tops a cheesy fried egg slathered in Four Daughters' "40K burger sauce" (mayonnaise laced with chili). There are also plenty of pastas to choose from, including vegetarian Bolognese ($12), carbonara ($14) and chicken picatta ($13).  

No desserts are available yet—not that you will have room. But Clausen promises that brownies, cupcakes and ice cream are on their way. 

A neighborhood bistro would not be complete without an extensive wine menu. Four Daughters sells 21 wines by the glass, all available in six-ounce pours for an average cost of $7 each. The selection ranges from Veneto Prosecco Mionetto ($8 glass, $24 bottle) to the Cabernet blend Red Masked Rider ($8 glass, $26 bottle), which hold up well with some of the zestier entrees.   

The service is attentive—even when the room is bustling, our waiter still found time to check in. The mood is laid back. Families, couples and friends chat away as upbeat tunes play on the radio. Four Daughters is a welcome addition to the neighborhood bistro scene in Manhattan Beach. 

The restaurant is located at 3505 N. Highland Avenue and is open daily from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. For reservations or more information, call 310-545-2444 or visit www.fourdaughterskitchen.com.