The Hermosa Beach dining scene just get an upgrade with the launch of RYLA.
Husband and Wife Chef duo, Ray Hayashi and Cynthia Hetlinger celebrated Valentine's Day by sharing their love and delivery of great food with the South Bay. The couple opened this elevated Taiwanese-and Japanese-influenced California menu, in the old Laurel Tavern location, with a level of class and flare not seen in many other Hermosa destinations. The menu and the design of the restaurant's interior leverage Hayashi’s Japanese background and Hetlinger’s Taiwanese roots.
RYLA is the newest great in the Mike Simms and David Lefevre culinary landscape of the South Bay and is well worth the drive or walk for locals from Manhattan Beach to Hermosa. RYLA compliments their renowned and award-winning restaurants in Manhattan Beach The Arthur J, Fishing With Dynamite and Manhattan Beach Post, yet brings a flavor and style not seen in the other locations. Chef Lefevre speaks with such zeal and admiration of the duo and after this dining experience I know why.
Chef's Ray Hayashi and Cynthia Hetlinger, come to RYLA with fine dining resumes. Hayashi, most recently the R&D chef of the Lefevre-Simms trio of Manhattan Beach restaurants, while his Michelin trained wife was sous chef at Providence, Michael Cimarusti’s two Michelin-starred Providence on Melrose Avenue.
For an opening, you would have thought they were in business for years. The staff, food and ambience were superb. If they continue to deliver the way they did last night, perhaps the couple will soon have their own Michelin stars!
To provide a comprehensive review of the restaurant, we had had the pleasure to taste many of the dishes. Our favorite starters included the Hokkaido Milk Bread with Tobiko Nori Spread, Kusshi Oysters with hibiscus gelee, cucumber and shiso and the Agedashi Meiji Tofu with Santa Barbara Uni, Salmon Roe, Dashi, Radish, Wasabi Oil and Nori. I am not a huge fan of Tofu, but I will certainly be back to RYLA and tofu is on my list to enjoy again. The texture and flavors of the Uni and Tofu were perfectly balanced and exploded with flavor in your mouth. The tofu almost tasted like a fine pastry set against the sea flavor of the fresh Santa Barbara uni.
For dinner our favorites include the Black Truffle Fired Rice with Chinese Sausage, Egg, Scallion and Pickled Ginger, an elevated fried rice that you would expect to have at a Michelin winning Asian restaurant; the New Zealand Thai Snapper with kaffir lime coconut broth, mussels, root vegetables and chile was like the couple, a perfect pairing of Thai and Japanese flavors that leave you wanting more; and the, Tonkotsu Shoyu Ramen with pork belly, egg and black garlic oil which I could eat for days and be completely satisfied.
You will not go wrong with any of the dishes on the menu, below are some photos of other dishes we enjoyed.
If you live in the South Bay, you MUST go, if you don't live in the South Bay, this restaurant and its location with proximity to the pier and beach are well worth the trek but be sure to get in quick because when others find out how truly incredible the location, food and duo are, you will wait for months to get in!
RYLA Dining Room
RYLA Bar Scene
Hokkaido Milk Bread with Tobiko Nori Spread
Agedashi Meiji Tofu with Santa Barbara Uni, Salmon Roe, Dashi, Radish, Wasabi Oil and Nori
Kusshi Oysters with hibiscus gelee, cucumber and shiso
Black Truffle Fired Rice with Chinese Sausage, Egg, Scallion and Pickled Ginger
New Zealand Thai Snapper with kaffir lime coconut broth, mussels, root vegetables and chile
Tonkotsu Shoyu Ramen with pork belly, egg and black garlic oil
Hot Chicker Karaage with charred scallion mayo
A5 Wagyu with port wine tare sweet potato casper kale and fresh wasabi
Umeboshi Roast Chicken baby bok choi plum wine chicken jus
Nama Chocolate Tart
