BRANZINO ALLA GRIGLIA
whole grilled branzino
with brussels sprouts & beet greens
(always accompanied by what’s freshest at the farmer’s market)
served with confit meyer lemon oil
The eponymous name for his Italian Ristorante is immediately obvious. At Michael’s on Naples we get the extraordinary feeling that we are dining in Michael’s own home – from the warm sophisticated ambiance to the gracious hospitality and impeccable service, to the passion for food and wine…
Michael’s has been rated the #1 Italian restaurant in Long Beach and the #2 Italian restaurant in all of Los Angeles. The Branzino, a Mediterranean sea bass, is just one of many fabulous dishes, and happens to be our absolute favorite.
What Makes Michael’s Branzino the Best This Side of Italy?
Chef David Coleman demonstrates…
The branzino is flown in daily. From Italy. On ice. Never frozen.
The fish has been gutted and descaled. Chef Coleman removes the entire skeleton. Only the head and tail are left intact. All the fileting of the fish is done in the kitchen before cooking which makes for expedited table service. The branzino is presented whole, with head and tail at the table. The waiter then whisks the dish back to the kitchen for a brief moment and returns with a perfect hot moist filet.
I was so fortunate to be invited into the kitchen to photograph the process.
Removing the dorsal fin.
Fresh branzino are ready to season and grill.
Not that many hours ago, these sea bass were swimming in the Mediterranean Sea.
In the walk-in: Meyer lemons in the process of curing for the Confit Meyer Lemon Oil.
The fish are seasoned with salt and pepper, stuffed with a few lemon wheels, then grilled. The simple preparation allows the character of the delicate flesh to shine through. Grilling over a hot fire imparts the wonderful smokey component through the skin which complements the fish, rather than overpowering it. The edible skin is crisp and charred. The meat is moist and buttery, flaky yet smooth, firm yet tender, silky, like nothing else. Confit Meyer Lemon Oil adds a clean fresh citrusy dimension to the dish.
THE BEST BRANZINO
served here with spinach & potato gnocchi
confit meyer lemon oil
Please stop by next week when I share other dishes by this outstanding chef.
The Best Branzino This Side of Italy clearly merited its very own post!
Michael’s on Naples Ristorante
5620 East 2nd Street • Long Beach, California
UPDATE: “Gracious Italian Hospitality, A Most Memorable Meal”
@ Michael’s on Naples now posted here.
I can taste it through my ‘puter screen. It surely deserved its own post! Cheers!
GORGEOUS.
We call this sea bass “lavraki” and it’s one of my faves…grilled or roasted. Compliments to the chef!
What an extraordinary restaurant this is. Fascinating post on a dish that merited its own posting.
WOW! You should ask them where home cooks can get this species of fish in LA. I have wanted to cook one forever. GREG
HI Greg – Whole Foods, I know they sell branzino at the store in Torrance! And I plan to give it a whirl myself!
LL
What a lovely presentation. Thank you for sharing all these photos with us that we are not living in Italy…
Wow, look at those perfect grill marks on that delicious branzino! It must be fantastic! Thanks for sharing all the photos with us!
What a gorgeous series of photos! I’d love to hear more about how that lemon oil is made.
Simply mouth watering! Wish I could learn to debone the fish that easily.
One beautiful fish prepared to perfection! Thank you for sharing 🙂
Wow, those grill marks are a real work of art! And your brilliant photography doesn’t hurt, either… 🙂
I wonder if this is not what is called lokoz in Lebanon; this reportage was mighty interesting!
what a great post, I love all the step by step pictures and the presentation is beautiful!!
I do love Branzino! This gives me a good reason to come to LA!
Cheers
Dennis