VU- a new restaurant in Marina Del Rey in a modernist space with inventive cuisine

We never go out in the Marina although we both used to call the Marina peninsula home.  Last Wednesday we found ourselves at a party thrown by Angeleno magazine benefiting Heal the Bay in the Marina and thought it the perfect opportunity to check out the new restaurant Vu, managed by our friend Wally Moran.  Vu, which opened in December 2010, was an ambitious project. Creating a sexy restaurant in the upgraded, refurbished Jamaica Bay Inn (formerly a Best Western) on Mothers Beach, in the snowbird capital of the Westside, the Marina, sounded like a stretch.

Well hang up your rollerblades and neon, snowbirds!  The space at Vu is open and modern- it feels a little like a NYC loft and is perched right on the beach which makes it unique, as shockingly there are very few restaurants/bars in the LA area that are right on the water.  The staff is young and attractive-- particularly the bartender, Rob.  The cocktails sound delicious -- creative without being scary.

Now, the food.  Chef Kyle Schutte came out and chatted with us about not being scared by the menu which is definitely bold and adventurous.  He encouraged us to step out of our comfort zones and approach the food playfully.  Which we did-- the home runs for our table of ladies were the the Hiramasa crudo appetizer, the grilled cheese made with Midnight Moon cheese and topped with tomato jam & micro basil,  the friend calamari with pink lemonade mayo, the Niman Ranch Pork shoulder (and we normally don't really like pork, but this was maybe the best thing we had, yum!) and the mint ice cream for dessert.  We know, we ate way too much!!  Although everything has an unusual twist or is prepared using a cutting edge method-- Chef Schutte probably loved Chemistry as a kid-- most of his creations are surprising and tasty.

The wine list is also extensive and we love that it is made up entirely of California wines-- well, except for Veuve Clicqout which Wally says needs to be an exception!

We will make our next visit at sunset for Happy Hour cocktails, small plates, and a walk on the beach!