Look Who's Popping Up

Gertler’s Kitchen Popping Up at Shade Hotel, July 8 in Manhattan Beach

Adam Gertler
Adam Gertler Photo: Gertler’s Kitchen via Facebook

Last week, we learned that Adam Gertler, the Philly-raised chef and big Peter Weller fan who rose to small screen fame on The Food Network, is popping up all over L.A. to prep for a new restaurant he’s opening in the city’s South Bay with his brother, Keith, called Gertler’s Kitchen. The siblings concept is explained as a “barbecue-inspired gastro-pub,” but so far, it resembles a much different animal than Gertler’s authentic barbecue experience at Philadelphia’s The Smoked Joint, his first restaurant that closed in the late aughts.

Instead, the dudes are refitting their own deli case concept of smoked meats for wursts, melts, kielbasa, rosemary bacon chili, and house-made pastrami Reuben dogs that are also set to appear with Adam next month on The Best Thing I Ever Ate.

The Gertlers’ next L.A. pop-up will be staged for one-night on July 8 in Manhattan Beach, with the two chefs cooking at Michael Zislis’ Shade Hotel alongside the property’s chef, Chris Garasic, on a four-course menu with beer pairings from El Segundo Brewing and Strand Brewing Company.

Gertler’s menu appears to equally embrace the U.S. home-cooking of the Central and Eastern European disapora and a sprinkle of international influences, with a first course trio of smoked salmon salmon rilletes, “Mom’s” chopped liver with poached quail egg, chicken skin, and pickled onions, and a Mediterranean eggplant dip with brioche toasts.

The Gertler’s will next prepare house-made pastrami on rye with sauerkraut and Thousand Island as well as chicken kielbasa with Strand Ale-caramelized onions and garlic dill pickles, along with a grilled calamari salad sporting Thai basil. The main attraction is a whole smoked lamb shoulder with rosemary flatbread and chick pea fritters heated with harrisa, before the meal ends on sangria-soaked watermelon and double chocolate mini-cakes.

Reservations for the three separate seatings (one at a geriatric 5:30, the others 1at 6:30 and 7:30 P.M.) at this $50 per-person July 8 dinner at Shade Hotel can be made at 310-469-3466.

Gertler’s Kitchen Popping Up at Shade Hotel, July 8 in Manhattan Beach