January 17, 2018 - SoCal Magazine

Pappy’s Seafood: Elevated Classics

by Dennis Richardson | Jan 17, 2018

(See All Aboard the USS Iowa to find out what else you can do before or after visiting this delicious destination.)

So, you’ve visited the Battleship Iowa Museum, and after an immersive, tiring tour of climbing, walking, exploring, and learning, it’s time to leave and find something to eat (and preferably nearby). San Pedro is a fairly small place, and this is quite possibly the city’s greatest advantage, because after what feels like all day on a battleship, the greatest food is only 5 minutes away!

Pappy’s Seafood, located just a couple of blocks from USS Iowa, is something to look forward to in the second half of a day-long trip to San Pedro. Incredibly, this new restaurant will bring you back to San Pedro repeatedly with their elevated seafood experience. Below are some of Pappy’s dishes and drinks that not only look familiar, but are also bound to be unlike any seafood you’ve ever had. Forget everything you know about these ocean signatures and classics, as Pappy’s has carved a lane for itself in the seafood dining world.

Dive In

Though Pappy’s Seafood is only nearing half a year since opening, it’s hard to believe that it hasn’t been in San Pedro for over a decade. Pappy’s blends into its street of lined boutiques and restaurants well, yet is defined by its fresh paint, window-lined walls, and corner foundation. The “open-air” style restaurant houses comfortable window-side tables and chairs, toasty lantern-lit booths, and a premium seated bar, with a friendly hostess, waitresses and waiters, and a bartender all ready to welcome you.

Nautical colors and décor do well at defining the restaurant and preparing you for the experience in store. Clean white walls, and navy-blue paint don’t make Pappy’s feel empty and bare, but rather close and intimate, as you have your own space not too near to any other diners. And though the restaurant has no views of the ocean, and certainly feels as if you’ve anchored in a seaside cabin.

Smooth Sailing & A Trio of Plunges

Pappy’s features an extended menu of spirits, wines, beers, and cocktails, so it was only appropriate to begin with a classic Rose wine: smooth and sweet, with the perfect contrasting tartness in the aftertaste.

Some of their specialty nonalcoholic drinks are Hibiscus Arnold Palmer, Watermelon Mint Limeade, and Passion Fruit Tea. Each of these notable drinks are house-made and brewed on location, and are the perfect matches to the seafood dishes Pappy’s has to offer.

Hibiscus Arnold Palmer: A classic deep red appearance of hibiscus tea, but infused with the sweet and tart flavors of an Arnold Palmer (sweet and lemonade).

Watermelon Mint Limeade: This summery concoction could refresh the thirstiest of sailors. Not only did it taste extremely fresh with its mint flavor, but the sweet familiarity of watermelon coupled with the hint of lime could make the drink a Pappy’s favorite, and the ultimate summer drink.

Passion Fruit Tea: It can be said that this powerful trio of colorful drinks are easily enjoyed by even the most sophisticated tea lovers. However, the Passion Fruit Tea, possesses the earthiest and sharpest taste of all three. This brewed beverage is well balanced with the contrastingly sweet passion fruit.

Starters

Mac and Cheese w/ Lobster: At first glance, Pappy’s mac and cheese (lobster optional) appears to be your everyday cheesy baked pasta. Don’t be fooled — this appetizer is anything but ordinary. Pappy’s mac and cheese uses shell pasta, but is not thick and extra cheesy like the macaroni and cheese many of us have come to love. In fact, this rendition of macaroni and cheese carefully considers its seafood ally, and contains just enough cheese to share the spotlight with chunky pieces of lobster. This golden chest of pasta is topped off with a toasty breadcrumb crust, reminiscent of sweet cornbread.

Crab Cakes: There are crab cakes. Then there are Pappy’s crab cakes. As if they had just brought back a catch, Pappy’s manages to pack a powerful punch of freshness and flavor. Consequently, with a sprinkle of greens, cherry tomatoes, a dash of sea salt, and a drizzle of house tartar, the flavor of the crab cakes is amplified even more.

Clam Chowder Soup: This New England style clam chowder is actually not like eating a soup at all. In fact, Pappy’s clam chowder could be related to a baked dish in terms of texture and taste: layers of flavor, thicker than usual, and a wholesome, hearty treat. Available in two sizes, Pappy’s clam chowder can be a complete entrée when served in the bread bowl, or as a side dish in a bowl or cup.

The Main Course

Blackened Shrimp Fish Plate: Pappy’s offers a variety of fish plates, consisting of sea bass, Ahi, shrimp, salmon, or Mahi Mahi, cooked in 3 styles: garlic herb butter, chimichurri, and blackened seasoning. All fish plates are served with salad, and rice or potatoes. Reminiscent of a traditional Louisiana meal, the blackened shrimp was spicy and flavorful with its Cajun tones, and roasted red potatoes. The salad, a light vinaigrette dressing compounded with citrus notes was the perfect contrast to bring the otherwise heavy meal together.

Lobster Roll w/ Pappy Fries: This could undoubtedly be one of the best lobster rolls in Southern California. Their house-made tartar paired with the warm, buttery French roll made it an absolute delicacy. Pappy’s has mastered this simple sandwich of moist Maine lobster in between with dill weed, tartar, and purple onions. The bonus fries offered with the lobster roll top the dish off with a trio of sauces: house-made ketchup, garlic aioli, and chipotle mayo. This is somewhat of a treat, as Pappy’s doesn’t give guests just one sauce, but let’s them face the impossibility of choosing a sole favorite!

A Sweet Ending

Chocolate Chip Cookie: The final and perfect way to end a meal at Pappy’s is to indulge in one of their pillow-soft, chunky chocolate chip cookies.

Location:
301 W 6th St, San Pedro, CA 90731
(424) 224-5444
pappysseafood.com

Hours:
11:30 am – 9:30 pm, daily.

Contributing Writer: Anthony C. Stafford

All Aboard The USS IOWA

by Dennis Richardson | Jan 17, 2018

(See Pappy’s Seafood: Elevated Classics for a great lunch or dinner after visiting USS Iowa.)

Southern California has a hidden, historical gem unlike any other, located in the coastal city of San Pedro. Potentially overlooked by many Californians, San Pedro is home to a perfect combination of education, discovery, fun, and considered by many to be the perfect destination for individuals, friends, and family. Here’s what visitors can look forward to when they book a visit to the USS Iowa in this beautiful coastal city.

USS Iowa: A History Lesson

The battleship Iowa is possibly one of the best kept secrets in Southern California, and is an experience unlike any other. Visitors can expect to spend about 2 hours or more at the battleship, depending on their tickets and tour type. Daily tours include visits to see the largest guns on the U.S. Navy ship, the officer’s ward room, President Roosevelt’s cabin, the armored bridge, mess decks, helicopter deck, missile decks, and other areas. With 6 tours to choose from, each is catered to the appropriate visitor based on age and accessibility, desired pace, group size, and special access to usually unavailable parts of the battleship.

With a length of over 800 feet, the USS Iowa, also known as “The Big Stick” in 1952, and “The Grey Ghost” during the Korean War, is the last lead ship of any class of United States battleships, and was the only ship of her class to have served in the Atlantic Ocean during World War II. To experience the USS Iowa is to walk to into a virtual time capsule. As if frozen in time, various interior and exterior fixtures, weapons, designs, tools, and technology from 1940 and later lie throughout the ship, setting a stage for the major role that the USS Iowa played in our U.S. and world history.

Though it served during World War II, the Korean War, and through the Cold War, the USS Iowa has stood the test of time, receiving occasional renovations, refurbishments, upgrades, and repairs. She earned 11 battle stars during her career and even hosted three U.S. Presidents — Franklin, Reagan, and H.W. Bush. Though it may not seem like it today with the fantasy of movies and special effects, the USS Iowa is the largest and most powerful ship of its time and ever built.

What to Expect

The USS Iowa opened in Los Angeles, (her final placement) on July 4, 2012, to a crowd of over 1,500 supporters and veterans at Port of Los Angeles Berth 87. The USS Iowa Museum offers daily tours, group programs, education visits, special events, filming, military ceremonies, and is in the process of starting an overnight program. Today, dozens of veterans volunteer in guided tours, and assist in the daily operations, like cleaning, maintenance and upkeep.

The battleship is a ginormous vertical and horizontal labyrinth of steel corridors on the inside, and on the outside, an intimidating vessel marked by the scars of past wars. Standing on any part of the deck will boast amazing panoramic views of the San Pedro Harbor. It’s difficult to imagine what life must have been like to live on an armed ship in the peaks of various wars, and it was no easy task for anyone aboard the ship. With tight quarters, halls, and passages throughout, the amount of human effort, coordination, agility, and caution necessary to keep the USS Iowa moving without a hitch is unimaginable. It’s important to consider that this is a vessel that has housed thousands of men, so space was extremely limited, and everyone had a required duty to fulfill. Even more important to note is that in the height of war, even the deck was no safety zone. In fact, the deck was one of the most dangerous places to be during storms, and when the ship’s guns were in use.

Undoubtedly an educational experience that is not only fun, but extremely immersive, the USS Iowa is a destination that brings the lifestyles of on-duty United States servicemen from early last century into clear perspective. It is an opportunity that may possibly be overlooked by many, but it is also an opportunity for any and every one to find fascination in, and appreciation for many aspects of the experience — including just how far our technological advancement has evolved.

What was once considered to be a “state of the art” battleship, has now become a legendary and well-respected piece of history. If spending a morning exploring the USS Iowa sounds like a good getaway, then consider visiting with family and friends to see first-hand why the USS Iowa is so magnificent.

Parking, Location, and Admission

The Museum is located at Berth 87 at the Los Angeles World Cruise Port Terminal at the LA Waterfront / Port of Los Angeles. The Battleship Iowa Museum shares the parking lot with the World Cruise Terminal.

Parking is accessible from 1st Street & Harbor Boulevard.

The first hour of parking is free, and each additional hour is $2 with a maximum of $18 per day.

Address:
Battleship Iowa Museum
250 South Harbor Blvd.
San Pedro, CA 90731

Tours Available:
Full Steam Ahead: visitors are allowed access to areas of the ship generally not viewed by the public, such as the Engine Room.
Self-Guided: allows for guests to explore the areas permitted for public access by the USS Iowa Museum at their own pace.
Group: discounted rates on admission
Senior Group: provide a guided tour experience through history to areas that are easily accessible.
Curator’s Tour: VIP experience allows guests to tour the USS Iowa Battleship and Museum while accompanied by a member of the ship’s crew.
Interactive Tour: Download the USS Iowa App for an award-winning, interactive tour.

After a day of exploration aboard the USS Iowa, consider visiting Pappy’s Seafood for a befitting elevated dining experience — only five minutes away!