Restaurant: Mr. Cecil’s California Ribs in Manhattan Beach

When a movie producer leaves the business and opens a rib joint, it seems like a crazy gamble. But Chef Jonathan Burrows beat the odds with his Mr. Cecil’s California Ribs restaurants, SoCal hotspots for delicious down-home staples like ribs, chicken, and hot links. His original West Los Angeles and Sherman Oaks locations have been extremely successful, so when he found a piece of prime real estate in downtown Manhattan Beach, a new Mr. Cecil’s was born.

The new eatery (www.mrcecilscaliforniaribs.com) has a 60-seat dining room and bar with large windows facing Highland Avenue. Decorations include farm-animal photos and family pictures, including a large shot of Burrows’ dad, Selig, at the family grill. Mr. Cecil was a pet name for his father, so the restaurants bear his name and caricature logo. The small bar area has a flat screen TV, all of the expected libations including some signature drinks, and a selection of fine beers and wines. The dining area is simple and comfortable.

Comfort-food BBQ lovers do not generally care about a fancy setting. The primary goal is good basic food. Mr. Cecil’s delivers in every respect. This is not traditional southern BBQ, but a blend of styles including Asian, Tennessee, Louisiana, North Carolina, and a few places only Burrows can identify. He carefully guards his unique barbecuing style, but he does give tantalizing hints about the ingredients and techniques he uses to create such tasty treats. On my recent visit, I sampled a variety of selections from the menu that happily demonstrated his wide-ranging influences.

A luscious rack of ribs at Mr. Cecil's California Ribs.

We started with the simple, but flavorful Samara’s Southwest Salad, named for the restaurant’s favorite hostess. With grilled chicken, salsa, mixed lettuce, and BBQ ranch dressing, it was a refreshing starter that could serve nicely as a light meal. Next up were Buffalo Wings, which were actually more BBQ than Buffalo. They were tangy with a subtle, yet powerful spiciness. A new dish that has not yet made it onto the menu, but will surely be a hit, was grilled Jumbo Shrimp served with a spicy Cajun dipping sauce. The shrimp were cooked perfectly, and the sauce had a buttery smoothness with a hint of cayenne.

The main event came on a family-style platter. It contained Baby Back Ribs, St. Louis Ribs, Beef Ribs, Hot Links, and BBQ Chicken. Accompanying the main dishes were Baked Beans with bacon, creamy Cole Slaw, and Hush Puppies. Burrows is proud of his ribs, and his savory sauces are always served on the side.

“I value the flavor of unadorned meat,” Burrows said. “Our ribs have nothing to hide.” This was certainly true as each type of rib had a unique flavor, with extremely tender and flavorful meat. The Hot Links were definitely spicy, but not overpowering. The BBQ Chicken was juicy inside with a crispy skin. The dipping sauces may be unnecessary, but they added great flavor. One is spicy and the other sweeter with a mesquite overtone. Each side item complemented the meats. The Hush Puppies were particularly tasty, with a crunchy crust. Inside was a chewy filling of cornmeal, jalepenos, and cheese.

Chef and owner Jonathan Burrows of Mr. Cecil’s California Ribs.

Finding room for dessert was definitely a challenge. The menu items that capped off the tasting were Lemon Squares and Apple Pie. Each was sugary without being cloying, and the sweetness acted as a nice contrast to the tangy flavors enjoyed earlier. Mr. Cecil’s is a fine addition to the dining choices in Manhattan Beach. With late night hours that are rare for restaurants in the South Bay, both local and out-of-town meat lovers should check it out. They will not be disappointed.

Mr. Cecil’s California Ribs
1209 Highland Avenue
Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
310-546-5400
Sunday-Wednesday: 11am-10pm; Thursday-Saturday: 11am-11pm, with a late night menu from 11pm-2am. Happy Hour: Monday-Friday, 3pm-6pm

[Andy J. Gordon is a Los Angeles-based marketing and strategy consultant, made his writing debut in "Brentwood" magazine in 2007. His interests include music, sports, consumer electronics, premium libations, fine dining, travel, fast cars, and enjoying life.]