Bar Comida

:(At least as of Feb. 19^th, 2015, they took down the food part of Bar Comida due to sanitation concerns. Boo!

This place has a new chef. I ordered the smashed pumpkin martini, which was delicious! I also had the handmade pasta, which was made with fresh pappardelle, roasted pumpkin sauce, sage, herbed walnuts & Parmesan. The chef is pleasant and seems eager to please. The menu is varied and the drinks are strong. This continues to be one of my favorite happy hour places.

** NEW CHEF JP IS AMAZING**
Bar Comida is the intimate little bar in Chez Mélange. JP is the new chef and I can’t say enough amazing things about his food! It is a true tapas style place so even dining alone you can try multiple dishes.
Tonight I had duck tacos with brulee avocado, pomegranate, and tomatillo salsa that were so good. Next I had the Prime Cut Crostini then the Stracciatella cheese with homemade mayhaw jelly that was sensational! Savory butternut squash and sage bread pudding, mushroom risotto fritters and homemade gnocchi finished the meal. JP is a superb chef and Martin the bartender kept the wine flowing. The wine selection is excellent and the atmosphere is warm and friendly.
They are open Tuesday through Saturday so check it out!

Every food item on the menu is good, the drinks are good, service is good, it’s all good!
JP is the chef and is super hospitable beyond making great food. Stryker is the bar chef and his drinks are awesome!
Try it out! Sit at the bar so you can be in the mix of everything.

So i had heard about this place for a while, lucky me found myself in the South Bay and ready to explore a new location with buddies.
We found there is a new chief in town! So he goes by Chief JP — Given he wasn’t on the reviews, I wasn’t sure what to expect. In short he’s great and BarComida lives up to the reviews and hype still.
I love this guy’s style the menu changes slightly on a regular basis which I really appreciate having something new to experience. I had the Heirloom Tomatoes, Roasted Cauliflower and Steak Crostini, yum! Normally I don’t care for blue cheese but this was great, perfect balance.
My grandmother says its not a meal without desert so I had the Red Velvet Brownie — but it wasn’t done with all that red food coloring, he used natural blueberries and something else I cannot recall but it was great too.
Hands down the new Chief JP has some tasty treats and next time I’m in the SoBay i’m headed back. By then the menu may be totally new so its like a new experience all over again!

This bar dinner experience was amazing. The lady bar chef was cooking tapas behind the bar in a mini-​kitchen; she is a master and needs her own restaurant. Basically this is a small bar inside a larger restaurant with a special tapas menu. We started with simple salad with mixed greens, avocado, olive oil, sea salt, and heirloom tomatoes. I’m fuzzy on the next two dishes, but they involved some very crisp and tasty chicken, and then a special chorizo sausage with marina sauce. For desert, we were going to decline, but she offered us a special chocolate salami with powdered sugar. I’ve never had chocolate salami before, but it was freaking delicious and crispy like it had bits of cookie in it.
All the while the bartender and bar chef were attending closely to us with conversation and drinks (including a legit Moscow mule and nice wine-​by-​the-​glass selection). Place was not too loud, and was pretty packed on a Saturday night. Would totally come here more often if we lived closer.
Spent maybe $ 90 total for two people with a couple drinks each. Really not a bad deal for the experience. Wish I could get this value in LA more often…

Chef Diane really knows what she is doing. Every single dish of hers is culinary perfection. She is also a delight to speak with and her passion for cooking makes the experience that much more exciting. She is in high demand, so weekends can get quite busy. I would recommend going on a weekday for a more relaxed and personal experience with Bar Comida and Chef Diane.

I loved my experience at Bar Comida. My fiancé and I sat at the bar area, which was really fun and lively. We loved the wine, and of course the food. I love how interactive the meal was — we were able to talk with the staff and get recommendations, and it just felt like a lot of fun. I don’t think you can go wrong with any of the food here, to be honest!

There are few places I would go just for the ambiance, but the chic sophistication of Bar Comida has me hooked. The wine bar is a fun place to sit, whether you’re just hanging out with a girlfriend or taking a night for yourself. Your tapas are made by a real-​life chef before your hungry eyes, and on my night I had a great time with Chef Jen.
The tapas are simple — they kind of have to be if they can be made behind a tiny bar. But there was a place for everything with everything in its place within the perfect blend of lamb sausage, olives, and feta on the Mediterranean Pizza.
The perfect salty, smoky salmon of the Smoked Salmon Crostini disappeared quickly, and the sweet candied lemon on top was an interesting twist. As much as I loved the lemon, it overpowered the more delicate salmon a bit, but I loved the individual elements so much I still can’t bring myself to criticize.
I’m not going to say that Bar Comida has the best food in the South Bay, but there is something so undeniable sexy about the casually intimate setting that I’ll never be able to resist. There are better places to go for food, but I’ll still be back at Bar Comida because I just can’t stay away!

I’m a Fan of Chef-​Jennifer Story… sample Menu: Coconut Red Curried Shrimp — Hatch Green Chile & Pulled Pork Quesadilla — Smoked Brown Sugared Baby Japanese Sweet Potatoes — Cajun Style Beef Meatballs — Smoked Salmon in Cucumber Cups w/​Brie Chive Mousse — Bacon Wrapped Blue Cheese Stuffed Fresh Figs — Fresh Summer Peach & Heirloom Tomato Salad — Sesame Sweet Chile Glazed Chicken Skewers.

Always a fun time and great food! Jen took excellent care of us tonight! We had Ahi salad along with sesame seared ahi… we like the ahi :)

I finally came in for a repeat visit to Bar Comida. Bar Comida is tough for first timers to find, because it is inside Chez Mélange. So, if you walk into the entrance that is marked Chez Mélange, you walk past two elevators and right into Bar Comida. (I always end up going through Bouzy and walking down the hall to the little bar.) Because it is a tapas bar only, it is a small space. There are 10 barstools in front of the bar/​chef. Then, there are two booths that can accommodate about 10 people all together. So, I recommend coming in by 6:30 if you want to be assured of a seat. (There is free customer parking in the lot under the building.)
I recommend sitting at the bar, so you have a clear view of the blackboard tapas menu and can talk to Chef Diane Scalia. Diane puts together fun combinations — generally playing off of sweet and spicy (just like her). We had:
Moroccan Eggplant Salad ($ 8) — chopped romaine is tossed with a very light vinaigrette and then topped with about half a cup of a marinated eggplant salad that is briney and refreshing. This was served with half a pita drizzled with quite a bit of olive oil (so it is a little soggy) and sprinkled with Z’atar seasoning. I love z’atar, and the salad was refreshing, so I ate every bite!
Sergio Ramos a.k.a. huevos flamencos ($ 8) — a little round dish is filled with a house made South American tomato sauce that is seasoned with cumin, paprika and a little cayenne and topped with two fried eggs with runny yolks to blow up into the sauce. It is served with house-​made focaccia bread. This was absolutely delicious!!! The tomato sauce was sweet and smoky and the egg added an amazing richness. The bread was so fresh — airy, light and tender. We actually had a little extra sauce and bread, because it was so great.
Soprasata Sliders with Chez Mélange’s Housemade Chips ($ 9) — a 5 inch brioche roll with the top cut off is split in half and toasted. It was then topped with a yogurt mint sauce that was slightly sweet an was reminiscent of a mojito. Each half has two slices of soprasata, a smoked pork sausage that is spicy (not hot, just interesting). Just like Sergio Ramos was sweet and spicy with that amazing focaccia and tomato sauce, this is too because of the yogurt dressing/​brioche versus the sausage.
DF also got the peach-​tomato gazpacho, which was very peachy and not very tomatoey. It was very sweet. Gazpacho is not my fav, so I was glad that I did not order this. The malbec that she got, however, was $ 12 for a VERY generous «medium» pour and was absolutely delicious.
After all of this food, and Diane’s friendly hospitality, we were stuffed. Albeit, we were a bit disappointed to not have Diane’s cookies to finish the dinner. She had run out of time on this particular day, which was a really bummer for us.
Overall, I recommend it.

Oh my gosh this place is amazing! It’s small and intimate and so amazing. Chef Diane was so great and said she wanted us to feel at home.
We had the Spanish meats and cheese board (incredible), arrancini, shishito peppers with meat (amazing), surf and turf, and the bruschetta. The Spanish meat and cheese board was surprisingly one of my favorite parts. There was a Spanish goat cheese paired with chocolate chips that was to die for. I could have done without the arrancini — it was a little bland. The shishito peppers and meat were probably my favorite part of the meal. This was from the other adjoining restaurant. It’s pretty cool that you get to order off of two menus. The surf and turf was in an amazing salsa-​like sauce. The bruschetta was different than anything I has ever had. It was roasted red peppers stuffed with goat cheese.
For dessert we had the crème brûlée and sticky toffee pudding. I liked the pudding more but both were tasty. To top it off Diane brought us out her special love knots — simply incredible.
If you want a special experience with a chef that truly interacts with her customers this is the place. She even offered to make us things not on the menu if we wished.
I definitely have to give this place five stars up… I just wish they had the fried zucchini flowers… looks like Ill have to come back!

Have you ever been to a place so amazing that you are conflicted about writing a review… the selfish part of you wants to keep it a secret so no one else finds out… This is THAT place! Chef Diane is amazing. She creates a dining experience that is sure to please; she worked with us as vegetarians to make an amazing meal with the options she had available.
As an added bonus, Striker the bar tender, made a great wine recommendation to compliment the cheeses of the evening.
Overall, can’t wait to go back and hope no one reads this since there are no reservations and this place is SMALL!

This place is awesome. Don’t tell anyone about it. The creative combinations Diane puts together are amazing. I love listening to her proudly describe each nights unique menu. Seriously, just hearing about how she puts together and combines and prepares the tapas-​style plates is half of it.
Also great jazzy bar ambiance and friendly staff makes this a winner in my book. Thanks Bar Comida!

As far as gourmet foods go, the South Bay isn’t exactly at the top of the charts, so when someone surprised me by taking me to Bar Comida, I was absolutely beside myself. Seeing as the person who took me stumbled upon this place by accident on their first visit, I would venture to say that this place is a hidden gem.
When we arrived, Chef Di came over to our tiny table and started talking about all the specials she had curated that day. I say curated, because cooking is clearly an art for her, and I really sensed that when she was describing some of the dishes she was making and why she chose certain flavors. She exuded so much passion about her dishes, that you really just wanted to try everything on the menu. She mentioned that no day was the same, and the menu was constantly changing. She also mentioned her frequent trips to Spain in search of new recipes, flavors, and ingredients. So, as I’m sure you can imagine, I was delighted.
After she took our order, she went behind a bar and started cooking it on a portable electric range. I’ll admit at first I was a bit skeptical. But my friend told me to trust the process, and I’m so glad I did! At first bite, there was an explosion of flavors in my mouth. Shrimp, pears, brussel sprouts … the list goes on. All unique in flavor, and probably with some kind of back story which made the eating it that more magical.
I thought to myself, «How could a place THIS amazing exist and no one seems to know about it?» Well, like other reviewers mentioned, it’s hard to even know the place is there. So to help you understand, I’ll use two metaphors to explain Bar Comida’s location: a) If Bar Comida was a dream layer in Inception, it would be the third, very last layer of the dream. b) If Bar Comida was a part of a Russian Matroyshka doll, it would be the smallest doll within two other dolls. It’s within Chez Mélange, which is within Bouzy.
I absolutely cannot recommend this place enough! So off the beaten path, and everything you’ve dreamed of and more.

Wonderful dinner experience with Chef Diane! Bar Comida is located within Chez Mélange, in the back of the restaurant. You’re still allowed to order from the Chez Mélange menu while dining at BC. Unfortunately, they don’t take reservations and there is very limited seating, so it’s on a first come, first serve basis. You may need to wait. My friend and I got lucky the night we went. There were available openings and we were seated right away! However, to prepare ourselves in advance, we had made reservations at Chez Mélange in case we weren’t able to secure seats at Bar Comida. We would then have a place to fall back on for dinner without having to leave the premises.
Bar Comida is tapas style & the dishes are meant to be shared. Since it was my friend and I’s first time at BC, Diane introduced us to her specialized dishes & guided us throughout dinner. She was so personable and so easy to connect with! Her exuberant personality made our meal that much more enjoyable! There were various menu items to choose from that night, and we decided on the items listed below. Everything was cooked to order, yum!
— Mushroom Pizza — Handmade, homemade taste! Loved the soft, doughy crust topped with seasoned mushrooms, cheeses, olive oil, & sauce. Great texture & delicious.
— Empanadas — Delightfully fried, crispy exterior, filled with succulent & tender seasoned chicken. Scrumptious, indeed.
— Seaweed Salad (ordered from Chez Mélange menu) — Cold dish. Thinly sliced seaweed & cucumbers. Seasoned well, pickled & vinegar based flavors. Refreshing and healthy!
— Shrimp Paella — Delicious, fluffy yellow rice with chopped tomatoes, spices, basil, & grilled shrimp.
— Surf n’ Turf (Scallops & Filet Mignon) — A bit spicy, perfectly seasoned. Very delicious! Tender cubes of filet and scallops. If I had to choose, this was my favorite dish of the night!
— Homemade, specialty cookies (Diane’s complimentary, small dessert) — Wonderful way to end our meal. My friend and I loved the two different kinds of cookies served. I don’t remember what the flavors were, but they were incredibly good!
Unique and enjoyable experience. I look forward to coming back in the near future. Chef Diane’s artistic creativity in customizing such inventive dishes will surely impress you. I highly recommend Bar Comida to all of you!

Wow! I was impressed.
This is a small restaurant located inside a bigger restaurant, so you won’t find any signs from the outside. Just go inside Chez Mélange and tell them you’re looking for Bar Comida. The actual area of Bar Comida is pretty small — a couple Ikea tables facing a long couch, a tall table, and the bar itself. Not much going on in terms of decoration.
You’ll have the options of ordering from the chef’s blackboard menu (which she changes daily), or the Chez Mélange menu (which I believe also changes). I recommend just sticking to the blackboard. We tried some bacon cornbread thing from the Chez Mélange menu, and it was borderline gross. I still ate it though, just because I was pretty hungry.
The menu is all tapas. Among the things we tried were the meat and cheese platter, huevos flamencos, and surf and turf. I really liked the surf and turf, which is basically shrimp and steak. The steak was really tender and full of flavor. We couldn’t help but notice the sauce tastes similar to the huevos flamencos dish though.
Place was at full capacity on a weeknight, but it didn’t feel crowded and we didn’t have to wait. Service was excellent, as the chef herself comes to your table to explain the menu and also serve you. She cooks all the food behind the bar where you can see her, and the smell from the cooking is intoxicating. She did say she was only there 3 days that week, so I guess if you come on an off day you might experience pre-​made dishes like others have wrote about here. Might be a good idea to call ahead to find out when the chef will be in, otherwise I’d imagine the experience wouldn’t be quite as good.
One of the best restaurants I’ve been to! Try the sangria too!

I was really excited to try this restaurant, with near perfect reviews. It’s shocking how big Chez Mélange is on the inside. We walked in, and the whole front part was completely packed, as well as the back part– it was as if the entire Redondo Bch residents were hanging out in there. Restaurant keeps going in the back, and Bar Comida occupies a small room in the back section.
What’s annoying is how they don’t take reservation — I called several times for 2 days, and they didn’t pick up. We showed up 8pm Fri nt, hoping dinner rush would be over, but there was still about a 30 min wait. There aren’t too many seats to begin with, and it’s the kind of place where once ppl sit, they’ll be there all nt, even if they’re nursing 1 drink.
When we finally sat down, chef Diane immediately took charge and began suggesting menu items and told us what she recommends. Since I heard such great things about the chef, we told her to bring whatever she thought was best. She’s awesome and she’d whipped something up & kept the plates coming at a good pace. We started off with some drinks, then bread plate with olives, salads, 4 or 5 meat dish offerings of the day, and finished off with dessert. Unfortunately, none of it was very memorable taste wise, and I was left underwhelmed. It wasn’t bad by any means, but I’ve had better tapas. I won’t be rushing back any time soon. And when I do go back, I’d like to try it on a less crowded weekday, to watch a game at the bar.

Finally!!! Unilocalers have it right with the 5 stars. I’m finally excited again to Unilocal about food!!!
So please keep in mind, bar comida is part of the restaurant on the side BUT is totally different. Chef Diane does her own menu & her own cooking in front of you. This woman is beyond amazing, takes care of all her guests & makes sure she describes her delicious blackboard menu. Her space is small, reminiscent of a secret spot in the heart of NYC. While she is cooking, the aroma of everything is truly intoxicating. You’re full but want to order more because its that good & smells even better. Not all dishes repeat but you can put in the request & if the ingredients are there, she’ll make it for you. Amazing. These are small plates full of Spanish flare. I think the key to her dishes are, «I cook what I would eat for my guests.» That explains the homey, comfort food in a chic establishment.
Paella– WOW this is a def must try! Spicy sausage, perfectly cooked saffron rice, lots of shrimp… words can’t describe how much I enjoyed this. Loads of spices, loved it so much i ordered one to go.
Surf&Turf– As soon as Diane put the plate down, turned around, it was gone. The steak cubes were perfectly cooked, soooo tender it’s like a meaty beefy buttery melt in your mouth kind of greatness. The scallops were also very well cooked. What brought it all together was her spiced red sauce. I think this is always on the menu, get two if you dont like to share, it’s pretty amazing.
Potato Crab Croquettes– my two favorites things in the world, meshed perfectly together with a side of an amazing bacon cream with chives. Mmmmm… Perfect starter
Crème Brûlée– the crust was perfect!!! It looked like a light brown which made me think it would be a soft crust but it was just amazingly crunchy & didn’t taste burnt. Ugh mouth is just melting at the thought
Service– top notch!!! You get so much attention, you feel special. Your every need is met.
Again, thank you Unilocalers!!! I love you for helping me discover this treasure but I hate you at the same time because I will have to drive 40+ miles to satisfy my craving for her food. Oh & FYI, Tuesdays & November are non– Diane days.