When you’re looking to get away from it all, take a seat at JUTE inside westdrift Manhattan Beach and enjoy getting off the grid for a while with its creative dishes and communal-focused dining experience.
Located just two miles from the beach off bustling Rosecrans Avenue, JUTE at westdrift Manhattan Beach takes you out of the traffic and into a sprawling, lush hideaway. Once you arrive, we suggest taking a seat by the window overlooking the resort’s 24-acre golf course filled with picturesque lakes, sand traps and palm trees.
The word “jute” describes a type of textile fiber used to make a variety of items, like coastal-style rugs and rope. As a restaurant, JUTE at westdrift Manhattan Beach is also many things to many people. For hotel guests, it’s a delicious breakfast spot with a view just steps from their room. For locals, it’s a place to stop for what JUTE calls “rush hour” for discounted bites and drinks, and Sunday brunch for BYOM: Build Your Own Mimosa. For someone hungry for dinner, it’s a place to enjoy a tasty meal and carefully curated cocktails that are anything but par for the course.
Seated at an open-air table with a wonderful view of golfers finishing their games, we ordered a Malibu Rose and a classic Cosmopolitan to start. Both cocktails are refreshing with just the right amount of sweetness. For our second round, we ordered the Golden State, made with tequila, jalapeno, triple sec, lime and pineapple juices, and finished with a Tajin rim. We’ve enjoyed a lot of spicy pineapple margaritas in our day, and this one was up there with the best of them.
After we had our cocktails in hand, we selected the charcuterie board and ahi tuna ceviche to share. Charcuterie boards always taste better when you’re looking at a great view, and this was no exception. With three cheeses, two meats, trail mix, olives, guava paste and toasted bread, this starter offered an ideal variety of items to mix and match. The ahi tuna ceviche was likewise incredible. Served with crispy wontons, each bite was flavorful, bright and fresh.
For dinner, we ordered grilled flat iron steak and capelli scamorza pasta with chicken. The steak was cooked to utter perfection, and the pasta was creamy and indulgent. When it came time for dessert, we had just enough room left for the bakeless chocolate cheesecake. Served in an adorable glass jar, graham crumbles were carefully covered with a velvety chocolate cheesecake filling and fresh berries.
In addition to enjoying JUTE’s offerings in the dining area, you can also savor a selection of the menu poolside. During our time sunbathing by the pool, we nibbled on the hummus and crudité–perfect for a sunny day outdoors–and shared the substantial JUTE Burger.
JUTE at westdrift Manhattan Beach is open every day for breakfast, 7 to 10:30 a.m.; for lunch and dinner, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; for Sunday brunch, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.; and rush hour, 4 to 6 p.m. The bar is open Sunday to Thursday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. ,and Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m. to midnight.
For more information about JUTE at westdrift Manhattan Beach, visit westdrift.com/taste.