Where is Marina del Rey?

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Be honest, how many of you know what’s up with Marina Del Rey? Boasting the largest constructed small yacht harbor in the world, isn’t it weird that it doesn’t stand out more to you? We spent half a day in the Rey to check out what exactly was going on over there.

What do you do in MDR?

Here’s a short list.

Or you could do what we did, venture onto a chartered sportfishing boat and catch your dinner.

Fresh one!

[info]Marina Del Rey Sportfishing offers daily trips. Boats may limit the amount of trips they have based on reservations and time of year, so make sure the trip your planning on is even going out.

A variety of local fish can be caught year round near the marina. We caught Sculpin, Sheepshead and Whitefish, while other anglers pulled in Vermillion Rockfish, treefish, and other assorted rockfish on our 1/2 day trip. The boats are newbie friendly with rental packages if you don’t own any fishing gear and the crew will get you setup for the right species that they are targeting. Fish cleaning is also provided for a fee, typically $1 a fish, and you can buy hot food and cold drinks/beers on the boat. No craft beers available, but maybe you can convince them.

Pro Tip: definitely consider taking a seasickness pill like Dramamine or Bonine an hour before you board if you think you might get seasick. Or if you’ve never been on a fishing boat before. Or if you’ve never been sick on a boat before. Give it some thought. Trust us…

Fillets o’ fish

Depending on luck/skill, fisherman may find themselves coming off the boat with a big bag of fish. You might just have more than you know what to do with. A popular option is to invite your friends and have a fish taco party or fish fry. Or you can invite one of your executive seafood chef friends and have them cook you up some unique dishes with your catch.

Chef Daniel Roberts of Cafe del Rey

Chef Daniel Roberts, a New York transplant, has been working the kitchens of California since 2001. He started his career at the age of 19 from the bottom by washing dishes and worked his way up rapidly at various restaurants. In the 90’s, he was chef and co-owner of G! Cafe.

In California, chef Daniel has occupied positions at Levy Restaurants at the Staples Center’s Grand Reserve Club and Arena Club, Mondrian Hotel, Asia de Cuba, Portofino Hotel and Yacht Club and its restaurant to name a few. Currently, chef Daniel creates seasonal menus with flavors from the French and Italian rivieras and accents from the Mediterranean region as the Executive Chef at Cafe del Rey, located at the marina.

The food

Chef Daniel did his thing in the kitchen at Cafe del Rey and came back with three original dishes he created by matching the flavors and textures from our catch of the day.

  • Sculpin Tacos with Lemon, Crème Fraiche and Sherry Vinegar
  • Sheepshead Ceviche with Fresh Coconut Milk served in a Coconut Shell
  • Whitefish over Couscous with a Beurre Blanc Reduction Sauce

Check out our video of Chef Daniel as he spent the day with our host Jace Milstead and co-host Chris Farzanrad.

Video produced by Stan Lee, Jace Milstead and Lucas Li
Camera by Will Tee Yang and Ricky Rogers
Sound by Harold Lacuesta
Post production by Stan Lee and Chris Farzanrad