As you know, I’ve been watching the food scene materialize at the Elevon development in El Segundo. So far, there’s a Bowlology, and upcoming Petros Kafe, and a Lisa’s Café & Bakery. And now we can add one more to that list. An ABC license application in the window of the space at 733 N. Douglas St. lets us know that a second location of Long Beach’s Ocean Market Grill will soon be moving in. It looks like we can expect a menu of tacos, salads, and… fish.

There are a few days left to celebrate National Grilled Cheese Month this April, and local restaurant Ocean Market Grill is offering its own seafood version of the classic sandwich. Adding lobster to layers of melted mascarpone and provolone cheese, with a bite of arugula pesto, Ocean Market Grill is offering its National Grilled Cheese Month special through the end of April for $16. Visit Ocean Market Grill at 6332 E. PCH.

The Ocean Market Grill is “fine dining in a fast-casual setting,” Owner/Partner Nima Ardabili said. If that’s the plan, they’ve succeeded. It’s an unassuming but very nice setting and is home to some of the best seafood in Long Beach. It’s in Marina Pacifica between the Barnes & Noble and the AMC Theaters.

Torrance is going to get two new casual fish restaurants, with the Ocean Market Grill moving in at the former The Counter location at the corner of Torrance and Hawthorne. It’s an outgrowth of a successful operation in Long Beach and serves seafood as burritos, tacos, sandwiches, or combo plates. The San Pedro Fish Market also plans an opening in the area. The restaurant is capitalizing on their appearances in a web series called “Kings of Fi$h,” a very smart move. No word on opening dates for either yet…

As if I needed another reason to love Long Beach, but I’ll go ahead and file this under reason number 384985. Ocean Grill Market now has Lobster Grilled Cheese’s! As you may or may not know it’s Grilled Cheese Month and before you say it, I know you’re thinking wow another made up holiday?!?! But hey at least this one comes with multiple types of grilled cheese, and to celebrate this classic American sandwich for the month of April as Ocean Market Grill puts their spin on it and adds Lobster to the mix.

Looks like even more oceanic delights for Torrance, as a second outlet of Ocean Market Grill (the first is in Long Beach) will open later this spring. The outlet at 21209 Hawthorne Blvd. takes over for a former outlet of The Counter.

TANIA: When Alex asked me if I wanted to join her for dinner at Ocean Market Grill in Long Beach, I said, “Hell yes!” even though it’s a bit of a trek for me. We used to be roommates, and now that she lives in San Diego, I gotta get my Alex time in any chance I get!

ALEX: I happened to be back at home for Thanksgiving and was so excited to have the opportunity to check out Ocean Market Grill. This style of a fish shop is one of my favorite things, and since I was an hour and a half closer to Tania than I usually am, I knew I needed her to join me!

It was a rainy evening, and after a quick hug in the parking-lot-turned-swimming-pool we hurried inside.

I remember a time when we only went to seafood restaurants for special occasions.

Growing up in New York, there were no small, casual, inexpensive fish houses. There were legendary Shore Dinner destinations with names like Lundy’s, the Grand Central Oyster Bar and Thwaite’s. Indeed, there was the Shore Dinner, which has largely faded from memory, a Lucullan feast of chowder and steamers and lobster and much more. But the notion of an inexpensive, fast casual destination like Ocean Market Grill? A seemingly impossibility — eating fish meant spending money, and dressing up for the occasion. But not anymore.

Yep, Ocean Market Grill has to be one of the more random meals I’ve had in recent times. I will say that I wasn’t a fan of the super generic name, which I can only assume was chosen because it can be acronymized to “OMG.” Opened at the end of April last year, the restaurant is of the fast-casual fish grill genre, and there was pretty much no reason for us to come here except that (1) we were in the area and, more importantly, (2) we’d heard that they were BYOB-friendly.

OMG occupies the former home of Greek eatery Chicken Dijon. Inside, things were nicer than anticipated, casual sure, but also surprisingly chic. There’s an appealing patio seating area out front too.