As we prepare for the launch of Long Beach Food Scene Week, running Aug. 1 through Aug. 10 at over 80 restaurants spread across the city, we want to highlight businesses and restaurants we’ve partnered with that celebrate our culinary scene. El Barrio Cantina is no exception. For more information about the weeklong celebration of Long Beach’s food scene, click here.
If times are rough in the restaurant industry—check out the chilling quote from restaurateur Cedd Moses, who is closing Cole’s in DTLA after 118 years of operation—then Chef Ulises Pineda-Alfaro has felt it doubly, given he has had dual duty for the past year. On one hand, he bounces between his contemporary Mexican concept, El Barrio Cantina, in the front of his 4th Street space, to the back with Japan-centric speakeasy Tokyo Noir. On the other, he has been traveling—specifically to Japan for Tokyo Noir—which has naturally led a Japanese influence on his updated menu.
The result? A section of Mexican sushi rolls sitting side-by-side with Guadalajara-style carne en su jugo and chicken tinga enchiladas suizas. It’s wonderfully bold. And, if anything, reflects Chef Uli’s refusal to be boxed into a singular concept of Mexican cuisine.
El Barrio Cantina has always been defined by Chef Uli’s influences: L.A., Mexico, his mother, and now, Japan.
One of the clearest truths about El Barrio Cantina is that its menus never need to shout. Chef Uli’s cooking spirit is a triptych of sorts. One part rooted in the traditions of his Mexican heritage, another shaped by his American upbringing, and the final part deeply influenced by his mother’s cooking.
His dishes manage to feel both personal and universally satisfying, like his hearty carne en su jugo. Eschewing iterations that lean toward the soupy side, Chef Uli goes full Guadalajara, where spots like Karne Garibaldi and Kamilos 333 have been churning out the stew-like offering for decades. Or his happy hour pescado tostada, an oregano-tinged ceviche that mimics an after-school snack his mom would create.
Like the Los Angeles he was born into, his food doesn’t shy away from playfulness—his menu has had takes on Taco Bell, riffs on fideo, swapping pork for fish in chicharrón…—or exploration. Chef Uli comes from that all-too-old-school camp that his food should speak for itself. In other words: Fuck your boundaries. And it makes sense that, after visiting Japan for R&D with Tokyo Noir, he created a Mexican sushi roll menu.
You’ll find crunch rolls stuffed with (actual) snow crab. Blue fin tuna doused in salsa macha with serrano and avocado. There’s even one named after L.A. taco journalist Memo Torres, appropriately dubbed the “El Tragon Memo” roll, which is a play on a classic dragon roll. And beyond the sushi, there’s other nods to the Land of the Rising Sun, like a house-made rice cracker with black sesame for ceviche plates, sweet’n’spicy calamari, house-made chili crunch, and aguachile gone sushi roll.
El Barrio’s dedication to the community has helped define it.
At its core, El Barrio Cantina isn’t just a love letter to the food that raised Chef Uli—from mom to L.A. and now to Japan. It has also been the space’s tireless dedication to keeping it community-centric.
It can be by way of donations. The El Barrio team donated $5,000 to Órale, an organization dedicated to building and sustaining a thriving immigrant-led movement to end the criminalization of immigrants and secure bold protections and opportunities that enable immigrant communities to thrive. It was all done through a special that was offered during No Kings Day.
Or it can be through their much-touted (and rightfully so) “Recession Hour” menu, where Chef Uli admitted that “customers are hurting. Their wallets are strained. And we need to find ways that make them comfortable to come in and dine with us.” The result? Stellar $5 tostadas. Drink specials. A massive chimichanga. All affordable, available every day of the week, including weekends and all day on Tuesdays.
“We’re here for them and, in return, hope they’ll be here for us,” Chef Uli said.
A look into the updated menu at El Barrio Cantina.
El Barrio-style to the core, melding Mexican, American, Japanese, and other influences into a menu that makes everyone happy. Here are some highlights.
El Tragon Memo: Grilled unagi | Avocado | Cucumber | Eel sauce | Sesame seeds
El Guapo: Himachi | Lime | Cucumber | Chili crunch | Crispy onion | Cilantro | Tomato | Onion | Serrano | House-made rice crackers with black sesame
Carne en Su Jugo: Wagyu skirt steak | Onion | Garlic | Tomatillo sauce | Black beans | Crema | Avocavo | Flour tortillas
El Crunchy: Snow crab | Tempura shrimp | Tempura flakes | Cucumber | Spicy mayo | Eel sauce
Enchiladas Suizas: Chicken tinga | Corn tortillas | Tomatillo sauce | Black bean purèe | Crema | Avocado | Queso fresco | Cilantro
El Barrio Cantina is located at 1731 E. 4th St.
