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Long Beach Food Scene Intel is a series from Brian Addison that will recap food news throughout the city, both news that needs just a quick mention, is developing, or repeated news where you might have missed the full features.
Olive by the Bay testing the waters with dinner hours every Thursday
Olive by the Bay—the restaurant that opened earlier this year for the community of the Peninsula—took over a space that is rich in history. And now, they are open for dinner every Thursday until 8PM. They will also be open for dinner on Saturday, Dec. 21, for the Naples Boat Parade.
For those that don’t know, Olive is a restaurant whose culinary loyalty doesn’t really know bounds. Because of this, we get a space that melds Olive’s kitchen family’s diversity—Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, Mexican, and American—into a singular brunch-meets-late lunch restaurant.
For Brian Addison’s full feature on Olive by the Bay, click here.
Church’s on Cherry at South closes permanently
After serving the community for decades, Church’s chicken at the northwest corner of Cherry Avenue and South Street has permanently shuttered. It marks another bad omen for the intersection, which just saw La Pizza Loco, Little Ceasars, and the nearby Food 4 Less shutter.
Taqueria Brand now open for breakfast; serving menudo con lingua
Birria staple Taqueria Brand has moved into the world of desayuno with breakfast hours seven days a week: Monday through Friday from 8AM to 11:30AM and 8AM to 1PM on weekends. Also on the weekends? Menudo con lengua. Oh yes, bring it.
Baby Gee launches into holiday specials (caviar bumps included)
After announcing both their stellar winter menu as well as their holiday cocktail offerings, Baby Gee Bar has a slew of holiday events coming up:
- Free portraits with Santa Claus on Mon., Dec. 16 from 7PM to 9PM
- Free caviar bumps when you order a cosmopolitan on Wed., Dec. 18, from 5PM to 8PM.
- Matt Lesser Trio live form 8PM to 11PM on Thurs., Dec. 19.
New Amsterdam (smartly) re-brands as Arabian Grill
After facing an uphill battle with its New Amsterdam identity, owner and Syrian native Abu Jemil is returning to his roots—much like his much-loved Gardena shawarma space, Bjorstar—and focusing on the food of his heritage. Rebranding as Arabian Grill, the space will now focus on Levantine food rather than the Euro-Levantine-Meditarranean spread it had under the New Amsterdam moniker.
For those perplexed at the shop’s “New Amsterdam” name, it isn’t that odd considering their history. Borjstar is kinda Gardena-based but actually more Hague (as in the Netherlands)-based: Abu previously owned two shawarma-focused shops in the Hague before taking the full dive into the American restaurant industry by opening Borjstar in September of last year.
ICYMI: Sesame Dinette is up for sale
Surely, the best scenario will be someone buying the concept and recipes—but that is unlikely as the new tenant will want their own concept (especially with a catering-size kitchen). And even if someone does buy them, there is no doubt Sesame Dinette will lose part of its soul with the departure of its matriarch, Judy Mai Nguyẽn.
For the full feature, click here.
ICYMI: Nonna Mercato’s 12 Days of Pasta is the city’s best celebration of the carby creation
The city’s most wondrous celebration of the array of the world of pasta starts today at Nonna Mercato. ‘12 Days of Pasta’ runs now through Christmas Eve, with each day revealing a new pasta plate that is served for that day only from 10AM until sell-out.
For the full feature, click here.
ICYMI: Nettuno at Fairmont Breakers brings the glorious return of one of Long Beach’s best Italian chefs
The Fairmont Breakers is the return of many things. There is the return of the building itself. Then there is the return of Sky Room. The revered space is baked into the collective memory of Long Beach—and its reopening is nothing short of the sensation that a much-loved relative has somehow managed to return to the family once more.
Then there is Chef Giuseppe Musso, overseeing the menu at Nettuno at the Fairmont. And yes, for Long Beach at least, it marks a return of the man who once defined Italian cuisine in DTLB.
Click here to read the full article.
