Missed previous Long Beach Food Scene Intel updates? We got you covered, boo: Click here for the full archive.
Long Beach Food Scene Intel is a series from Brian Addison that will recap food news throughout the city. This is news that needs just a quick mention, is developing, or repeated news where you might have missed the full features.
ISM Brewing and Battambong BBQ partner for collaboration beer
ISM Brewing in DTLB and the Cambodian Cowboy, Chef Chad Phuong of Battambong BBQ, have partnered for a collaboration beer dubbed “Monkey God.” The Helles-style lager is described by head brewer Gene Wagoner as “super light, super fresh” just for the heft of something as smokey as Chad’s barbecue.
The brewery kicked off the beer with a celebration on June 4, also tapping a special cask barrel of the brew that was made with Hennessey-soaked wood chips. It is now available on both tap and in cans to-go at ISM.
Downtown Long Beach Alliance continues Taste of DTLB event come June 11 and 12
The Downtown Long Beach Alliance is throwing its biggest summer party, Taste of Downtown, across two nights—Wednesday, June 11 and Thursday, June 12 from 5PM to 9PM. (With alcohol sales wrapping at 8PM). This free-entry celebration will shut down Pine Avenue from Broadway to 3rd Street, transforming the heart of DTLB into a walkable playground of food, drink, music, and summer vibes. Expect bite-sized dishes from some of Downtown’s best restaurants, along with local beer, wine, and cocktails from beloved neighborhood spots. And yes, there’ll be DJs, live bands, games, and enough street energy to remind you why DTLB still hits different.
New this year: drop $50 or more on tasting tickets before noon on June 11, and not only will you score a limited-edition Downtown Long Beach tee (worth $30), but you’ll also get “Skip the Line” access at Will Call—because waiting is for amateurs.
The live music lineup is stacked: Tiancho brings their bilingual sounds to Pine on Wednesday while DJ Leti spins at Harvey Milk Park. Thursday, Manuel The Band takes the stage and DJ Leti returns, this time lighting up Mosaic on the Promenade. Add in pop-ups between 3rd and 4th, and you’ve got a full-on summer street fest.
Tasting tickets are just $1 each, with most bites running between 3 to 9 tickets. Entry is free—but trust, you’ll want to come hungry.
North Long Beach’s Pho Daily to replaced by Pho Express
After closing back in April of this year and encouraging patrons to visit their Gardena location, Pho Daily’s former space at 5345 Long Beach Blvd. is already getting another tenant. And it will, indeed, be a pho place again: Pho Express will be moving into the space as well as bringing beer and wine with them as they take over the spot.
Praise the Noodle Gods for North Long Beach.
The Eight will meld a coffeeshop with a members-centric billiards club
The Eight, a coffeeshop-meets-billiards club concept opening at 1711 E. Broadway (in the gayborhood directly across from Mineshaft), is attempting to become a reality. The sober-friendly, member-centric billiards club is taking member applications while honing in on their coffee skills.
Look for the full feature in the coming weeks.
A&J Seafood Shack opens second location in San Pedro
I’ve long loved A&J Seafood Shack, featuring them multiple times on my underrated lists and hailing them as a Cambodian-American treasure. So it is obviously good news to hear they have expanded: Hosting their grand opening earlier this week at 530 E. Gaffey St. in San Pedro, it marks a wonderful story of success for a space that has, quite literally, been birthed out of a shack. Opening mid-pandemic, this Cambodian-centric hub of awesomeness has never lost its power with me.
Women Who Whiskey return to Fairmont Breakers for tasting event
Women Who Whiskey—who hosted an event with me for my inaugural Last Call event at the now-shuttered BLACK Bar—will be returning to Fairmont Breakers Long Beach for “Mad (Wo)Men,” bringing their wonderful tasting experience from 6PM to 8PMon Wednesday, June 11. Guests are invited to indulge in “exclusive bourbon pairings from Angel’s Envy in this nostalgic limited-seating experience, such as Kentucky Straight Bourbon paired with pear and poached burrata and orange chimeé, a Triple Oak Kentucky Bourbon paired with anchovy parm shortbread and caramel popcorn brittle and much more,” according to brand rep Sophie DiLeva.
The event will take place inside their Alter Ego lounge located on the first floor.
ICYMI: Inside Long Beach’s floating-seats, on-the-water, rent-a-duffy bar and restaurant, Nigel’s
Floating tables. Pink cabanas. Pink duffys to rent. Plenty of gold. Plenty of champagne. Miami madness and excessiveness meets California chill.
Nigel’s at Anchors Away has big plans for Long Beach when it opens later this month. Here’s your first look.
ICYMI: Beachwood Distilling’s updated cocktail program proves it’s one of Long Beach’s most unique drink spaces
Beachwood Distilling’s new cocktail menu—headed by Long Beach bartending veteran and simply-great-human-being Sarah Foss—beautifully amalgamates the space’s desired evolution and its customer base. Focusing entirely on in-house ingredients but also playing to the taste of its growing patronage, it is one of the most distinctly unique drinking spaces not just in Long Beach, but the region.
ICYMI: Coming soon, Long Beach: Lima Cebichería Peruana, from the owners of acclaimed Sushi Nikkei
Some pretty awesome food news: The owners of Sushi Nikkei are finally tackling the more traditional food of their heritage. Lima Cebichería Peruana will take over the former Chicken University space in Bixby Knolls, with hopes to open with the next month or two.
So what does this mean dish-wise? Traditional cebiches. Tiraditos. Causas. Jaleas. Grilled octopus. Warm classics like arroz con mariscos and lomo saltado. All from a chef who has lifted the food scene already. Yes and yes.
